by Robert » February 26th, 2009, 1:27 pm
Its not even a contest for me. Tom Bombadil is the most fascinating character in my humble opinion. The fact that he and he alone is unable to be corrupted by the ring (save perhaps Goldberry-that I don't know) is reason enough I should think.
But then there is the whole issue of his history. Here is a man-if indeed one can call him that since his description resembles a more hobbit-like presence-whose lineage is never mentioned. Instead he is described as going back to before anything existed. I am not sure if he is mentioned in the Simarillion. I have only read parts of it. However, one would think that he would be the first reasoning, sentient being in middle earth.
And no one can deny his powers. He is almost amniscient and in some ways omnipresent. The authority he has over everything. And indeed it is more like authority than magic-for he commands things to act according to his will not by some unseen force of superphysicality.
Overall, I find him to be the most interesting and mysterious of characters. Almost Christ-like in some scenes, country bumpkin-ish, and yet so wise and knowledgeable. I love him.
[I am] Freudian Viennese by night, by day [I am] Marxian Muscovite
--Robert Frost--