** Edited for content, this is part of a paper written to be used as an addition to reading Tolkien’s works - more information about Tolkien himself would be appreciated…
From the stand point of Psychology, Lord of the Rings paints a beautiful story in watercolor, it caresses our minds in such a way that forces us to look for some link, some connection to Tolkien’s own biography. Though Tolkien himself will only admit some slight connection between his books and his own biography, one who reads LOTR is forced to try and see some connection, some reason he would write such a work. In fact, Tolkien himself set out on a crusade to truly make the most original of originals, a story to mountain over any other story that was ever to be written.
In some respects Tolkien was perversely unyielding with his stubbornness about style and texture of his writing. One certainly didn’t go around editing Tolkien. As a linguist Tolkien was a master of his own work, evidenced of course in his amazing work. In a sense reading the LOTR really is like having a good meal, or taking a sip of a great drink, it feels good to read. I believe this was Tolkien’s true desire, to make something truly perfect, tasteful even.
But what about the psychology behind the work? If Tolkien said there were scant parallels between LOTR and the world war or his own life, then what was his motivation to write such a wondrous work? It certainly wasn’t fame and fortune, but what was it?
Published first in 1954 after more than a decade of envisioning a major work, Tolkien – I believe – created the work to show himself he could craft something truly magnificent. A battle with his own will, Tolkien not only grew into this masterful work, but really capped off a life that was not always wrought with good fortune. Growing up in South Africa, Tolkien lost his father abruptly when he was 4 and mother less than a decade later. Always loving language, Tolkien hung on to the one love he had in his life…language.
Each of us seeks out our own crusades in life, our own particular ways of finding meaning. Tolkien held the torch that lit the way for some of our own inspirations to write, or creatively think, or turn in a direction towards imagination. One can not help but to think what the world would be like without the Lord of the Rings?
What do others feel about Tolkien’s motivations? Or about the emotions LOTR elicits in us?
I see where you are coming from **Phlosphr ** but might it be a valid viewpoint to consider LOTR as a byproduct of his true life’s work - the unfinished legendarium that was eventually published
as The Silmarillion? After all, he worked on it for fifty years and the names on him and his wife’s gravestone are not Arwen & Aragorn, but Luthien and Beren.
O I agree clawman and LOTR is a byproduct of an attained dream. This I see as something we all look for, even yern for in our lives. Tolkien seen as an inspiration comes as no surprise to some.
I think it is interesting to look at the incredible diversity of types of people who are die-hard Tolkien fans. On one hand, you have the group that see Tolkien as a Christian parable or analogy (JRR was Catholic) and on the other, Pagans who passionately embrace LOTR or were even attracted to magic by it. If you check out Tolkien forums, the range of personality types is amazing. Tolkien has a universal appeal. What comes to mind at the moment is Frodo in ROTK: “It must often be so, Sam, when things are in danger: some one has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them.”
“I will take the ring…though I do not know the way.” This is like a zen koan to me,
Wow! Phlosphr that was really nice. I read LOTR in 1970 when my first daughter was born, I try to read it off an on every other year. It captivates me, like it does others.
Virgowitch said:
I too have thought LOTR has a Zen-like feeling about it, especially Frodo. So simple he is, the most difficult puzzle can be put in front of him and some way some how he seems to take the simplest route out of danger unscathed.
if you watch the lotr fotr extended dvd, there is biographical info on tolkien…they talk about how he was opposed to technology and believed that the invention of the automobile was going to kill society, and that in some respect sauron and saruman represent technology destroying nature. and of course, one cannot help but make a mental analogy between the scouring of the shire and corrupt communism.
tolkien, as you know, maintained that lotr had very little to do with his life or the ‘real world’ in the sense that he is not writing allegory, that the scouring of the shire is not ‘animal farm’ and that the war for the ring is not representative of either world war.
lotr is a very philosophical story. tolkien wrote it imho to say what he wanted to say about life, to bring this world he had invented and developed to unprecedented levels to the rest of the world, to give him an excuse to use his languages, and for the joy of writing.
it is inspiring. it makes people want to be like the characters. and it teaches, that no one is completely good and everyone struggles, but the little guy can win. that true friendship knows no bounds and anyone can be a hero.