TV NEWS
Tolkien Debunked A Controversial Lord Of The Rings 'God' Rumor
By JARON PAK
Those who only watched the “Lord of the Rings” films are likely unfamiliar with Tom Bombadil, the colorful character of unknown origin from “The Fellowship of the Ring.”
Bombadil remains an enigma, and fans have debated his true identity since his appearance in the novel. One theory suggests that he’s Eru Ilúvatar, the Creator of the world.
However, author J.R.R. Tolkien himself denied this in a letter in 1956, stating, “There is no embodiment of the One, of God, who indeed remains remote, outside the World.”
Tolkien wrote in a 1937 letter that Bombadil was “the spirit of the (vanishing) Oxford and Berkshire countryside,” but he seems to be more than that in “The Fellowship of the Ring.”
Glorfindel describes Bombadil as ending “Last as he was First.” The capitalized “Last” and “First” suggest a God, but with Tolkien denying this, his identity remains a mystery.
Tolkien originally wrote Tom Bombadil, a character based on his son’s toy, as the hero of a poem before he wrote “The Lord of the Rings” and decided to use him in the story.
Based on his letters, it appears that Tolkien had an idea of Bombadil’s identity, but he wrote, “As a story, I think it is good that there should be a lot of things unexplained.”