The writer Tolkien's works. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

John Tolkien - The Hobbit, or There and Back Again (translated by Z. Bobyr)

British writer, outstanding linguist and founder of the literary genre of fantasy. He wrote the famous novels about Middle-earth: “The Lord of the Rings”, “The Hobbit, or There and Back Again” and “The Silmarillion”. He became a pioneer in creating fairy tales for adults.

Biography

Tolkien successfully taught Anglo-Saxon and English language and literature at Oxford University. He was a member of the Inklings society, which included his good friend Clive Lewis, author of The Chronicles of Narnia. In 1927, Tolkien was awarded the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

Based on his father's notes and manuscripts, Christopher Tolkien, the son of the famous storyteller, organized the publication of the so-called legendarium - all the additional stories, legends, history, explanations and actual linguistic works related to the fictional world of Arda. The most popular of Tolkien's unpublished works was The Silmarillion. This happened after the death of the author himself.

Although Tolkien was not the first to become interested in the fantasy genre, the completeness of his works, the perfection of his plan, and the thoughtfulness of his picture of the world make him worthy of the title of the founder of fantasy literature.

Family Tolkien

Most biographers agree that the Tolkiens are descended from Saxon craftsmen. In the 17th century, the ancestors of John Tolkien's father settled in England. The writer's surname comes from the word "Tollkiehn", which can be translated as "brave". According to John Ronald's grandmother, their ancestors even included the Hohenzollerns themselves.

Mabel Suffield, who was destined to become the mother of the great author, was a native Englishwoman. Her parents lived in Birmingham and were quite successful businessmen. Their store in the city center brought in a consistently good income.

Childhood

On January 3, 1892, John Tolkien was born in South Africa. At this time, his parents lived in the city of Bloemfontein, where Arthur Reuel Tolkien (1870-1904) held the position of bank manager. Two years later, a second child appeared in the Tolkien family - Hilary Arthur Ruel.

The terrible heat was a difficult test for young children, and the local nature turned out to be even more dangerous. Lions and snakes were part of the daily life of the British family. A tarantula bite caused a serious illness for young John. The future writer owed his recovery to the doctor Thornton Quimby. According to critics, it was his image that the writer took as a basis when creating the Lord of the Rings character Gandalf the Grey.

In 1994, the parents took the children back to the UK. In February 1996, Arthur Tolkien passed away. He was tormented by rheumatic fever and, as a result of bleeding, the head of the Tolkien family left the world, leaving his wife and two sons with virtually no means of subsistence.

Mabel was forced to ask for help from her family, which was not easy for her - her relatives did not approve of her marriage. The Tolkiens settled near Birmingham, in Sayrehole. The children really liked the village. The magnificent nature, hills and old trees made this place a paradise for boys to play. The family's income was more than modest; they had difficulty making ends meet. Being in a difficult situation, the mother of two boys found solace in religion, becoming a Catholic. This decision caused a break with relatives who adhered to the Anglican religion. Thanks to their mother, the children also had strong religious beliefs. John Tolkien was a committed Catholic until the end of his days. Under the influence of the writer, Clive Lewis also converted to Christianity, but he found the order of the Anglican Church closer.

Despite financial difficulties, Mabel's sons received a good education. Their mother did a lot of raising them. By the age of four, John Ruel could read. This skill opened up the world of literature for the boy and marked the beginning of the formation of literary tastes. He was not interested in the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm, and he did not like “Treasure Island,” but he enjoyed rereading “Alice in Wonderland” by Carroll, “The Book of Fairies” by Lang and all sorts of stories about Indians. In addition to reading, Tolkien was interested in botany and drawing - he was especially good at landscapes. As a child, John learned the basics of Latin and Greek, which became the first stone in building the incredibly broad linguistic knowledge of the future university professor. In 1900, John became a student at King Edward's School, where his linguistic talent was appreciated. He studies Old English, Old Norse, Gothic, Welsh and Finnish.

