J.R.R. Tolkien was a famous 20th century English author and scholar best known for writing The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit. He was born in South Africa in 1892 and became an orphan as a child, later finding success as a professor of English literature. Tolkien first came up with the story of a hobbit while marking student papers and developed it into The Hobbit, published in 1937. He spent over a decade writing the epic Lord of the Rings trilogy, published 1954-1955, which became one of the best-selling novels of all time and inspired blockbuster film adaptations. Tolkien created an incredibly detailed mythology and languages to bring the fantasy world of

1. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien 1892 - 1973 “All that is gold does not glitter; not all those that wander are lost.” -J.R.R. Tolkien

2. Background Information John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born in Bloemfontein South Africa on January 3, 1892. He lived there for 4 years until his father died of rheumatic feveron February 15, 1896. Shortly after the death of his father, he, his mother and his younger brother moved to the West Midlands. Tolkien was brought up as a Catholic and grew up living in poverty, but their situation got worse when his mother was diagnosed with diabetes and later died on November 14, 1904 leaving Tolkien and his younger brother as orphans and has to beraised by their Catholic Priest until they went to live with their aunt.

3. Educational Background Later on in his life Tolkien went to the University of Oxford and founded a club called the “Viking Club” dedicated to reading Old Norse sagas. Later on in 1925 a professorship spot became available and Tolkien had successfully applied for the spot. Tolkien fit very well into the world of teaching but his educational publication record would be something that would be frowned upon today even though his rare, intellectual publications are still very significant and influential. Later on in 1945 he changed jobsto become the Professorship of English Language and Literature where he remained teaching until his retirement in 1959. Even though he retired he still continued to develop his mythology and languages.

4. Tolkien had three children who he told stories to growing up. Some of the stories he told his children he later on published into books such as Mr. Bliss, Roverandom etc. Later on, while marking papers he came across a blank page in one of his students answer books and all the page said was “In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit.” He was intrigued by this and developed a story for his kids that got passed around and later on it got turned into an incomplete typescript made by a woman named Susan Dagnall who worked for The Publishing Firm of George Allen and Unwin.She then asked Tolkien to finish the unfinished typescript. He showed the finish product to Stanley Unwin and The Hobbit was then published in 1936. Background Information

5. J.R.R. Tolkien was the creator of Middle Earth and is known as one of the greatest writers and scholars of the twentieth century. Tolkien is one of the rare writers you can find that can transport you with his books. He creates this world that gets rid of all disbelief and creates a more modern day adventure for the people who read his books. When Tolkien created the Lord of the Rings in 1954 -1955 he made it have a meaningful relevance behind it because even though it is set in a mythic past it still portrays adventures of modern day heroes with distinguished modern day ethnics and sensibilities. J.R.R. Tolkien’s books made people feel like they could escape to a different world and today the earth is an increasing worldly, realist place and we still need our myths and heroes. Since his death The Lord of the Rings trilogy have been made into 3 major motion picture films. Social Relevance

6. Bibliography Society, T. T. (2002). Retrieved September 9, 2009, from J.R.R. Tolkien: http://www.tolkiensociety.org/tolkien/biography.html#1 Tolkien-Online. (2007). Retrieved September 9, 2009, from JRR Tolkien and Middle Earth: http://www.tolkien-online.com/ World, L. O. (2009). Retrieved September 10, 2009, from J.R.R. Tolkien: http://www.lord-of-the-rings.org/author.html