J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien CBE, FRSL, known by his pen name J. R. R. Tolkien, was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor who is best known as the author of the classic high-fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth3 January 1892
art contain elements form known moral myth primary reflect religious truth
Myth and fairy-story must, as all art, reflect and contain in solution elements of moral and religious truth (or error), but not explicit, not in the known form of the primary 'real' world.
life art enemy
It is perilous to study too deeply the arts of the Enemy, for good or for ill.
art two-towers deeper
Perilous to us all are the devices of an art deeper than we possess ourselves.
art creation domination
And its object is Art not power, sub-creation not domination and tyrannous re-forming of Creation.
art believe successful
What really happens is that the story-maker proves a successful 'sub-creator'. He makes a Secondary World which your mind can enter. Inside it, what he relates is 'true': it accords with the laws of that world. You therefore believe it, while you are, as it were, inside. The moment disbelief arises, the spell is broken; the magic, or rather art, has failed. You are then out in the Primary World again, looking at the little abortive Secondary World from outside.
art way belief
Art is the human process that produces by the way (it is not its only or ultimate object) Secondary Belief.
art thinking fantasy
Fantasy (in this sense) is, I think, not a lower but a higher form of Art, indeed the most nearly pure form, and so (when achieved) the most potent.
art magic humans
Their 'magic' is Art, delivered from many of its human limitations.
art philosophy people
Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisioned by the enemy, don't we consider it his duty to escape?. . .If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we're partisans of liberty, then it's our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can!
behind crooked death fire passed son speak therefore till tongue wise words worm
The wise speak only of what they know, Grima son of Galmod. A witless worm have you become. Therefore be silent, and keep your forked tongue behind your teeth. I have not passed through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a serving-man till th
ahead door far follow goes journey last others rest road sleep towards turn weary
The Road goes ever on and onOut from the door where it began.Now far ahead the Road has gone,Let others follow it who can!Let them a journey new begin,But I at last with weary feetWill turn towards the lighted inn,My evening-rest and sleep to meet.
valor
Fealty with love, Valor with honor, oathbreaking with vengeance.
beneath far land western
! Elbereth Gilthoniel!silivren penna mÃrielo menel aglar elenath!We still remember, we who dwellIn this far land beneath the trees,Thy starlight on the Western Seas.
hour star
A star shone at the hour of our meeting.