John Ronald's mother was only 34 years old when diabetes took her life. In 1904 the children left Sayrehole, returning to Birmingham. A church minister and distant relative, Father Francis, took care of them. Deprived of the open spaces of Sayrehole, longing for his mother, John Ronald completely immerses himself in books and painting. He amazes teachers with his erudition, showing a deep interest in medieval literature. Takes up the task of studying the Old Icelandic language on his own.

The writer's close school friends were Geoffrey Smith, Christopher Wiseman and Rob Gilson. Friends will remain dear to John even after graduation. When Tolkien was fifteen years old, he and his cousin Mary invented a new language, the so-called Nevbosh. Later, fictional languages ​​would become a hallmark of his works, and thousands of people would strive to learn Tolkien's Elvish speech.

Youth

Together with twelve friends in 1911, Tolkien traveled to Switzerland. From a letter written by John in 1968, it is known that it was to this trip that the world owes the birth of the story of Bilbo Baggins’s fabulous journey through the Misty Mountains.

In October 1911, Tolkien entered Exeter College, Oxford, on his second attempt.

John Ronald met his first love in 1908. Her name was Edith Mary Brett, the girl was three years older than John. Father Francis spoke out categorically against the young man’s hobby, because it was because of love fever that Tolkien failed to enter college on his first try. Her Protestant religion also did not work in Edith’s favor. The guardian made John promise that he would not date this girl until he turned 21. The writer agreed with the demands of Father Francis and did not maintain contact with Edith until he came of age.

At the university, Tolkien, following the advice of Professor Joe Wright, began studying the Celtic language. He also deepens his knowledge of Finnish linguistics.

Maturity

On his 21st birthday, John wrote a letter to Edith. In it, he invited the girl to become his wife. But by this time Edith was already engaged to another young man, believing that the long separation had caused John Ronald to forget about her. Having broken off the engagement, she agreed to Tolkien's proposal. Respecting the religious beliefs of the groom, Edith even converted to the Catholic faith. In 1913, John and Edith became officially engaged in Birmingham.

Upon learning that Britain was entering the war, Tolkien became an apprentice in the Military Training Corps in 1914, buying him time to graduate from university. Having graduated with honors, in 1915 John Ronald joined the Lancashire Fusiliers with the rank of sub-lieutenant. The writer also completed an 11-month training program in Staffordshire - in the 13th battalion.

On March 22, 1916, the long-awaited wedding of John and Edith took place. They got married at St Mary's Church in Warwick. The newlyweds were destined for more than 55 years of happy life together, and these years were full of mutual understanding. From their union three sons and a daughter, Priscilla, were born.

Already in July, Tolkien left his young wife and went to the front. The 11th Battalion of the British Expeditionary Forces, in which Tolkien served, was sent to France. The future writer recalled this journey with shudder for many years to come. Despite the secrecy of his movements, John managed to inform his wife about his location, thanks to the secret code he invented.

On November 16, 1917, John Ronald became the father of a boy who was named John Francis Ruel.

War in Tolkien's life

The war turned out to be worse than expected. During the Battle of the Somme, two of John's old friends, Smith and Gilson, were killed. All the horrors he saw made Tolkien a convinced pacifist. At the same time, he gained great respect for his brothers in arms, amazed at the courage of which ordinary people are capable. Although Tolkien escaped death, he fell victim to another scourge of war - typhus. The disease was very difficult and twice his comrades no longer expected to see John Ronald alive, but he was able to overcome the disease, although he became disabled.

On November 8, 1916, Tolkien went home. The author's health status required close attention for a long time. He returned to Birmingham, where Edith cared for her slowly recovering husband. There he worked on the sketches from which The Silmarillion was later compiled. When the illness subsided, Tolkien returned to the military camp, where he soon received the rank of lieutenant.

Career

In 1918, the Tolkien family moved to Oxford, where John Ronald took an active part in the creation of the Universal Dictionary of the New English Language. In 1922, the writer was offered a professorship at Oxford University. Tolkien taught Anglo-Saxon language and literature. The fame of the brilliant young professor quickly spread throughout the scientific world.

