Above all, the English writer, linguist and literary scholar wrote epic works about a fantasy world that he equipped with Norse and Celtic mythologies. From 1920 to 1925 he was a lecturer in English at Leeds; from 1925 to 1959 professor of Germanic philology at Oxford. His most famous work is the novel trilogy “The Lord of the Rings” (German: The Lord of the Rings, 1954/1955). John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, who was highly controversial in literary criticism, thus advanced to become a cult author in hippie culture. The fantastic-monmental story about “hobbits”, “orcs”, “elves” and dwarves in a fairytale world called “middle-earth” gave plenty of impetus to fantasy literature. The central theme of his works is the struggle of good against evil…
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born on January 3, 1892 in Bloemfontein, South Africa, to Arthur Tolkien and his wife Mable.
Tolkien moved to England with his mother and younger brother Hilary in 1896 because the brother did not like the climate there. His father died in South Africa of rheumatic fever. The family moved to Searhole, the father’s hometown. The environment there later inspired Tolkien to describe landscapes in his books. In 1904 the mother died. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien and his brother were raised by a priest in Birmingham. Tolkien went to King Edwards School there. Already at this time the boy was particularly interested in ancient languages. After school, a scholarship enabled him to study Old Welsh, Finnish, English and Literature at Exeter College.
In 1915 he finished his studies. The following year he married Edith Bratt, whom he had known since childhood. In 1916 he experienced the First World War in France as a soldier. He fell ill with trench fever and was released from military service. In 1920 he accepted a professorship at the University of Leeds. There he taught as a lecturer in Old English languages. In 1925 he became a professor at Oxford University, where he taught and researched until his retirement in 1959. J.R.R. Tolkien earned a reputation as an internationally recognized luminary in his field. He invented the first fantasy stories as bedtime stories for his son Christopher. He soon wrote them down. In this way Tolkien created his two most important works entitled “The Hobbit” (1937) and “The Lord of the Rings” (1954/1955).
Tolkien’s fantastic fairy tales, novels and short stories revolve around the imaginary world of Middle-earth. The novel trilogy “The Lord of the Rings” is the continuation of the title “The Hobbit”. The trilogy consists of the following parts: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King : “The return of the King”. “The Lord of the Rings” is about the battle between good and evil powers. In a fantastic mythological plot, the exciting fairy tale is told about a ring that gives the wearer absolute power. In order to fully understand the story, the previous work “The Hobbit” must be known. Tolkien moved to Bournemourth with his wife. After her death in 1971, Tolkien returned to Oxford.
Tolkien’s last work, the story The Silmarillion, was published by his son in 1977. This tale is about the mythological beginnings of Middle-earth and the development of its peoples. The reader learns a lot of background information about the novel “The Lord of the Rings”. The volume entitled “Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middleearth” was only edited by Tolkien’s son after his death and published in 1980. The work contains some stories, but they are not related to each other. To J.R.R. Tolkien’s complete works also include technical papers and various essays. Tolkien was awarded the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth in 1972, making him Commander of the British Empire.
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien died in Bournemouth on September 2, 1973.
What did J.R.R. Tolkien?
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE, was a British writer and philologist. His novel The Lord of the Rings is one of the most successful books of the 20th century and is considered a seminal work of modern fantasy literature.
What does J.R.R. Tolkien?
J.R.R. Tolkien was born on January 3, 1892. He is considered one of the most respected philologists in the world, but he is best known for being the creator of Middle-earth and the author of the legendary The Lord of the Rings. His books have been translated into more than 80 languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide.
Why did J.R.R. Tolkien Lord of the Rings?
Thus, in the late 1930s, Tolkien began writing the story of the Great War of the Ring, in which Frodo, Bilbo’s nephew, along with his friends Merry, Pippin and Sam, made the perilous journey to Mount Doom to destroy the Ring of Power forever and so that ward off evil from Middle-earth.
What were the interests of J.R.R. Tolkien?
He delves into the study of Middle English literature and devotes himself in particular to “Beowulf”, which is considered the oldest non-ecclesiastical work in the English language. Meanwhile, Tolkien has also made a name for himself as a linguist and philologist.
Who owns the rights to Lord of the Rings?
Middle-earth Enterprises, originally formed as Tolkien Enterprises, owns and markets the worldwide rights to J.R.R. Tolkien’s works The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Based in Berkeley, California.
How many books are there by Tolkien?
Over 50 more or less completed books, stories, essays and poems have now been published – and new ones are still being added.