JRR Tolkien, born in South Africa in 1892, was a British writer known for his works The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. He was a master of languages and his command of Finnish influenced the Elven language, Quenya. Tolkien was a devout Catholic and believed in the incorruptibility of some people, like his character Faramir. He died in 1973, but his literary endeavors, including The Silmarillion, continue to be celebrated today.
James Ronal Reuel, or JRR, Tolkien is one of the best loved British writers of the 20th century. His major works, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, have been celebrated for decades and translated into many languages. The film version of The Lord of the Rings directed by Peter Jackson created more interest in the author’s background.
JRR Tolkien was born in South Africa in 1892. His father died when he was only three years old and the family moved to the West Midlands section of England. Early on, Tolkien demonstrated an extraordinary aptitude for learning languages, mastering Greek and Latin in his early teens. Of particular importance was his command of Finnish, which would later greatly influence the Elven language, Quenya.
While Tolkien initially attended college at Oxford, he changed his emphasis to English literature and earned a BA in 1915. He also met his future wife Edith Bratt. When he converted to Catholicism, the two married. They had four children, to whom the writer often told his many stories.
While in college, Tolkien had already begun work on the original poem and had begun inventing Quenya. After graduation, he enlisted in the British Army. Many believe that the depictions of warfare in The Lord of the Rings were heavily influenced by his time spent in the trenches of France. Tolkien hated this interpretation and refuted it, but close study of his writings to his wife during the time certainly suggests similarities.
After the First World War, Tolkien became an associate professor at Leed College. While teaching, he continued to work on stories and translations. His best-known translations were of long poems in the West Midland dialect, distinct from other forms of Middle English. His translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Night is still considered by many to be an excellent verse translation.
In 1925 he obtained the professorship at Oxford. He founded a group called the Inklings, befriending both CS Lewis, writer of the Narnia series, and Charles Williams. Through them, and through his children, Tolkien tested his theories and ideas about the hobbits, wishing to create a mythology for Britain, since most ancient mythology was derived from Norse or Norman sources.
While he continued to teach and contribute many scholarly articles to philological publications, he began to work in earnest on The Hobbit. It was not finished or published until 1937. After his initial success with The Hobbit, he presented what he considered his best work, The Silmarillion, which was not published until after his death. This refusal was a source of deep regret for Tolkien.
However, Tolkien was encouraged to write something like The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings took shape. He initially wished to publish the entire work together, but the publishers split over three books. Reviews of the releases in the 1950s were mixed, but they attracted a British following.
The work was made public in the United States in the 1960s, as a result of the printing of pirated copies. He was often related to the counterculture movements of the 1960s, which gave Tolkien some heartache. However, it evolved into the cult following of his work still very present today.
The Lord of the Rings as a product of over 20 years of study, is particularly known for its depth and background of wholly invented cultures and languages. It is recognizable to many and represents the ‘hero’s journey’. Not all fans are equally happy with the recent movie release. Changes in behavior or characters like Faramir are distressing.
Tolkien, as a devout Catholic, believed that there were some people who were incorruptible, like his character Faramir. In the book, Faramir never tries to take the ring from Frodo. Jackson changes into Faramir not only to be tempted, but also to return Frodo to Osgiliath. Unfortunately, Jackson doesn’t seem to have the same faith that this childhood faith in the infinitely good provides the work.
JRR Tolkien died in 1973, and while he made other literary endeavors, they were not well received. First, he wrote some short stories that weren’t published until after his death. Through the work of his youngest son, Christopher, the writer’s lovers finally had access to The Silmarillion, as well as the privilege of reading other short stories he wrote along the way to his greatest work.
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