Shorts: Tom Bombadil

Hey! Come derry dols! Lord of the Rings, the fantasy epic that birthed a genre and a thousand black light posters, has confused many a reader. Just as the story gets momentum, BAM! The narrative is stopped for three chapters with an interlude about a silly, singing, enigma who is immune to the evil of The One Ring but does nothing about it. What are we to make of this man with boots of yellow? Is he a god? Is he nature? Is he just there to party?  Join us as we explore one of the oddest - and merriest - characters in fiction: Tom Bom, jolly Tom, Tom Bombadil(lo).

Killing the Forward Momentum of the Story Since 1954.

Hey! Come derry dols! Lord of the Rings, the fantasy epic that birthed a genre and a thousand black light posters, has confused many a reader. Just as the story gets momentum, BAM! The narrative is stopped for three chapters with an interlude about a silly, singing, enigma who is immune to the evil of The One Ring but does nothing about it. What are we to make of this man with boots of yellow? Is he a god? Is he nature? Is he just there to party?  Join us as we explore one of the oddest - and merriest - characters in fiction: Tom Bom, jolly Tom, Tom Bombadil(lo).

Our theme song is by Tawny Frogmouth.

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Further Reading

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien on Goodreads

The Adventures of Tom Bombadil by J.R.R. Tolkien on Goodreads

Is Tom Bombadil the Witch King?

Theories About Tom Bombadil on Fandom.com

Tom Bombadil on Tolkien Gateway

An interpretation of Tom Bombadil’s song by Reddit user u/BackalleyRecordstore

Dave’s daughter Abigail’s invention: Tom Bombadil Pickles!