Who or What is Tom Bombadil?

[The Saucepan Man]

Originally Posted by Gurthang

But it is true that her nature is about as equally unknown as Tom's.

Save that she is specifically identified as the River Woman's Daughter. Ambiguous in itself, perhaps, but at least it suggests to us more about her nature (hinting perhaps that she is a water spirit of some kind) than we are ever told about Tom's nature.

... has anyone ever wondered if Tom was perhaps the embodiment of Tolkien himself into Middle-Earth?

Yes, I have seen the theory articulated somewhere, although I can't now recall where. I also recall seeing an article setting out the theory of Tom as the embodiment of the reader. I believe that it is linked to on one of the threads for which Fordim has privided the links.