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{{disambig-two|the poetry collection titled ''The Adventures of Tom Bombadil''|poem by the same name|[[The Adventures of Tom Bombadil (poem)]]}}
{{disambig-two|the poetry collection titled ''The Adventures of Tom Bombadil''|poem by the same name|[[The Adventures of Tom Bombadil (poem)]]}}
{{book
{{book
| title=The Adventures of Tom Bombadil
| title=The Adventures of Tom Bombadil and Other Verses from the Red Book
| image=[[Image:The Adventures of Tom Bombadil cover.jpg|225px]]
| image=[[Image:The Adventures of Tom Bombadil cover.jpg|225px]]
| author=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]]
| author=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]]
| publisher=[[Allen and Unwin|George Allen and Unwin]] (UK)<br/>[[Houghton Mifflin]] (US)
| publisher=[[Allen and Unwin|George Allen and Unwin]] (UK)<br/>[[Houghton Mifflin]] (US)
| date=[[22 November]] [[1962]] (UK)<br/>[[1963]]
| date=[[22 November]] [[1962]] (UK)<br/>[[1963]]
| format=Unknown
| format=Hardback in dustwrapper
| pages=63
| pages=63
| isbn=Unknown
| noisbn=None
}}
}}
'''''The Adventures of Tom Bombadil''''' is a collection of poetry by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]], published in 1962.  The book contains 16 poems, only two of which deal with [[Tom Bombadil]], a character who is most famous for his encounter with [[Frodo Baggins]] in ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', the first volume in Tolkien's best-selling ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''.  The rest of the poems are an assortment of bestiary verse and fairy tale rhyme.
''''' The Adventures of Tom Bombadil and Other Verses from the Red Book''''' is a collection of poetry by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]], published in 1962.  The book contains 16 poems, only two of which deal with [[Tom Bombadil]], a character who is most famous for his encounter with [[Frodo Baggins]] in ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', the first volume in Tolkien's best-selling ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''.  The rest of the poems are an assortment of bestiary verse and fairy tale rhyme.


The book was originally illustrated by [[Pauline Baynes]] and later by [[Roger Garland]].
The book was originally illustrated by [[Pauline Baynes]] and later by [[Roger Garland]].
Line 16: Line 16:
The book, like the first edition of ''The Fellowship of the Ring'', is presented as if it is an actual translation from the [[Red Book of Westmarch]], and contains some background information on the world of [[Middle-earth]] which is not found elsewhere. Examples are the name of the [[Tirith Aear|tower]] at [[Dol Amroth]] and the names of the [[Rivers of Gondor|Seven Rivers of Gondor]]. There is some dispute about its canonical status since the information presented about the secondary world is considered only as folklore among the [[Hobbits]].  
The book, like the first edition of ''The Fellowship of the Ring'', is presented as if it is an actual translation from the [[Red Book of Westmarch]], and contains some background information on the world of [[Middle-earth]] which is not found elsewhere. Examples are the name of the [[Tirith Aear|tower]] at [[Dol Amroth]] and the names of the [[Rivers of Gondor|Seven Rivers of Gondor]]. There is some dispute about its canonical status since the information presented about the secondary world is considered only as folklore among the [[Hobbits]].  


