Is Tolkien Scottish?
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien CBE FRSL (/ˈruːl ˈtɒlkiːn/, ROOL TOL-keen; 3 January 1892 – 2 September 1973) was an English writer, poet, philologist, and academic, best known as the author of the high fantasy works The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
Was Tolkien anti Irish?
Of course it wasn’t simply an anti-Irish bias or anything as straightforward as that. Tolkien expressed a general dislike for all things “Celtic”. But the more one read the more it became clear that by “Celtic” he very much meant Irish.
Is the Shire Irish?
Tolkien based the Shire’s landscapes, climate, flora, fauna, and placenames on rural England where he lived, first in Worcestershire as a boy, then in Oxfordshire.
Who did Tolkien base the elves on?
Tolkien derived his Elves from mentions in the ancient poetry and languages of Northern Europe, especially Old English. These suggested to him that elves were large, dangerous, beautiful, lived in wild natural places, and practised archery. He invented languages for the Elves, including Sindarin and Quenya.
Why is Tolkien so popular?
Tolkien is the most well-known fantasy writer there has ever been. His books defined the genre and inspired millions of people the world over. Tolkien really started the whole fantasy genre in the 20th century and his books have spurred thousands of fantasy novels from hundreds of other writers.
When did Tolkien visit Ireland?
JRR Tolkien first came to Ireland in 1926 on a walking tour with his friend, CS Lewis, who would later author The Chronicles of Narnia – a visit that began a lifelong love of Ireland for Tolkien, and which would eventually have a direct influence on his own literary output.
Did Tolkien invent hobbits?
As you may have guessed, hobbits are a fictional race born in Tolkien’s imagination. He even created an etymology for the word, making hobbit derive from holbylta, based on Old English roots meaning “hole-dweller.” Tolkien invented three groups of hobbits.
How much Celtic influence did Tolkien have on the Elvish language?
The extent of Celtic influence has been debated. Tolkien wrote that he gave the Elvish language Sindarin “a linguistic character very like (though not identical with) British-Welsh because it seems to fit the rather ‘Celtic’ type of legends and stories told of its speakers”.
What are the influences of Tolkien’s books?
J. R. R. Tolkien’s fantasy books on Middle-earth, especially The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion, drew on a wide array of influences including language, Christianity, mythology, archaeology, ancient and modern literature, and personal experience.
Where did Tolkien get his inspiration?
Jump to navigation Jump to search. While highly creative, the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien was drew on a number of sources. Tolkien was inspired by his academic fields of philology and early Germanic literature. He was also influenced by Celtic, Finnish, Slavic, and Greek language and mythology.
What was Tolkien’s religion?
Tolkien was a devout Roman Catholic. He once described The Lord of the Rings to his friend, the English Jesuit Father Robert Murray, as “a fundamentally religious and Catholic work, unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision.”