J. R. R. Tolkien

About Tolkien

Biography
Bibliography
Quotes
Timeline

Multimedia

- The One Ring -
Tolkien reads "The One Ring"
(51 seconds, 680kb, MP3)

- Elvish -
Tolkien speaks in Elvish!
(47 seconds, 377kb, MP3)

- Interview -
Tolkien talks about "The Hobbit"
(47 seconds, 863kb, QuickTime)

- Biography -

Tolkien is most noted for his two internationally acclaimed fantasy tales, "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings", but he was much more than just being a writer of fiction. Tolkien was an eminent scholar of English Language, twice elected professor at Oxford, specializing in Anglo-Saxon and medieval literature. Moreover, he was a distinguished philologist and linguist, being able to adopt scientific methods to decode ancient languages and reform them into new ones.

His writing style was also unique in his own fashion. Tolkien excelled in portraiting his imaginations in great details with words, but he disliked using fancy vocabuary. And when compared with other fantasy fictions, The Lord of the Rings noticeably does not contain many fighting scenes. Poetry is also another major element found in Tolkien's works that further diverged his style from others.

Tolkien was also one of the most renowned letter writers of the 20th century. Putting pen to paper was a habit that he had developed since his childhood. He took great pleasure in corresponding with friends and fan readers, and he took every letter seriously, especially if it came from a child or an elderly person. Today his letters are being treasured by many. Tolkien was also fond of storytelling, another activity that had also proliferated into a lifetime habit when he formed reading clubs among friends in school to read aloud epic tales as well as their own writings and to share thoughts with each other. He also read bedtime stories to his children.

Throughout his academic life as a scholar, Tolkien had made valuable contributions to his profession and had given new meanings to medevial literature. He is moreover best remembered today as the author of The Lord of the Rings, an adventure romance that takes place in the fantasy world of Middle-earth, which he had created and so passionately filled it with enchanting legends, peoples and cultures, languages and histories. The magnitutde of his successful achievement as a sub-creator thus earned him the title, The Master of Fantasy.

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- Bibliography -

The Silmarillion
The Hobbit
The Lord of the Rings

The above three major Middle-earth books can only be considered as the outline or the blueprint of the history of Middle-earth, when compared to the whole that Tolkien had created. And with his passing, Tolkien had also left gaps untold between the tales with questions unanswered. Fortunately, Tolkien had also left many manuscripts that bear these answers. The manuscripts were to be left in the hands of his son Christopher Tolkien, with whom Tolkien in his last years had often discussed of the writings, and that in the event of his dying, Christopher was to complete it for him. Indeed, Christopher Tolkien spent the next 25 years bringing his father's dreams to life; therefore, the echoing words were at last realized: May you say things I have tried to say long after I am not there to say them.

- Quotes -

"I have done some touches to my nonsense fairy language...it does seem such a mad hobby!"
"I am in fact a Hobbit, in all but size...I like gardens, trees...I smoke a pipe, and like good plain food (unregrigerated), but detest French cooking..."
"To ask if the Orcs 'are' Communists is to me as sensible as asking if Communists are Orcs."
"I think if a jinn came and gave me a wish -- what would you really like? -- I should reply: Nothing. Go away!"
"I met the Luthien Tinuviel of my own personal 'romance' with her long dark hair, fair face and starry eyes, and beautiful voice..."

- Timeline -

1857
Birth of Tolkien's father, Arthur Reuel Tolkien. Later in his life, he moved to the city of Bloemfontein, Orange Free State of South Africa, as a local banker. The name "TOLKIEN" (tol-teen) is derived from the German surname "TOLLKÜHN", meaning "fool-hardly." JRR Tolkien's great-grandfather migrated from Germany to England during the 18th century; thus, the Tolkien family had long been "Englished."

1870
Birth of Tolkien's mother, Mabel Suffield.

1889.1.21
Birth of Edith Bratt.

1891.4.16
Arthur weds Mabel in Africa.

1892.1.3
Birth of Tolkien, full named John Ronald Reuel Tolkien.

1894.2.17
Birth of Tolkien's younger brother, Hilary Arthur Reuel Tolkien.

1895.4 (Aged 3)
Mabel returns to Birmingham, England for holidays with the boys. Arthur plans to return when time permits.

1896.2.15
Arthur Tolkien dies in Bloemfontein from a severe hemorrhage. Mabel moves her family from Birmingham to the hamlet of Sarehole. Mabel also starts to teach the boys Latin and French. The beautiful surroundings of Sarehole gives Tolkien a lasting impression, which is later reflected in his writings.

1904.11.4 (aged 12)
Mabel Tolkien dies in a diabetic coma, aged 34. The boys are now in the care of Father Francis Morgan until they turn 21.

