This epic high fantasy novel, ‘The Lord of the Rings,' is written by J. R. R. Tolkien, a philologist. The novel started as a follow-up to an earlier, less complicated, children's fantasy novel of Tolkien, ‘The Hobbit', in 1937, but in the end grew into a much bigger work.
History of the Lord of The Rings novel The novel was penned in periods between 1937 and 1949, the majority of it during WWII. Even though in general it is known to booklovers as a trilogy, Tolkien originally planned it as one volume of a two volume collection together with ‘The Silmarillion', but the publisher decided to exclude the second volume and for economic reasons published ‘The Lord of the Rings' in 1954-1955 as three books instead of one.
Since then, the book has been reprinted numerous times and interpreted into various languages, making it one of the most influential and popular works of 20th century literature. The book's title pertains to the main antagonist of the story, the Dark Lord Sauron, who in an earlier age had made One Ring to control the other Rings of Power, as the supreme weapon in his crusade to inhibit and govern entire Middle-earth. From peaceful offsets in the Shire, a land of hobbits resembling the English countryside, the plot ranges throughout Middle-Earth, tracing the path of the ‘War of the Ring' through the eyes of its personae, most notably the hobbits, Samwise Gamgee, Peregrin Took, Meriadoc Brandybuck, and Frodo Baggins.
The first of the three volumes of the fantasy novel is entitled ‘The Fellowship of the Ring,' released in the UK on 24 July 1954. The volume contains a Prologue, intended primarily for those who did not read ‘The Hobbit', so they could understand the book's events, plus a few other details that Tolkien felt were important as a platform for the novel. Book I's original title was ‘The First Journey' or ‘The Ring Sets Out,' and ‘The Journey of the Nine Companions' or ‘The Ring Goes South' for Book II. The titles ‘The Ring Goes South' and ‘The Ring Sets Out' were applied in the Millennium edition.
‘The Two Towers' is volume II, containing Books III and IV, with the titles of ‘The Treason of Isengard' and ‘Journey of the Ringbearers' or ‘The Ring Goes East,' respectively. The titles ‘The Ring Goes East' and ‘The Treason of Isengard' were applied in the Millennium edition. The third and last volume of the series ‘The Return of the King' was published on 20 October 1955.
Book V's proposed title was ‘The War of the Ring,' with ‘End of the Third Age' for Book VI. Both titles were applied in the Millennium edition. Along with other works of Tolkien, ‘The Lord of the Rings' has undergone extensive examination of its origins and themes. ‘The Lord of the Rings' consecutively is regarded to have had a big effect on contemporary fantasy.
Influence of Tolkien’s literature on modern language The influence of the works of Tolkien is much that the words "Tolkienesque" and "Tolkienian" have entered the Oxford English Dictionary. ‘The Lord of the Rings' has motivated, and continues to motivate, music, artwork, television, films, video games, and literature. Adaptations have been created for radio, film, and theatre.
History of the Lord of The Rings novel The novel was penned in periods between 1937 and 1949, the majority of it during WWII. Even though in general it is known to booklovers as a trilogy, Tolkien originally planned it as one volume of a two volume collection together with ‘The Silmarillion', but the publisher decided to exclude the second volume and for economic reasons published ‘The Lord of the Rings' in 1954-1955 as three books instead of one.
Since then, the book has been reprinted numerous times and interpreted into various languages, making it one of the most influential and popular works of 20th century literature. The book's title pertains to the main antagonist of the story, the Dark Lord Sauron, who in an earlier age had made One Ring to control the other Rings of Power, as the supreme weapon in his crusade to inhibit and govern entire Middle-earth. From peaceful offsets in the Shire, a land of hobbits resembling the English countryside, the plot ranges throughout Middle-Earth, tracing the path of the ‘War of the Ring' through the eyes of its personae, most notably the hobbits, Samwise Gamgee, Peregrin Took, Meriadoc Brandybuck, and Frodo Baggins.
The first of the three volumes of the fantasy novel is entitled ‘The Fellowship of the Ring,' released in the UK on 24 July 1954. The volume contains a Prologue, intended primarily for those who did not read ‘The Hobbit', so they could understand the book's events, plus a few other details that Tolkien felt were important as a platform for the novel. Book I's original title was ‘The First Journey' or ‘The Ring Sets Out,' and ‘The Journey of the Nine Companions' or ‘The Ring Goes South' for Book II. The titles ‘The Ring Goes South' and ‘The Ring Sets Out' were applied in the Millennium edition.
‘The Two Towers' is volume II, containing Books III and IV, with the titles of ‘The Treason of Isengard' and ‘Journey of the Ringbearers' or ‘The Ring Goes East,' respectively. The titles ‘The Ring Goes East' and ‘The Treason of Isengard' were applied in the Millennium edition. The third and last volume of the series ‘The Return of the King' was published on 20 October 1955.
Book V's proposed title was ‘The War of the Ring,' with ‘End of the Third Age' for Book VI. Both titles were applied in the Millennium edition. Along with other works of Tolkien, ‘The Lord of the Rings' has undergone extensive examination of its origins and themes. ‘The Lord of the Rings' consecutively is regarded to have had a big effect on contemporary fantasy.
Influence of Tolkien’s literature on modern language The influence of the works of Tolkien is much that the words "Tolkienesque" and "Tolkienian" have entered the Oxford English Dictionary. ‘The Lord of the Rings' has motivated, and continues to motivate, music, artwork, television, films, video games, and literature. Adaptations have been created for radio, film, and theatre.