Transcript MattSchanilecJ.R.R.Tolkien - West Fargo Public Schools
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Created By Matt Schanilec
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J.R.R. Tolkien: The Father of Fantasy
“The wise speak only of what they know (Thinkexist.com).” This quote by J.R.R. Tolkien gives an example of his main theological mindset. The Father of Modern Fantasy, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, was born on January 3, 1892, in Bloemfontein, South Africa to an English father and mother. When he was a young boy, he moved to England with his mother and siblings. His father was to return to England shortly after they did, but ended up dying before he could make the trip. This surely had an enormous effect on how Tolkien went about his later writing. Being an English writer most certainly would have had an effect on Tolkien, especially considering the time period he lived in. Tolkien lived through two world wars, in which Britain was in the middle of both. These events would come out in many of his later works, most prevalently, The Lord of the Rings. Growing up in Birmingham, England was a very peaceful and adventurous time for Tolkien and his brother. Their mother taught them from their home originally, and it was clear that Tolkien had a knack for words. He began reading at the age of four, and began writing quite skillfully, soon after (Doughan 2).
J.R.R Tolkien had the seed of writing implanted in him at a young age by his mother, who encouraged him when she noticed his obvious interest and skill in it. Sadly, when Tolkien was 12, she passed away due to her diabetes. Tolkien attended a mixture of King Edward's School and Birmingham Oratory as a child and became learned in the Catholic faith, at which time he met a new family friend, Father Francis Xavier Morgan. Later on, with financial support from Father Francis
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and a scholarship, J.R.R. Tolkien was accepted into Oxford University. Tolkien won very few awards during his life, as they were not as prevalent when he lived. One of the awards was for his book The Hobbit in 1938, by the New York Herald Tribune as the best juvenile book. C.S. Lewis was one of Tolkien's closest friends and greatest influences. If it wasn’t for Lewis, neither man would have written their most famous works; The Lord of the Rings, and The Chronicles of Narnia. The reason for this being that both men saw a lack of adventurous literature in the world, especially for adults. Despite the lack of awards, Tolkien developed a huge following, and is considered one of the great fantasy writers in history (“Biography of J.R.R. Tolkien”).
J.R.R. Tolkien has a distinct feel about his poetry. It almost always tells a story and contains some sort of underlying event that relates to his life. His poetry has a certain rhythm to it, that, when combined with his use of rhyming, creates a very upbeat style of poetry. His main themes seem to revolve around a moral that is to be learned to improve the world. Tolkien is most well-known for his novels in the land of Middle-earth. His most well-known works are The Hobbit, The Silmarillion, and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. While being most famous for his work in fiction, Tolkien was a great poet, with many of his poems appearing in his fiction. He is known as the father of modern fantasy, and therefore has influenced a great many writers and surely just as many poets. J.R.R Tolkien was born into a difficult situation, with a family that had financial problems. He lost both of his parents at a young age, but persisted to seek his dreams as a writer. He worked hard to get accepted into Oxford University where he studied many things, but most prevalently languages. Tolkien is considered the father of modern fantasy, and will go down in history as just that. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien died on September 2, 1973. He inspired many with his words, and will continue to influence the imaginations of all people who will immerse themselves in his work.
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Collected Works
“ All That is Gold Does Not Glitter” “All Woods Must Fail” “All Ye Joyful” “Athelas” “Bath-Song” “Bilbo's Last Song (At the Grey Havens)” “Bregalad's Lament” “Cat” “Durin” “Earendil” “Elbereth” “Finrod's Song” “Gandalf's Song of Lorien” “Gil-galad” “I Sit and Think” “Journey's End” “Lament for Boromir” “Lament for Eorl the Young” “ Lebennin” “Namárië” “Nimrodel” “O! Where Are You Going?” “One Ring” “One White Tree” “Over the Misty Mountains Cold” “Roads Go Ever On” “Seasons” “Sing All Ye People!” “The King” “The Little House of Lost Play (Mar Vanwa Tyalieva)” “The Man in the Moon Came Down Too Soon” “The Sea” “Theoden” “Theoden's Fall” “Tinuviel” “To the Bottle I Go” “Troll Sat Alone on His Seat of Stone”
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“I Sit and Think” By J.R.R. Tolkien
I sit beside the fire and think of all that I have seen, of meadow-flowers and butterflies in summers that have been; Of yellow leaves and gossamer in autumns that there were, with morning mist and silver sun and wind upon my hair.
I sit beside the fire and think of how the world will be when winter comes without a spring that I shall never see.
For still there are so many things that I have never seen: in every wood in every spring there is a different green.
I sit beside the fire and think of people long ago, and people who will see a world that I shall never know.
But all the while I sit and think of times there were before, I listen for returning feet and voices at the door.
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The poem “I Sit and Think”, by J.R.R. Tolkien, explains the sensation of reflecting upon one’s life, while also realizing that there will be a time in the future when they are not here anymore, by using vivid imagery. One core theme of the poem is about keeping things known and loved close to heart, because those things will always be there. The other core theme is thinking of the future, and what it holds for those for the ones who will be living in it. “Of yellow leaves and gossamer/ in autumns that there were,/ with morning mist and silver sun and wind upon my hair.” With this passage, Tolkien creates a specific sensual atmosphere around the season of autumn. It is easy to conjure up a scene in which a man is sitting outside at daybreak, with nature all around him. There is a peaceful breeze, and the mist settles into dew upon the dying grass. Without these elements of imagery in the poem, it really does not create a picture that is relatable. J.R.R. Tolkien teaches the world a lesson with this poem; that memories are an integral part of life.
