Many articles have been written and suggestions have been made about the true nature of Tom Bombadil’s character in The Lord of the Rings and his wife Goldberry. These two are very mysteriously represented by Tolkien in his famous work, and it is never fully revealed what they really are and where they came from. All that is really portrayed, especially from the young Hobbits Merry, Pippin, Frodo and Sam, who are still naive in this initial part of their journey, having just left the Shire, is that Tom and Goldberry are very unearthly, very powerful ancient beings.
They both have a strange connection to the nature around them, especially to the land of the Old Forest, and there is something timeless about them that makes them seem like they exist somewhere between the realms of Middle-earth and the heavens beyond. They both show extraordinary resilience to the One Ring of Power and seem to care only about the Hobbits to comfort them and prepare them for the long and difficult times that lie ahead. But some fans have begun to connect the dots with some of Tolkien’s other works and believe that Tom Bombadil and Goldberry may actually be two masked Ainur.
The Ainur are the very first creatures created by Eru Iluvatar long before the emergence of Middle—earth, and each of them played a role in creating a world ready for elves and humans to live in. Two of the most famous Ainur are Aule (who formed huge mountain peaks and deep depressions of the sea) and his wife Ivanna (who helped life penetrate the lands by taking care of what grows), and many fans believe that in fact they may be the secret alter ego of Tom Bombadil and his wife Goldberry. For example:
Aule was responsible for the fact that “the cultivation of all lands was his work, he is a blacksmith and a master of all crafts, and he enjoys artful works, no matter how small they may be, as well as ancient buildings.” His mighty precious stones, lying deep in the earth, and gold, beautiful in His hand, are no less than the walls of mountains and the hollows of the sea.” described as “the lord of the forest, water and hill”.
When Frodo and the others walk with Tom Bombadil in his house, they follow his conversation, which takes them on a long journey: “When they caught his words again, they found that he was now wandering in strange regions beyond their memory and beyond their waking thoughts, at a time when the world was wider and the seas flowed directly into the west coast, and Tom continued to sing in the ancient starlight, when only the elven fathers were awake.”. the age and knowledge of the Ainur, and originated, perhaps, before the First Epoch of the World. He tells them: “Remember my words, my friends — Tom was here before the river and the trees, Tom remembers the first drop of rain and the first acorn. He paved the way in front of the Big People and saw the little people arrive.”
The way Tom tells his story gives an idea that he helped build these things, which would certainly be appropriate if he was actually Aule. The same goes for the Goldenrod and her resemblance to Ivanna, who is known as the “Giver of Fruits”. She loves everything that grows on earth, and all their countless forms that she keeps in her mind, from trees that look like towers. in the forests a long time ago, moss on stones or small and secret things in the mold” and “In the image of a woman, she is tall and dressed in green, but sometimes she takes other forms. I saw her standing like a tree under the sky, crowned with the sun, and from all its branches golden dew fell on the barren land, and it grew green wheat, but the roots of the tree were in the waters of Ulmo, and the winds of Manwe spoke in its leaves.”
This very down-to-earth, very close to nature image of Ivanna echoes inside when Frodo and others first meet Goldberry and report that “Her long yellow hair streamed over her shoulders, her dress was green, green like young reeds, shining silver like dew drops, and her belt was made of gold in the shape of chains of flag lilies with pale blue eyes of forget-me-nots.”
There are so many obvious parallels between the characters, and it is well known that the Ainur loved Middle-earth and loved the creations of Iluvatar, so it is highly plausible that they disguise themselves as Tom Bombadil and Goldberry to walk the world. and its peoples, without revealing their true power and strength. Perhaps some beings (for example, Gandalf) know about their true identity, but will never reveal it, or perhaps they have created such a mysterious atmosphere around themselves and their origin that no one knows their true connection with the creator of all things.
