Questions tagged [j-r-r-tolkien]
For questions about the author, J. R. R. Tolkien. For questions about his works set in his Legendarium use [tolkiens-legendarium] and any other relevant tags. For questions about any of his other works use the appropriate tag/s.
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Did Tolkien give his son explicit permission to publish all that unfinished material?
As I've been reading the books/stories published by his son after his death, which are very much unfinished, I can't help but think of how embarrassing I would find it if somebody managed to dig up ...
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Was Tolkien familiar with Lovecraft's work?
I have not found any allusion to Lovecraft in Tolkien's works, as far as I can remember. Was Tolkien aware of Lovecraft's works, and, if so, did he ever read any of it? And if he did, did Tolkien ...
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Is the term "Hobbit Village" ever used canonically by Tolkien?
In November 6th, 2023's New York Times Crossword Puzzle, there was a theme answer of "HOBBIT VILLAGE" for the clue "Home for Tolkien's Bilbo and Frodo". (Spoiler for the full ...
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Were Bilbo, Frodo, or Samwise Tolkien's self-inserts?
Were Bilbo, Frodo, or Samwise Tolkien's self-inserts? Which one(s) and why?
I would accept an answer based either on Word of God or on a reasonable analysis by a third-party.
(The question arose out ...
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Tolkien's art - Lake Mithrim
Scratching my head here trying to work out what object or event is represented by the bright golden triangle in the background.
Any ideas? Please don't tell me it is Thangorodrim! Perhaps it is the ...
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Did a Toby jug inspire J.R.R. Tolkien to create one of his characters?
While searching for J.R.R. Tolkien information online, I came across one photograph taken in September 1961 by leading London-based photographer Pamela Chandler of Tolkien relaxing in his study at his ...
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Science fiction story published before 1966 with constructed language demonstrating some NLP principles
In a 1966 interview, J.R.R. Tolkien was discussing his thoughts about contemporary science fiction writers.
It is when dealing with the question of language, he feels, that science fiction writers do ...
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What Old English works did Tolkien write?
In addition to being a fantasy author, Tolkien worked professionally as a linguist. His background in Old English found its way into many different aspects of the main books in the Lord of the Rings, ...
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Did Tolkien use Mont Saint-Michel as the inspiration for Minas Tirith
I am aware that Peter Jackson used Mont Saint-Michel as the inspiration of Minas Tirith, within the Return of the King movie.
If there any evidence that Tolkien used the same place as inspiration for ...
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Was J.R.R. Tolkien a fan of the original Star Trek series?
I have been doing some research on the Internet today trying to find out if J.R.R Tolkien had been a fan of the original Star Trek series, which ran from 1966 to 1969. Since Tolkien died in 1973, it ...
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As of now, who determines what is canon in the Tolkien universe? [duplicate]
With the debut of “Rings of Power,” I want to know whether the idea of “canon” exists in the Tolkien universe, and if so, who determines canon at this point in time?
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Where has Tolkien's Second Age material been published?
A new Tolkien collection, The Fall of Númenor, is due to be published in a few months. It will contain all of the second age material. I believe this will all be reprints. Aside from The Silmarillion ...
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Did Sam really plan to attack the orcs in Shelob's lair in the very end of The Two Towers?
‘He’s going out of harm’s way, I tell you,’ answered Shagrat. ‘See? He’s precious. I don’t trust all my lads, and none of yours; nor you neither, when you’re mad for fun. He’s going where I want him, ...
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Is there a longer audio clip than this where Tolkien discusses the Eagles?
I was linked to this today:
At first, I assumed that it was faked/cut together, but now I think it's real, and that he really did say this while alive. I never knew ...
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What exactly did Galadriel fear/know/assume would happen if she had accepted the Ring? [duplicate]
A frustrating part is where Frodo actually (sort of) offers the Ring to Galadriel. She appears to laugh and find it almost funny, and fight some internal battle against herself, until her "good ...
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Did Bag End have a second door?
This is a map of Bag End from The Atlas of Middle-earth (found here.)
There's a door at the end of the tunnel. Is it mentioned in the books? Or is the map not accurate?
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How can the bear-man refer to a "Jack-in-the-box" in The Hobbit?
The Hobbit is supposedly set waaay back in our world. Yet, Beorn refers to "jack-in-the-box" as in the toy, when the dwarves show up in pairs.
How can this be? How can anyone in that world/...
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Looking for a picture of the doll that inspired J.R.R. Tolkien to invent Tom Bombadil
English Literature Professor Jane Beal, in her article "Who is Tom Bombadil?: Interpreting the Light in Frodo Baggins and Tom Bombadil's Role in the Healing of Traumatic Memory in J.R.R. Tolkien'...
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In what context did Tolkien say "evil cannot create anything new"?
Evil cannot create anything new, they can only corrupt and ruin what good forces have invented or made.
I see this quote a lot in the comments under the new Amazon The Rings of Power teaser trailer.
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Did Tolkien actually use asterisms in the Lord of the Rings?
I own a version of The Fellowship of the Ring that I'm enjoying a lot, and now that I'm nearing the end I thought I might as well buy an ebook on Amazon containing all three books so I can go on with ...
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Are elves born in Valinor after the year of the trees Calaquendi?
Calaquendi are the group of elves in Tolkien’s Legendarium that beheld the light of the two trees in Valinor. It consists of the Vanyar, Noldor, Falmari, and Thingol out of all Umanyar.
Can the status ...
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Why is the number of orcs thousands instead of millions in "The Lord of the Rings"?
I know that Tolkien served in World War I, in which more than 20 million died. And he also witnessed World War II, in which more than 70 million people died.
So why did Tolkien limit the number on ...
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Why did Tolkien hate John Lennon?
I read this old question today and was surprised to learn of this:
At the end of 1968 there were reports that the Beatles might be involved with a proposed film of The Lord of the Rings. On 7 January ...
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Does The Nature of Middle-Earth contain new stories or just lore?
Recently a new book containing material by J. R. R. Tolkien was published, edited by Carl F. Hostetter.
From looking at the table of contents in the Amazon preview, it seems the book contains mostly ...
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What did Tolkien really mean by "we being in 1960 of the 7th Age"?
The quote is from the Nature of Middle Earth p39.
since that is only - we being in 1960 of the 7th Age - 16000 years ago: total about 80,000
It appears the editor dates the text from 1960 A.D. ...
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Has Tolkien ever commented on the similarity between the name "Baggins" and the French word for "ring"?
There is some discussion on the origins of the name Baggins in this question. However, it only revolves around whether or not it is related to Bilbo being a thief, and I am interested in something ...
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When does Tolkien use "is come" and when does he use "has come"?
I've noticed that sometimes Tolkien uses the older version "is come" (i.e. replacing the auxiliary verb "to have" with the auxiliary verb "to be", as was the custom for ...
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J. R. R. Tolkien's name: What is the meaning of "Ronald" and "Reuel"? [closed]
Could somebody explain how the words "Ronald" and "Reuel" in Tolkien's name are classified?
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien
John - given name aka first name
Tolkien - surname aka ...
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Why is Bilbo's door and Hobbit house so incredibly oversized in Tolkien's own final illustration in The Hobbit?
Tolkien was a good artist to say the least. He did not have problems with perspective and whatnot in the other illustrations he made for The Hobbit, so that can't really be the explanation.
Yet, the ...
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Why did Tolkien italicise ‘cram’?
In The Hobbit (or at least in my edition, HarperCollins 2011), the word ‘cram’ is italicised wherever it appears. Cram is (as according to Chapter XIII, Not at Home)
biscuitish, keeps good ...
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