J.R.R. Tolkien (John Ronald Reuel)

Timeline Born in South Africa 1895 – Family moves to England 1896 – Father dies in South Africa Mother dies of diabetes – Him and his brother left in a Catholic orphanage – Later his aunt finds and raises them in the country 1916 – Marries his wife and fights in WWI 1916 – Returns home to England with shell shock

Begins to write his first book, The Silmarillion while recovering 1925 – Starts teaching at Oxford University – Viking Club = reading old norse sagas – Teaches literature 1937 – The Hobbit is published 1954 – First Lord of the Rings book published 1959 – Retires from teaching at Oxford 1971 – Wife dies at 82 years old 1973 – Tolkien dies at 81

The Hobbit “There and Back Again” Written for his children Published September 21, 1937 Children’s Book Fantasy Otherworld Themes: – Personal Growth (Individuation) – Overcoming temptation (greed and selfishness) – Animism – Heroism Translated into over 40 languages Never out of print

Races and Creatures

Dragons

Dwarves Eagles

Elves Goblins

Hobbits Men

Shifter (mage) Spider

Trolls Wargs

Wizards

Main Characters

Characters Bard – captain of the guard in Lake Town Beorn – human that can turn into a bear Bilbo Baggins – Hobbit hired as a thief by the dwarves Elrond – leader of the elves of Rivendell Gandalf – wise old wizard Gollum – creature that lives in the caves of Moria Smaug – Dragon that lives in the Lonely Mountain Thorin Oakenshield – leader of the Dwarves heading to the Misty Mountains Thror – Thorin’s grandfather who mined Moria

Riddles

What has roots as nobody sees, Is taller than trees, Up, up it goes, And yet never grows? Thirty white horses on a red hill, First they champ, Then they stamp, Then they stand still. Voiceless it cries, Wingless flutters, toothless bites, Mouthless mutters. An eye in a blue face Saw an eye in a green face. "That eye is like to this eye" Said the first eye, "but in low place Not in high place."

It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt. It lies behind stars and under hills, And empty holes it fills. It comes first and follows after, Ends life, kills laughter. A box without hinges, key, or lid, yet golden treasure inside is hid. Alive without breath, As cold as death; Never thirsty, ever drinking, All in mail never clinking. This thing all things devours: Birds, beasts, trees, flowers; Gnaws iron, bites steel; Grinds hard stones to meal; Slays king, ruins town, And beats high mountain down.

Other works by Tolkien The Lord of the Rings Trilogy The Father Christmas Letters Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Farmer Giles of Ham The Adventures of Tom Bombidail The Silmarillion The Road Goes Ever On Roverandom