Today In History: Tolkien Publishes The Fellowship Of the Ring

On July 29th, 1954, J.R.R. Tolkien published The Fellowship of the Ring, the first of a three volumes series, epic novels, which took place in fictional Middle Earth. This book preceded Tolkien's The Hobbit, a children's fantasy novel that was published with acclaim by Allen and Unwin seventeen years earlier. The Fellowship of the Ring is followed by The Two Towers and Return of the King, forming the popular trilogy "Concerning Hobbits and other matters". A hobbit, named Frodo Baggins, undertakes a journey to Mount Doom to destroy the ring belonging to the Dark Lord Sauron. The Fellowship cannot use the ring and must escape death. Themes of mortality, good and evil, suffering, and addiction to power dominate the story whose characters include wizards, elves, goblins, trolls, monsters, and more.

In 2001-2003, the trilogy was adapted highly successfully to film which was directed in a three-part series by Peter Jackson.

The following articles are drawn from Proquest Historical Newspapers, which informs and inspires classroom teaching and learning.

• Auden, W.H. (1954, Oct 31). The Hero Is a Hobbit: The Fellowship Of the Ring. Being the First Part Of "The Lord Of the Rings." New York Times (1923-Current File)

• Prescott, O. P. (1954, Nov 02). Books Of the Times. New York Times (1923-Current File)

• Wickenden, D. (1954, Nov 14). Heroic Tale Of Tiny Folk. New York Herald Tribune (1926-1962)

• Off the Beaten Path: Prof. Tolkien's Hobbits Story Continuation Good To Read Aloud. (1954, Nov 21). Daily Boston Globe (1928-1960).

• Sale, R. (1981, Oct 18). Lore Of the Rings: Letters Of J.R.R. Tolkien. The Washington Post (1974-Current File)

• Auden, W.H. (1996, Oct 06). Secular Hobbitism. New York Times (1923-Current File)

• The Lord Of the Rings: J.R.R. Tolkien, 1954-55. (2000, Jun 18). The Washington Post (1974-Current File)

• Monahan, J. (2001, Dec 11). Tolkien's Magical World Opens On Film. The Guardian (1959-2003)

• Tolkien Times Two. (2003, Jan 25). The Guardian (1959-2003)

• Maye, B. (2004, Jul 26). An Irishman's Diary. The Irish Times (1921-Current File)

Tips:

• Dubbs, Kathleen and Janka Kascakova, eds. Middle Earth and Beyond: Essays On the World of J.R.R. Tolkien. Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Cambridge Scholars, c2010. e-book

• Lee, Stuart D. A Companion to J.R.R. Tolkien. New York: John Wiley, c2014. e-book

• Wood, Ralph C. Tolkien Among the Moderns. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 2015. e-book

Images:

• Special News Slide, Courtesy of the Gottesman Libraries

• Fellowship of the Ring Cover, 1st edition, Courtesy of Wikimedia

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