Oxonmoot 2024

For Professor Tolkien, “subcreators” of fantasy never create ex nihilo—only from what is already made. Subcreators wield power to either corrupt (like Morgoth) or correct (like Elves). Tom Bombadil, one of Tolkien’s most mysterious characters, embodies Tolkien’s subcreative theories. Bombadil sang exhortation to the creation in his realm. And, indeed, the Bombadilic Episode (the “Episode”) in The Fellowship of the Ring impacted the hobbits in divinely significant ways as well. This article argues that Bombadil, and the entire Episode, are capable of “allegorical interpretation” as the Church herself. Bombadil, along with his wife, Goldberry, function as the Church for the hobbits during their stay. And, while in his realm, Bombadil functioned as prophet, priest, and king. While there, the hobbits encountered forms of all seven sacraments which Tolkien would have known well. Bombadil’s sacramental provision sustained Frodo until he saw the “far green country under a swift sunrise."