J.R.R. Tolkien: An Author Bio
Today is the anniversary of the first publishing of “The Fellowship of the Ring” and that got me to thinking about the impact that the author had n the world of fantasy…
When you think of dragons and high fantasy their are few people that wouldn’t automatically think of “The Hobbit” and its iconic author, J.R.R. Tolkien. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born in South Africa to English parents who had moved there for work. He was born in January 1892 but would not spend many years in his birthplace because his father passed when young J.R.R. was only three years old. His mother alone and in need of help then returned home with her two boys and young Tolkien to England. His mother took it in her hands to educate her two young sons and J.R.R. excelled in his studies being able to read and write at a very young age. At twelve he would lose his mother too. Passing from complications due to diabetes, he would be left an orphan at the age of 12. He then would attend a military school where he continued to excel in his academics. Tolkien would find his love for linguistic as he grew through his teens and would eventually find his way to Exeter college to study literature. He would serve in both World Wars and once his service was done returned to the academic circle. He would write throughout the remainder of his life publishing his most famous works between 1951–1955. J.R.R. Tolkien passed in September 1973 from a bleeding ulcer and chest infections just a few months after his wife.
So, what about J.R.R. Tolkiens writing style?
What is the Tolkien style? As the granddaddy of high fantasy, you might say he was a man before his time and one that would inspire several generations of writers to come. Why was his style so impactful and captivating? The first thing I think of when I think of his style is the intense detail of every scene and he was able to do that because he created the world before he wrote the novel, a method he called “sub-creation”. Now, this method for most of us writer is a common method but at the time he was writing his masterpieces’ it was not a common technique. Other than the rich detail, he preferred simple text as opposed to the fluffy wordplay of some of his contemporary peers. Another key part of Tolkien’s style is his love of poetry which makes a major impact in all of his works. Tolkien’s inspirations from mythology, poetry and the medieval literature are the core foundation of his world, his writing, and his lifelong passion projects.
So how does his work affect modern literature and film?
His works have found a resurgence in the recent years with Peter Jackson’s epic productions of both Tolkien’s “Lord of the Ring Trilogy” as well as “The Hobbit”, which was broken up into a trilogy of films as well. But his inspiration and impact on literature and the generations that came after him is so much more than a collection of six films. (I love the films, but they are not the total summation of his influence and impact on the realms of fantasy). the truest level of his inspiration can be on the rise of the use of the mighty dragon in the millions of stories that came after his. Though dragons have been in our mythology and fireside tales for eons the magical beast had not had any prominence until Tolkien created the character of Smaug, I am sure some academic will come back and say that’s not true but remember this is only my geekin’ opinion. With his decision to make one of the big bads a dragon millions of young readers know had that scaly winged beast in their imagination. These inspired youths would go on to create things like the role-playing game “Dungeon & Dragons”, the worlds of “Dragonlance” and “Pern”, and films such as “Dragonslayer” and “Reign of Fire” (as well as not only a live-action retelling of his story but a pretty awesome animated rendition by “Rankin/Bass”).
I truly believe no fantasy writer whether in film or literature would not list J.R.R. Tolkien as one of their inspirations. If you have never read the books (seeing the movies don’t count!) then I can not suggest you fire up that “Kindle “or rush out to your local “Barnes & Noble” and get a copy more emphatically. I promise you won’t be sorry and just maybe, in the end, you will be as inspired as I was the first time I read the pages that birthed this world of fantasy (and honestly all ten times since!)
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