In 1937, thanks to Stanley Unwin, The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, written by Tolkien for his four children, was published. The author was awarded the New York Herald Tribune Prize. Unprecedented sales made The Hobbit a bestseller. The tale was a resounding success, and Sir Anwyn noted that a sequel should be written. No one expected that Tolkien would take work on the second work in the Middle-earth series so seriously. The Lord of the Rings trilogy was released only in 1954 and within a matter of days gained popularity among British readers. Although Anuin liked Tolkien's work, he did not think that the novel was destined for such success. The book was divided into three parts to make the publishers' work easier.

TOLKIEN JOHN RONALD RUEL

Dates of life: January 3, 1892 – September 2, 1973
Place of Birth : Bloemfontein city
English writer, linguist, philologist
Famous works : "The Lord of the Rings", "The Hobbit"

Objects named after Tolkien
* asteroid (2675) Tolkien;
* sea crustacean Leucothoetolkieni from the system of underwater ridges Nazca and Sala y Gomez (Pacific Ocean);
* rove beetle GabriustolkieniSchillhammer, 1997 (Lives in Nepal (Khandbari, InduwaKholaValley)).

JOHN RONALD RUEL TOLKEIN
1892 - 1973

J. R. R. Tolkien was born into the family of an ordinary bank employee, but in an extraordinary place - in Bloemfontein, a small town in southern Africa. But his real homeland was England, where his parents soon returned.
His father died when the boy (everyone called him by his middle name, Ronald) was only 4 years old. His mother had a tremendous influence on his character. She was a courageous and persistent woman. Having converted to Catholicism, she managed to raise her sons, Ronald and his younger brother, in the spirit of faith. It was not easy: indignant relatives, adherents of the Anglican Church, left the young widow’s family without support.
Dreaming of giving her children a good education, she herself taught Ronald French, German, Latin, Greek... The boy entered an excellent school and became a scholarship recipient.
But Ronald's mother dies very early, in 1904. And Ronald and his brother remain in the care of their spiritual father, priest Francis Morgan. He encouraged Ronald in his zeal for learning...
However, the young man was unable to enter Oxford the first time. This is due to the appearance of Edith Bratt in his life. The engagement to the girl was concluded a few days after he came of age. The marriage turned out to be very happy: the couple raised 4 children and lived together for more than 50 years, until their death.
Already at school, Ronald's enormous interest in ancient languages ​​and literature became noticeable: he studied Old English, Welsh, Old Norse, Finnish... He did the same at Oxford, where he finally entered in 1911. Having completed his studies, he became one of the youngest professors at the university. The war forces him to go to the front, but upon returning, he resumes scientific and creative activities.
It was at this time that the world that Tolkien would describe throughout his life took shape in his imagination. The world expanded, it had its own history and its own characters, its own language, unlike any other, appeared and those who spoke it appeared - elves, immortals and sad ones... Tolkien wrote without counting on publication.
But the publication still took place. And thanks to his fairy tale “The Hobbit, or There and Back Again” (1937), Tolkien entered literature.
And the story of writing the fairy tale was very unusual.
One day Tolkien wrote the phrase “In a hole underground lived a hobbit” on a blank sheet of paper and thought about it: “Who are hobbits”...? He set about finding out. Hobbits turned out to be similar to people, but, however, rather short. Plump, respectable, they were usually not eager for adventure and loved to eat well. But one of them, the hobbit Bilbo Baggins, found himself embroiled in a story full of various adventures. It's good that there is a happy ending... One episode of the story, in which the hero found a magic ring in the caves of the vile creature Gollum, as it turned out, connected the fairy tale with Tolkien's next work, the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Tolkien thought about the continuation of “The Hobbit...” on the advice of his publisher - and took on it with his usual meticulousness and scrupulousness. The number of pages kept increasing. Only towards the end of the 40s. the work was completed, and in 1954 the first volume of the epic was published. Against a fairy-tale backdrop, a truly “adult” romance unfolded. And not just a novel, but a philosophical parable about good and evil, about the corrupting influence of power, about how sometimes a weak person is able to do what the strong are not capable of; this is an epic chronicle, a sermon of mercy, and much more. The end of the novel also differs from the traditional fairy tale. After everything that has happened, the world cannot return to its previous state, and the main character, the hobbit Frodo, will never become as carefree as before. The wounds that the ominous ring inflicted on his heart will never heal. Together with the elven ships, he goes beyond the endless sea, to the West, in search of oblivion...
Tolkien's constant desire for perfection, which forced him to redo what he had written many times in his literary works, did not allow him to publish anything more than a few children's fairy tales. Such as "Farmer Giles of Ham", the hero of which, a cowardly peasant, defeats an equally cowardly dragon. Or the allegory tale “The Blacksmith of Great Wootton” (1967), a tale about how the magical world opens up to a person if he is wise enough to accept it, and about the need to gratefully accept and part with the gifts of fate , if needed.
After Tolkien’s death, his son, based on drafts, published many more of his father’s works, among them “Letters from Santa Claus”, “Mr. Bliss”, etc.
Tolkien became famous as a children's writer, but his work goes beyond the scope of purely children's literature.
M. S. Rachinskaya
Children about writers. Foreign writers.- M.: Strelets, 2007.- P.48-49., ill.

