An Oxford professor from 1925 to 1945, Tolkien was heavily inspired by the writings, languages and fantasies of Icelandic linguistic traditions, particularly Old Norse sagas like the Poetic Edda and Prose Edda. Iconic English literature may also have played a role in Tolkien’s first novel.

Where did Tolkien get inspiration for Lord of the Rings?

During a year-long convalescence in Yorkshire from trench fever contracted in the hellish mud-filled landscape of World War I France, J. R. R. Tolkien found the spark of inspiration for the tale that became the cornerstone for The Hobbit and The Lord of Rings.

What influenced JRR Tolkien to write The Lord of the Rings?

He was inspired primarily by his profession, philology; his work centred on the study of Old English literature, especially Beowulf, and he acknowledged its importance to his writings. He was a gifted linguist, influenced by Germanic, Celtic, Finnish, Slavic, and Greek language and mythology.

What inspired Tolkien Elvish?

Tolkien’s Elves are rooted as firmly as possible in Anglo-Saxon, Middle English, and Norse tradition, but influenced also by Celtic fairies in the Tuatha Dé Danann.

Was Tolkien inspired by George Lucas?

Peter Jackson’s films based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s master work, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, were released in 2001, 2002, 2003. Before Peter Jackson’s films would inspire the more recent installments of Star Wars, George Lucas certainly took inspiration from Tolkien’s work in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

Is Gandalf based on Merlin?

there can be no doubt that the wizard Gandalf of The Hobbit (1937) and the trilogy which follows, is drawn from the Merlin of early legend. his capacity for launching splendid displays of pyrotechnics.

Is Gandalf based on Odin?

Tolkien’s Gandalf is particularly reminiscent of the Norse god Odin, who is described as having a long white beard, wide brimmed hat, staff, and cloak. Similar to Odin, Gandalf spreads wisdom, truth, and knowledge.

How did Tolkien influence fantasy?

Also, Tolkien set such a world full of creative fantasy creatures that somehow became like the standard world of fantasy. That is, even though Tolkien didn’t create orcs or elves, it is actually his reworked version which stands as the archetypic idea of how such creatures would look and behave.

Why did Tolkien create Middle Earth?

His goal was to populate his mythology with stories that would explain many old words that had come down to modern use without explanation. As a philologist, J.R.R. Tolkien understood that words change meaning over time and that as they change they acquire a history of their own.

What is Lord of the Rings based off?

The Lord of the Rings is an epic high-fantasy novel by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, intended to be Earth at some distant time in the past, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien’s 1937 children’s book The Hobbit, but eventually developed into a much larger work.

Who is the oldest elf in LOTR?

Who Is The Oldest Elf in Lord of the Rings (and 4 others)?

• The Oldest Elf in the Lord of the Rings trilogy is Cirdan the Shipwright.
• Celeborn’s Age: probably older than 6500 years.
• Thranduil’s Age: probably older than 6500 years.
• Lady Galadriel’s Age: 8,372 years.

Did Legolas leave Middle-earth?

After Aragorn’s death, Legolas made a ship in Ithilien and left Middle-earth to go over the sea. His strong friendship with Gimli prompted Legolas to invite him to accompany him to the Undying Lands; making him the first and only Dwarf to do so. He was never seen again in Middle-earth.

Is Lord of the Rings Elvish a real language?

Middle Earth and the “Lord of the Rings” epics were created around his constructed languages. Basically, he invented words and needed speakers. These languages are both Elvish in origin: Quenya and Sindarin. When he died, Tolkien left behind a large number of unpublished works, many of which are still being studied.

What was Star Wars based off of?

Akira Kurosawa and The Hidden Fortress George Lucas has often been transparent about what exactly inspired him to create Star Wars. Specifically, famous Japanese cinematographer Akira Kurosawa and his 1958 film The Hidden Fortress.

What was the hidden fortress based on?

It’s a brilliantly unconventional angle for a galaxy-spanning sci-fi adventure, but George Lucas, the writer-director of Star Wars, didn’t have to think too hard to come up with it. As he has often acknowledged, he simply borrowed the idea from Akira Kurosawa’s 1958 samurai classic, The Hidden Fortress.

How did Flash Gordon inspired Star Wars?

The Flash Gordon serials clearly relied heavily on pre-existing costumes and props, so knight helmets as part of the enemy uniform make sense, but Star Wars original costumes were an intentional nod to Flash Gordon.