John R.R. Tolkien has always been
one of my favourite authors, and for reasons very different than a fantasy-fan
would give you. Many know Tolkien as the man who unwittingly began a genre--
those who have read his works, especially Lord of the Rings, will
see with amusement how modern writers attempt to copy his methods, most
notable of these being Terry Brooks and Robert Jordan. Many can also see
the foundation of a popular role-playing game in his stories, and for this
alone, people tend to pre-judge the man. Tolkien was a Catholic, a professor,
and a philiologist. I have no doubt that he found the adoration of some
rather trying. All that he was trying to accomplish with his stories is
held within the quotation above. The professor loved history, and his works
reflect the folktale-style and lore that he was so fond of. I adore Tolkien's
works because they are profoundly historical, and well-written. He did
not wholly make up his Middle-Earth-- there are elements of the past within
his tales. In this I see a truth: that one cannot ignore the world which
shapes all of our thought, for it is all that we know. Perhaps this is
why Tolkien's world seems so real to us, and much of other fantasy-worlds
so contrived. Writers try to create something entirely new, when it is
an utterly impossible task. I am a historian myself, and see history as
a collection of stories-- the best tales ever known. Tolkien, by steeping
his originality in the rich past of ancient earth, and using his God-given
talent to write well and profoundly, gave the world more than just another
fantasy to dream. He gave us reality.
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