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (English John Ronald Reuel Tolkien; January 3, 1892, Bloemfontein, Orange Republic - September 2, 1973 Bournemouth, England) - English writer, poet, philologist, professor at Oxford University. He is best known as the author of classic high fantasy works: The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion.

Tolkien served as Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College. Oxford University (1925-1945), Merton's English Language and Literature at Merton College (English) Russian. Oxford University (1945-1959). Together with his close friend C.S. Lewis, he was a member of the informal literary society “Inklings”. On 28 March 1972 he received the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) from Queen Elizabeth II.

After Tolkien's death, his son Christopher produced several works based on his father's extensive corpus of notes and unpublished manuscripts, including The Silmarillion. This book, along with The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, forms a single collection of tales, poems, histories, artificial languages ​​and literary essays about the fictional world called Arda and its part of Middle-earth. From 1951 to 1955, Tolkien used the word "legendarium" to refer to most of this collection. Many authors wrote fantasy works before Tolkien, but due to his great popularity and strong influence on the genre, many call Tolkien the "father" of modern fantasy literature, meaning mainly "high fantasy".

In 2008, the British newspaper The Times ranked him sixth on its list of the "50 greatest British writers since 1945". In 2009, the American magazine Forbes named him the fifth highest-earning deceased celebrity.

John Tolkien is a famous English writer and philologist. One of the founders of modern fantasy. Author of the novels "The Hobbit, or There and Back Again", "The Lord of the Rings", "The Silmarillion".

Biography of the writer

John Tolkien was born in Bloemfontein in the Orange Republic. Now this is the territory of South Africa. In 1892. He worked at Pembroke College and Oxford University. He taught Anglo-Saxon language. He held the position of professor. He was a researcher of English language and literature. Together with his friend and writer Clive Lewis, he was a member of the informal literary society "Inklings", which valued new works of fiction and was especially fond of fantasy.

His most famous novels are The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion. His son Christopher published the last one after his father’s death. These three novels form a collection of works about the fictional world of Middle-earth. John Tolkien himself united his novels with the word “legendarium”. This is a literary collection of fairy tales or legends.

It is worth noting that before Tolkien, many authors wrote fantasy novels. However, his popularity was so great, and his novels had such an influence on the development of the entire genre, that today Tolkien is officially called the father of fantasy. Speaking primarily about high fantasy.

In the list of the greatest writers of the 20th century, according to the authoritative British newspaper The Times, John Tolkien ranks sixth.

At war

The English writer did not remain aloof from the key military conflicts of the 20th century. Although in 1914 he literally shocked his relatives by not immediately enlisting as a volunteer for the front. He first decided to get a degree. Only after this did John R.R. Tolkien enter the army with the rank of second lieutenant.

