J. R. R.

Tolkien

Nostalgia and longing for an

impossible past.
 BOOKS
Tolkien wrote many books dealing with mythical
creatures such as dwarfs or elves.
Most of his books were published after his death
Biographical Notes

He was born in 1892 and died in 1973.

As a British man (although from German origins) he saw
and underwent the effects of two world wars.
The dying of friends and the important political changes
taking place during the 1st half of the XX century have
undoubtedly left an imprint on him.
 The worlds of Tolkien

In his books he describes mythical worlds with

legendary peoples.
They are not only the result of his fantasy but also the
product of hard work and his expert knowledge of
languages and cultures.
He was a linguist and used this knowledge to create
different languages.
 The worlds of Tolkien
Have you read The Silmarillion?
His books are characterized by the presence of mythical
creatures, magic and disappearing worlds, a sense of
epic, love for nature…
This return to the past can be read as a sign of
nonconformity with the times he had to live
 Questions for discussion
1. Have you read any of Tolkien´s book.
2. Do you like them? Which is your favourite one?
3. What kind of values do his books convey?
4. Why do young people like them so much?
5. Can you find any paralelism with video games
such as World of Wars?
6. From a socio-anthropological point of view how
can we interpret the success of these stories?