What inspired JRR Tolkien to write?
An Oxford professor from 1925 to 1945, Tolkien was heavily inspired by the writings, languages and fantasies of Icelandic linguistic traditions, particularly Old Norse sagas like the Poetic Edda and Prose Edda. Iconic English literature may also have played a role in Tolkien’s first novel.
How did JRR Tolkien become a writer?
Tolkien settled in England as a child, going on to study at Exeter College. While teaching at Oxford University, he published the popular fantasy novels The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The works have had a devoted international fan base and been adapted into award-winning blockbuster films.
Who was JRR Tolkien’s intended audience?
Tolkien intended The Hobbit as a “fairy-story” and wrote it in a tone suited to addressing children although he said later that the book was not specifically written for children but had rather been created out of his interest in mythology and legend.
How old are hobbits in human years?
Hobbits can sometimes live for up to one hundred and thirty years, although their average life expectancy is one hundred years. The time at which a young Hobbit “comes of age” is thirty-three. Thus, a fifty-year-old Hobbit would only look 26–30 years by human standards.
How long did JRR Tolkien fight in the war?
After four months in the trenches – a period that strongly influenced the world that he later created in books such as The Hobbit (1937) and The Lord of Rings (1954-55) – Tolkien fell victim to the typhus-like condition known as ‘trench fever’ and returned to England in November.
Did Tolkien invent Wizards?
No. Now Tolkien did not invent goblins and elves and dwarves; their origins are lost in the mists of time. But he was the first modern author to bring them forward from their ancient past in the Germanic and Nordic legends and build a new universe around them.
Who first created elves?
Tolkien effectively invented the elf as we know it in fantasy literature, drawing on the old Germanic legends.