In 1916, as part of the 11th Expeditionary Battalion, he arrived in France. He served as a signalman in northern France, near the Somme River. In these places he took a direct part in the battle on the Thiepval ridge. Stormed the Swabian redoubt.

At the end of 1916, he fell ill with trench fever, or as it is also called Volyn fever. Its carriers were lice that bred in British dugouts at that time. In November 16th he was commissioned and sent to England.

During World War II he was considered for a position as a codebreaker. He even received training at the London headquarters of the Government Communications Centre. However, in the end, the government declared that it did not need his services. So he never served again.

Death of Tolkien

By the middle of the 20th century, John Tolkien, whose books sold in large quantities, was a famous and successful writer. In 1971 he lost his wife and returned to Oxford.

A little over a year later, doctors diagnosed him with dyspepsia, a disorder of the normal functioning of the stomach. The disease was accompanied by constant indigestion. Doctors prescribed him a strict diet and forbade him to drink wine.

In the summer of 1973 he was visiting friends in Bournemouth. On August 30, at Mrs. Tolhurst's birthday party, he hardly ate, but drank some champagne. Late in the evening I felt bad. By morning he was hospitalized. Doctors diagnosed him with a stomach ulcer. A few days later pleurisy developed.

"The Hobbit, or There and Back Again"

Tolkien's very first famous novel about the world of Middle-earth, The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, was published in 1937. It tells the fascinating story of the journey of the hobbit Bilbo Baggins. He sets off on his journey after meeting the powerful wizard Gandalf. The goal of his campaign is the treasures that are stored on the Lonely Mountain, guarded by the terrible dragon Smaug.

Initially, Tolkien wrote this book with only one purpose - to entertain his own children. However, the manuscript of this fascinating novel catches the eye first of his friends and relatives, and then of British publishers. The latter immediately became interested in the new original work and asked the author to finish the manuscript and provide it with illustrations. Which is what John Tolkien did. The Hobbit first appeared on bookstore shelves in the fall of 1937.

This novel was the first about the Middle-earth universe, which the author developed over several decades. The reviews were so positive from both critics and readers that the novel brought fame and profit to the author.

In their reviews, readers noted that for many this novel is in first place in their personal reading rating, that it is not like any other work, despite its large volume, everyone should read it.

"Lord of the Rings"

John Tolkien, whose biography was closely connected with the fantasy genre, released his new novel “The Lord of the Rings” in 1954. This is already a whole epic, which the publishers had to divide into several independent parts. The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King.

The main character of the previous work, the hobbit Bilbo Baggins, retires. He leaves his nephew Frodo a magic ring that can make anyone who possesses it invisible. The powerful magician Gandalf appears again in the story, who initiates Frodo into all the secrets of this ring. It turns out that this is the Ring of Omnipotence, created by the dark lord of Middle-earth himself, Sauron, who lives in Mordor. He is the enemy of all free peoples, which includes hobbits. At the same time, the Ring of Omnipotence has its own will, capable of enslaving its owner or extending his life. With its help, Sauron hopes to subjugate all other magic rings and conquer power in Mordor.

There is only one way to prevent this - to destroy the ring. This can only be done in the place where it was forged, in the mouth of the Fire Mountain. Frodo sets off on a dangerous journey.

"The Silmarillion"

The Silmarillion was published after Tolkien's death. The book was published by his son Christopher.

The new work is, in fact, a collection of legends and myths of Middle-earth, describing the history of this fictional Universe from the very beginning of time. "The Silmarillion" tells about the events that occurred from the creation of the world during the Middle Ages.

For example, the first part is called Ainulindale. It tells how the Universe of Middle-earth was born. It turns out that music played a key role in this. This part of the novel is framed as a legend written by the elf Rumila.

The second part describes the characteristics of the main divine beings of this world. One of the parts is dedicated to the founding and fall of one of the largest states in Middle-earth, Numenor.