The Most Epic Fantasy and Sci-Fi Website

Why Did Tolkien Write The Lord of the Rings? Everything We Know So Far


Credit: Warner Bros. Entertainment/YouTube

J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings books are among thousands of readers' all-time favorites. The tomes were written beautifully and vividly. They are creative, poignant, and packed with adventures. At the same time, it reminds one of the never-ending battles between goodness and evil.

Many were wondering what inspired him to pen the books. Here are some of the different speculations of how Tolkien ended up writing The Lord of the Rings.

The Lord of the Rings books were about the hobbits

According to Michael Martinez, J.R.R. Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings for his readers because they wanted to read more about the hobbits.

"I cannot think of anything more to say about hobbits. Mr. Baggins seems to have exhibited so fully both the Took and the Baggins side of their nature," he said in The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien.

"But I have only too much to say, and much already written, about the world into which the hobbit intruded," she added.

Prior to releasing The Lord of the Rings book in 1954, Tolkien first released The Hobbit on Sept. 21, 1937. He would have never submitted it to a publisher had it not been secretly shared with a family friend who had a connection in the publishing industry.

His wife inspired The Lord of the Rings

The cornerstone of Tolkien's books The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings is his love for his wife, Newsweek reported. During a war, Tolkien and his wife, Edith, respite from the conflict in a peaceful "woodland glade" in Yorkshire. Edith began to dance for Tolkien among the trees.

That encounter moved Tolkien to write a love story with Edith as the Elvish princess, Lúthien. He equated himself as the mere mortal human, Beren.

The two characters were so precious for Tolkien. When his wife passed away, he had the name "Lúthien" written on her gravestone. He also later instructed that "Beren" be written on his own.

Tolkien wants to deliver a long story

Meanwhile, in the Letter to Miss Elise Honeybourne, Tolkien revealed why he wrote The Lord of the Rings. It was for a simple reason — he wanted to try working on a long story.

"I wrote The Lord of the Rings because I wished 'to try my hand at a really long story that would hold the attention of readers, amuse them, delight them, and at times maybe excite them or deeply move them,'" he explained.

"As a guide I had only my own feelings for what is appealing or moving; and it has been a great pleasure (and a surprise) to find that so many other people have similar feelings."

For more articles like this, take a look at our Pop Culture page.