It is also notable because it uses the letter "K" instead of "C" for the /k/ sound in [[Sindarin]], a spelling variant Tolkien alternated many times in his writings.
''Tom Bombadil'' can best be seen as a small, poetic venture into Tolkien's imagination.
==Contents==
==Contents==
*Preface
#[[The Adventures of Tom Bombadil (poem)|The Adventures of Tom Bombadil]]
#[[The Adventures of Tom Bombadil (poem)|The Adventures of Tom Bombadil]]
#[[Bombadil Goes Boating]]
#[[Bombadil Goes Boating]]
Line 29: Line 27:
#[[Perry-the-Winkle]]
#[[Perry-the-Winkle]]
#[[The Mewlips]]
#[[The Mewlips]]
#[[Oliphaunt]]
#[[Oliphaunt (poem)|Oliphaunt]]
#[[Fastitocalon (poem)|Fastitocalon]]
#[[Fastitocalon (poem)|Fastitocalon]]
#[[Cat (poem)|Cat]]
#[[Cat (poem)|Cat]]
Line 36: Line 34:
#[[The Sea-Bell]]
#[[The Sea-Bell]]
#[[The Last Ship]]
#[[The Last Ship]]
The order of the poems form a thematical progress: two poems with the titular character, two "[[faerie]]" poems, two with the [[Man in the Moon]], two with [[Trolls]]; three "bestiary", and four "atmospheric/emotional". ''The Mewlips'' doesn't fit to a category, and placed in the middle as a divider.
Some of the proposed poems that were finally omitted were ''[[Kortirion among the Trees]]'' and ''[[The Dragon's Visit]]''; ''[[You and Me / and the Cottage of Lost Play|You & Me]]'' was also possibly revisited during that process.
==Development==
[[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s aunt [[Jane Neave]] enjoyed the figure of [[Tom Bombadil]] and asked him if he could make a book out of him that would make an affordable [[Christmas]] present. Tolkien didn't feel that anything more could be told about Tom, but considered his earler poem about him, that would be made into an illustrated booklet,<ref group=note>''[[Bilbo's Last Song]]'' was published years later in such a format.</ref> thinking about [[Pauline Baynes]]. [[Rayner Unwin]] suggested to him to collect more poems with it so as to be a more publishable book, and Tolkien researched some older, half-forgotten poems the value of which he doubted<ref name=chron>{{CG|C}}</ref><ref>{{L|233}}</ref> but as he wrote to his aunt, he enjoyed rediscovering and rubbing them up<ref>{{L|234}}</ref> and took a lot of work to re-write them.
Tolkien thought (and Baynes agreed) that the poems didn't fit together as a collection.<ref name=chron/> Tolkien worked a lot to make them fit with each other and into [[Hobbit]]-lore; he decided including a Foreword that would make this connection, and wrote [[Bombadil Goes Boating|a second poem with Tom]] in order to fit him better into the world of [[the Shire]] and Hobbits.<ref>{{L|237}}</ref>
===Illustration===
While Tolkien considered ''The Adventures'' poem very pictorial, Baynes rather suggested that his poems were rather "felt", but Tolkien insisted  that his images, although fantastical and nonsensical, were definite, clear and precise.<ref>{{L|235}}</ref> Tolkien's main instruction to Baynes was that the ilustrations shouldn't be comical as even the more lighthearted poems had a serious undercurrent.
Baynes began working on the book in June 1962, collaborating with art editor Ronald Eames. She was asked for five illustrations but completed six by August and were all printed. Tolkien had criticised her illustration of ''[[The Hoard]]'' which he opted to be omitted (eventually Baynes made a new version for ''[[Poems and Stories]]'' according to his criticism). Tolkien also disagreed with the cover and its lettering but it was too late for a change.
The illustrations for ''Cat'' and ''Fastitocalon'' were messed up, and in the following reprints the order of the poems was reversed and the art adjusted.
In the end Tolkien credited for a large part Baynes for the commercial success of the book.
==Expanded edition==
In 2014 was published an expanded edition of ''The Adventures of Tom Bombadil and Other Verses from the Red Book'', edited by [[Wayne G. Hammond]] and [[Christina Scull]]. The new edition includes earlier versions of several poems and the related poem ''[[Once upon a Time]]''. It also contains the formerly unpublished "predecessor of ''Perry-the-Winkle'', called ''[[The Bumpus]]'', and the complete, tantalizingly brief fragment of a prose story featuring Tom Bombadil, in the days of 'King Bonhedig'". In addition, the editors provide a new introduction and a commentary on the text.<ref>{{webcite|author=[[Wayne G. Hammond]] and [[Christina Scull]]|articleurl=http://wayneandchristina.wordpress.com/2014/01/15/new-tolkien-projects-part-one/|articlename=New Tolkien Projects, Part One|dated=15 January 2014|website=[http://wayneandchristina.wordpress.com/ Wayneandchristina.wordpress.com]|accessed=19 January 2014}}</ref>
==Audio performances==
*[[1952 tape recording]]
*''[[Poems and Songs of Middle Earth]]''
*''[[Tales_from_the_Perilous_Realm_(1992_radio_series)|Tales from the Perilous Realm]]''
*''[[The J.R.R. Tolkien Audio Collection]]''
==External links==
*[http://archive.thetablet.co.uk/article/15th-december-1962/15/from-an-antique-land-the-adventures-of-tom-bombadi ''The Adventures of Tom Bombadil'' review] at thetablet.co.uk
*[http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/booksbytolkien/adventuresoftb/description.htm Review] at Tolkienlibrary.com
*[http://www.hammondandscull.com/addenda/bombadil.html Addenda and Corrigenda to The Adventures of Tom Bombadil and Other Verses from the Red Book (2014)]


{{references}}
{{perilousrealm}}
{{perilousrealm}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Adventures of Tom Bombadil}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Adventures of Tom Bombadil}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:''The Adventures of Tom Bombadil''}}
{{title|italics}}
[[Category:The Adventures of Tom Bombadil| ]]
[[Category:The Adventures of Tom Bombadil| ]]
[[Category:Books by J.R.R. Tolkien]]
[[Category:Books by J.R.R. Tolkien]]
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[[Category:Publications by title]]
[[Category:Publications by title]]
[[de:Die Abenteuer des Tom Bombadil]]
[[de:Die Abenteuer des Tom Bombadil]]
[[fr:tolkien/biblio/atb]]
[[fi:The Adventures of Tom Bombadil and other verses from the Red Book]]
[[fi:The Adventures of Tom Bombadil and other verses from the Red Book]]