1900~1915
Education: King Edward School, St. Philip, and Oxford. Tolkien speaks fluent Latin and Greek, and takes great interest in studying Anglo-Saxon, Middle English, Welsh, and Finnish. Soon after, he begins to construct his fairy languages.

1905
The boys move in with their aunt.

1908 (aged 16)
The boys move to a new lodging house. At the same time, another orphan girl also lives there. Her name is Edith Bratt. She plays piano very well, and can dance and tailoring. Tolkien and Edith are soon attracted to each other; Edith likes Tolkien's serious face and perfect manners, and Tolkien is also drawn by her engaging manners and artistic talents.

1909
Summer, Tolkien and Edith falls in love. Autumn, romance is discovered. December, Tolkien fails to obtain a scholarship at Oxford.

1910 (aged 18)
January, the boys move to a new lodging house. March, Edith moves away from Birmingham. Father Morgan forbids Tolkien not to meet or contact Edith until he is 21. December, Tolkien obtains a scholarship.

1911
Tolkien begins his first term in Oxford.

1913.1.8 (aged 21)
Tolkien reunites with Edith.

1914
First World War breaks out.

1915 (aged 23)
After graduation, Tolkien joins the English army and starts training.

1916.3.22
Tolkien marries Edith. June, Tolkien is sent to France; Battle of the Somme. November, Tolkien returns to England suffering from trench fever. But his two dear friends, Rob Gilson and Geoffrey B. Smith, from the reading club T.C.B.S.(Tea Club and Barrovian Society) are killed in action. On July 15, 1916, Smith wrote to Tolkien of Gilson's death:

My dear John Ronald,

I saw in the paper this morning that Rob has been killed. I am safe but what does that matter? Do please stick to me, you and Christopher. I am very tired and most frightfully depressed at this worst news. Now one realises in despair what the T.C.B.S. really was.

O my dear John Ronald what ever are we going to do?

Yours ever.

G. B. S.

5 months later, Tolkien was informed by Wiseman that Smith had also died in a mission. Smith wrote his last letter to Tolkien just before setting out:

My chief consolation is that if I am scuppered tonight - I am off on duty in a few minutes - there will still be left a member of the great T.C.B.S. to voice what I dreamed and what we all agreed upon. For the death of one of its members cannot, I am determined, dissolve the T.C.B.S. Death can make us loathsome and helpless as individuals, but it cannot put an end to the immortal four! A discovery I am going to communicate to Rob before I go off tonight. And do you write it also to Christopher. May God bless you my dear John Ronald and may you say things I have tried to say long after I am not there to say them if such be my lot.

Yours ever,

G. B. S.

The tragedy put an end to the circle of the four and left a deep wound in the hearts of the remaining two. And Tolkien, awakened by Smith's echoing words, may you say things I have tried to say long after I am not there to say them, starts to write his mythology on a notebook that he titled "The Book of Lost Tales." The tales are later known as The Silmarillion.

1917
Birth of the 1st child, John Francis Reuel Tolkien.

1918 (aged 26)
Tolkien joins the staff of the new Oxford English Dictionary for two years.

1920
Birth of the 2nd child, Michael Hilary Reuel Tolkien. Tolkien is appointed professor in English Language at Leeds University.

1924 (aged 32)
Birth of the 3rd child, Christopher J. R. Tolkien.

1925
Tolkien is elected professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford; retires in 1959.

1929 (aged 37)
Birth of the 4th child and only daughter, Priscilla M. A. R. Tolkien. At about this time, Tolkien starts telling his children a story about a funny creature named Bilbo.

1936 (aged 44)
Completion of The Hobbit.

1937.9.21
Publication of The Hobbit. Later in the year, the creation of "New Hobbit" begins.

1945
Tolkien is elected professor of English Language and Literature at Oxford.

1949 (aged 56)
Completion of The Lord of the Rings.

1954.7.29
Publication of The Fellowship of the Ring.

1954.11.11
Publication of The Two Towers.

1955.10.20 (aged 63)
Publication of The Return of the King.

1971.11.29 (aged 79)
Edith leaves for the halls of Mandos, aged 82.

1973.9.2
Tolkien is reunited with Edith beyond the confines of the world, aged 81.

Tolkien is buried with his wife in the Oxford suburb. The gravestone reads:

EDITH MARY TOLKIEN
LUTHIEN
1889 - 1971
JOHN RONALD
REUEL TOLKIEN
BEREN
1892 - 1973

(Edith Tolkien was the chief inspiration for the tale of Lúthien,
but Tolkien never addressed her directly by that name.)
1977
Publication of The Silmarillion, edited by Christopher Tolkien.