J.R.R. Tolkien's birth anniversary: A look at his famous works and legacy

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The creator of modern fantasy

J.R.R. Tolkien, born on January 3, 1892, is celebrated as one of the greatest literary figures of the 20th century. He had a deep love, appreciation, and talent for language and mythology, and this same love shaped his writing style and his works.

Professor turned author

During his life, Tolkien was a professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford University, and had an expertise in ancient languages and literature. This knowledge of unique languages, histories, and cultures, helped him build a genre of fiction that no one had written before.

The fame of ‘The Lord of the Rings’

Undoubtedly one of Tolkien’s most famous works, the ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy was a breath of fresh air for the literary circles. It had ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’, ‘The Two Towers’, and ‘The Return of the King’.

The concept of ‘Middle Earth’

The books were set in Middle-earth, a constructed, fictional world, that has rich sceneries, people from all races, and the ‘One Ring’ which can destroy the dark lord Sauron.

The love for ‘The Hobbit’

Even before ‘The Lord of the Rings’, Tolkien came up with ‘The Hobbit’. And this book was where Middle Earth first came into being. With the story and adventures of Bilbo Baggins, the dwarfs, Gandalf, and the dragon Smaug, Tolkien had people hooked to his books.

A book meant for children

Although ‘The Hobbit’ was written for and advertised as a children’s book, over time, its rich storyline, characters, and story formation attracted people of all ages to give it a read. Be it the landscapes or the themes of heroism, ‘The Hobbit’ became a superhit quickly.

Other works of Tolkien

Apart from 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit', Tolkien also wrote 'The Adventures of Tom Bombadil' 'The Road Goes Ever On', ' Bilbo's Last Song', 'The Silmarillion', 'The History of Middle-earth', and more.

His major themes

Tolkien’s works, as mentioned before, were a whiff of fresh air in the literary scenes. They talked about the corrupting influence of power, the determination in the common people, and to top it all off the Middle Earth sceneries that completely captivated people.

A legacy left

Tolkien died on September 2, 1973, at the age of 81, but his contributions to literature, especially fantasy literature, are praised and admired even today. Some even say that his works and writings were what made way for authors like George R.R. Martin, and J.K. Rowling later.

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