What was Tolkien's inspiration for writing 'The Lord of the Rings'?

Answer 1

Aside from writing, he was a professor of English language. He worked on the Oxford English Dictionary and then in 1925 went to Pembroke College, Oxford as Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon. He was there until 1945 where he moved to Merton College, Oxford to be Merton Professor of English Language and Literature. He retired in 1959.

Answer 2

It had many inspirations from the many parts of his life. One of these was World War I. He also put in themes from Catholicism and Christianity, as well as the effects of industrialization on the land.

Lord of the Rings was believed to have been partially influenced by World War I because it was while fighting in the trenches that Tolkien saw, and began recording, some of the most horrific scenes and sounds of war which later could be seen in the novel. Tolkien himself did not see Lord of the Rings as an allegory for either of the World Wars. As an author, however, he was sure to be influenced by what he experienced personally.

Similarly, Tolkien himself denied there were any influences between his work and his Christian faith. Yet, because of the theme of good versus evil, the link is there, even if unintentional.

It could be said that much of Tolkien's inspiration for Lord of the Rings came from a variety of influences, among them:

• George MacDonald, a 19th century novelist of the Romantic era and George Du Maurier, also a 19th century novelist, but one who departed from the traditional structure of the Romantic era
• the tales and bedtime stories he used to weave for his own four children
• HG Wells and his time-travel fantasy genre
• the effects of the industrial revolution, its lasting effects by way of industrialisation and pollution on the 'civilised' world, and Tolkien's own concern for nature and the environment
• As a young man, Tolkein read the fantasy fiction of E R Eddison such as The Worm Ouroborous, in which there are many similarities to places and people encountered in Lord of the Rings
• and finally - Tolkien's wish to "uncover what is real in the clearest way possible" (Quote from "Lord of the Rings: True Mythology," an introduction to a series of articles on Tolkien).
• In a 1951 letter to a friend, Tolkien mentioned his disappointment with the absence of English mythology, and he wished to create a mythology which was England's own.

Answer 3

Tolkien was a philologist - he studied the origin and development of words and language. He was a professor at both Oxford and Cambridge Universities at various times, and continued his work after The Lord of the Rings was published.

Answer 4

J.R.R. Tolkien drew inspiration for 'The Lord of the Rings' from various sources, including his academic background in philology, mythology, and folklore. His experiences in World War I, his Catholic faith, and his love for nature also influenced his creation of Middle-earth and its epic story. Additionally, Tolkien was influenced by Old English literature, Norse mythology, and his personal relationships and experiences.

Answer 5

Tolkien told bedtime stories he made up to his kids. The kids the told their father to actually write it. The kids constantly made corrections and edits to their father's works.