Revision as of 13:13, 23 February 2021

This article is about the poetry collection titled The Adventures of Tom Bombadil. For the poem by the same name, see The Adventures of Tom Bombadil (poem).
The Adventures of Tom Bombadil and Other Verses from the Red Book
File:The Adventures of Tom Bombadil cover.jpg
AuthorJ.R.R. Tolkien
PublisherGeorge Allen and Unwin (UK)
Houghton Mifflin (US)
Released22 November 1962 (UK)
1963
FormatHardback in dustwrapper
Pages63
ISBNNone

The Adventures of Tom Bombadil and Other Verses from the Red Book is a collection of poetry by J.R.R. Tolkien, published in 1962. The book contains 16 poems, only two of which deal with Tom Bombadil, a character who is most famous for his encounter with Frodo Baggins in The Fellowship of the Ring, the first volume in Tolkien's best-selling The Lord of the Rings. The rest of the poems are an assortment of bestiary verse and fairy tale rhyme.

The book was originally illustrated by Pauline Baynes and later by Roger Garland.

The book, like the first edition of The Fellowship of the Ring, is presented as if it is an actual translation from the Red Book of Westmarch, and contains some background information on the world of Middle-earth which is not found elsewhere. Examples are the name of the tower at Dol Amroth and the names of the Seven Rivers of Gondor. There is some dispute about its canonical status since the information presented about the secondary world is considered only as folklore among the Hobbits.

Contents

  • Preface
  1. The Adventures of Tom Bombadil
  2. Bombadil Goes Boating
  3. Errantry
  4. Little Princess Mee
  5. The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late
  6. The Man in the Moon Came Down Too Soon
  7. The Stone Troll
  8. Perry-the-Winkle
  9. The Mewlips
  10. Oliphaunt
  11. Fastitocalon
  12. Cat
  13. Shadow-Bride
  14. The Hoard
  15. The Sea-Bell
  16. The Last Ship

The order of the poems form a thematical progress: two poems with the titular character, two "faerie" poems, two with the Man in the Moon, two with Trolls; three "bestiary", and four "atmospheric/emotional". The Mewlips doesn't fit to a category, and placed in the middle as a divider.

Some of the proposed poems that were finally omitted were Kortirion among the Trees and The Dragon's Visit; You & Me was also possibly revisited during that process.

Development

J.R.R. Tolkien's aunt Jane Neave enjoyed the figure of Tom Bombadil and asked him if he could make a book out of him that would make an affordable Christmas present. Tolkien didn't feel that anything more could be told about Tom, but considered his earler poem about him, that would be made into an illustrated booklet,[note 1] thinking about Pauline Baynes. Rayner Unwin suggested to him to collect more poems with it so as to be a more publishable book, and Tolkien researched some older, half-forgotten poems the value of which he doubted[1][2] but as he wrote to his aunt, he enjoyed rediscovering and rubbing them up[3] and took a lot of work to re-write them.

Tolkien thought (and Baynes agreed) that the poems didn't fit together as a collection.[1] Tolkien worked a lot to make them fit with each other and into Hobbit-lore; he decided including a Foreword that would make this connection, and wrote a second poem with Tom in order to fit him better into the world of the Shire and Hobbits.[4]

Illustration

While Tolkien considered The Adventures poem very pictorial, Baynes rather suggested that his poems were rather "felt", but Tolkien insisted that his images, although fantastical and nonsensical, were definite, clear and precise.[5] Tolkien's main instruction to Baynes was that the ilustrations shouldn't be comical as even the more lighthearted poems had a serious undercurrent.

Baynes began working on the book in June 1962, collaborating with art editor Ronald Eames. She was asked for five illustrations but completed six by August and were all printed. Tolkien had criticised her illustration of The Hoard which he opted to be omitted (eventually Baynes made a new version for Poems and Stories according to his criticism). Tolkien also disagreed with the cover and its lettering but it was too late for a change.

The illustrations for Cat and Fastitocalon were messed up, and in the following reprints the order of the poems was reversed and the art adjusted.

In the end Tolkien credited for a large part Baynes for the commercial success of the book.

Expanded edition

In 2014 was published an expanded edition of The Adventures of Tom Bombadil and Other Verses from the Red Book, edited by Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull. The new edition includes earlier versions of several poems and the related poem Once upon a Time. It also contains the formerly unpublished "predecessor of Perry-the-Winkle, called The Bumpus, and the complete, tantalizingly brief fragment of a prose story featuring Tom Bombadil, in the days of 'King Bonhedig'". In addition, the editors provide a new introduction and a commentary on the text.[6]

Audio performances

External links

  1. Bilbo's Last Song was published years later in such a format.

References

Tales from the Perilous Realm
Farmer Giles of Ham · The Adventures of Tom Bombadil · Leaf by Niggle · Smith of Wootton Major
Roverandom (since 2008) · On Fairy-Stories (since 2008)