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The poem “All That is Gold Does Not Glitter”, by J.R.R. Tolkien, shows that not everything is always as it seems. One of the main themes of the poem is that a new hope will arise to lead the world onward. The reason I chose this poem is because, even in the darkest of hours, there is always a light.
“All That is Gold Does Not Glitter” By J.R.R. Tolkien
All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be blade that was broken, The crownless again shall be king.
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The Poem “One Ring”, by J.R.R. Tolkien, is a sort of preface to the story of The Lord of the Rings. Each race was given rings of power, but there was one ring controlled by an evil possessor, which sought out to destroy the world. I picked this poem because of my interest in Tolkien's novels, as well as the clever use of rhyme used throughout.
“One Ring”
Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul, Ash nazg thrakutulûk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul.
Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, Seven for the dwarf-lords in their halls of stone, Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die, One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne, In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
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“Bilbo’s Last Song (At the Grey Havens)”
By J.R.R. Tolkien
Day is ended, dim my eyes, But journey long before me lies.
Farewell, friends! I hear the call.
The ship's beside the stony wall.
Foam is white and waves are grey; beyond the sunset leads my way.
Foam is salt, the wind is free; I hear the rising of the sea.
Farewell, friends! The sails are set, the wind is east, the moorings fret.
Shadows long before me lie, beneath the ever-bending sky, but islands lie behind the Sun that i shall raise ere all is done; lands there are to west of West, where night is quiet and sleep is rest.
Guided by the Lonely Star, beyond the utmost harbour-bar, I'll find the heavens fair and free, and beaches of the Starlit Sea.
Ship my ship! I seek the West, and fields and mountains ever blest.
Farewell to Middle-earth at last.
I see the star above my mast!
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“
Courage
”
By Matt Schanilec
Day is ended, dim my eyes, I look up toward the darkened skies.
The sun is gone but for a while, As I sit here, to reconcile, With that which has eluded me, The courage that will set me free.
Ever-long I've stumbled on, The days have come, the days have gone.
Like a ship upon the sea, The waves do try to swallow me.
I still hold on to faintest hope, Which holds my hand onto the rope, Tethered to the ship above, I climb for you, my greatest love.
Day is started, bright my eyes, I look up toward the lightened skies.
The sun is here but for a while, As I stand up, I've reconciled, With that which no longer eludes me, The courage which now has set me free.
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“All Woods Must Fail” By J.R.R. Tolkien
O! Wanderers in the shadowed land Despair not! For though dark they stand, All woods there be must end at last, And see the open sun go past: The setting sun, the rising sun, The day's end, or the day begun.
For east or west all woods must fail. “
Shores
”
By Matt Schanilec
Overwhelmed in terror full, Strewn about the sea contrite.
Over again these thoughts you mull, The ones who deliver a bead of light.
And however dark and however vast, The sea must reach the shore and fast.
For however hungry it may be, It does remember that it is the sea.
And wherever the sea does touch the sand, Is where the land does take its stand.
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“
Along This Cobbled Path I Tread
”
By Matt Schanilec
Along this cobbled path I tread, Returning from a land of dread.
I roll my eyes across the view, In hope of finding a familiar face.
But then I realize in lieu, I've wandered into a stranger place.
The senses dull, as I tread on, Upon my ears does rest a song, With voice so soft, it calls me in, To harmonize I do begin.
On the ground I am at last, To the darkness my eyes are cast.
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“
The Villain
”
By Matt Schanilec
Interrupted were our plans, By a hidden villain in our lands.
Attacked us from afar with haste, Upon which time we soon gave chase.
Through the hills, mountains, and snow, Across a great bridge we travelled ho!
And precisely then he was up and away, Led us he did, to a village that day.
And in that village we met our greatest friends, The villain, a villain? We may soon see again.
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Bibliography
Images
“One Ring” http://images.elfwood.com/art/s/i/silverteen/one_ring.jpg
“All Woods Must Fail” http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2008/fontainebleau/images/fullscreen/239-043.jpg
“Bilbo’s Last Song (At the Grey Havens)” http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dT_UPEfwsHA/SwPzN5X1kwI/AAAAAAAAAnU/cL_uqYRY7OU/s1600/caroli na-ship-painting.jpg
“I Sit and Think” http://i.d.com.com/i/dl/media/dlimage/13/91/54/139154_large.jpeg
“All That Is Gold Does Not Glitter” http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3450/3695643921_d22d644582.jpg
“Shores” http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QvrskImGWQY/SuV7WY7qceI/AAAAAAAAAMM/J_qN9cT1LC4/s400/Reint Withaar-Stormy-Sea-149501.jpg
“Along This Cobbled Path I Tread” http://www.scenicreflections.com/files/Cobblestone%20Path%20Wallpaper__yvt2.jpg
“Courage” http://www.chesapeake-bay.org/images/sunrise-sunset/boat-wake-sunrise.jpg
Picture of Poet http://www.topnews.in/files/JRR-Tolkien102.jpg
“The Villain” http://mi9.com/uploads/landscape/4154/green-mountain-and-snowy-mountain-and dam_1920x1200_71918.jpg
Biography Sources
http://www.arwen-undomiel.com/tolkien/bio.html
http://www.indepthinfo.com/tolkien/biography.shtml
http://www.tolkiensociety.org/tolkien/biography.html
Poem Sources
http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/j__r__r__tolkien