Works that formed the inspiration for Tolkien

[IronHills Dwarf]

I thought it might be nice to form a thread dedicated to discussing the books, epics, poems, that formed the basis of Tolkien's inspiration. If this is the wrong forum please move it mods. ;) But since I want to keep this discussion rooted in how these texts relate to Tolkien I thought it should go here. I also wanted to point people to where to find these texts.

From my reading the basic texts that proved influential on Tolkien where:

Beowulf

The Kalevala

The Nibelung cycles

Thankfully with the event of the internet you can find all this stuff online in perfectly legitiment forms. Using http://www.gutenberg.org I managed to get good verse translations of all this stuff.

For Beowulf I personally like this one (http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext06/8bwlf10h.htm#fittI) if you like to puzzle your way through Old English. Otherwise this one (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/16328/16328-h/16328-h.htm)

For the Kalevala I like this translation (not that there are many options ;)) here (http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext04/kalec10.txt)

For Nibelung it gets trickier but I personally like this one (http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext05/niebn10h.htm) because it keeps the meter of the original.

So has anyone read all of these? I've done Beowulf (in numerous versions), parts of the Kalevala and most of Nibelung. Any thoughts on how these related to Tolkien?

One obvious thing that jumped out at me where names, in the Nibelung I found names such as Rumold, Sinhold, and Hunhold that are rather close to Tolkien's (Rumil, Hurin, Sindar etc...)

[Laurelin]

Nice job IHD! :thumbs: I've read parts of Beowulf. I'd like to read Kalevala. I'm guessing that a lot of the cultural aspects that Tolkien created were loosely based on the cultures portrayed in some of these books you've mentioned. Not to mention the language and some of the names. Cool stuff!

[Ithildiel Noldoran]

I had also read Tolkien was inspired by the ancient Greek epics-Iliad and Odyssey-as well as mythologies-Greek, Norse, Egyptian!;)

I have read Kalevala-I found it quite intriguing and rivetting, as well,and we did a little part of Beowulf in university!I wantto read the Nibelung cycles, though!!:grin:

[IronHills Dwarf]

Yup Ithil, I think some of the Norse ones are supposed have been quite influential as well. I can probably find some of them online at some point. There's some good ones out there. :)

To me the first part of the Nibelung has close parrallels to the Hobbit. The hero of the story finds a ring and kills a dragon. ;)

[Ithildiel Noldoran]

I want to read Nibelung!!veryhappyBut it is impossible to find here!I did follow the links you put up, though( :cuddles: )and printed out the first part of the story!!!veryhappy ;)

[Stormcrow]

I know that Tolekin used a lot of ancient history in his works as inspiration, such as the weapons the dwarves use, being the same as the vikings. I learnt this in ancient history class today. I was reading 'The Hobbit' again, in class (I am starting the whole series again). And my teacher caught me reading, and he said "What does this have to do with history!" and I said "Uh, nothing". To which he replied "You're wrong there, see Tolkein based so much of his work around history (blah, blah, blah)". And I found it quite interesting. And he said that I can read Tolkein in class anytime, because he is also a fan. lol He is a pretty cool teacher! :grin:

[Elfdaughter]

Yip, you're lucky to have a teacher like that... :p

One thing I do know is that Tolien based the Rohirrim on the Saxons. He always felt that if the Saxons had had a cavalry, they could well have won the Battle of Hastings.

[Stormcrow]

Interesting! I never knew that before! :)

[Iradil]

i heard that he based middle earth on Britain, the shire especially on Lancashire Cumberland Derbyshire and Wiltshire

[Stormcrow]

I know the dwarves were based on the vikings. Their weapons mainly, axes and the like. :)

[Iradil]

i think he might of based numenor on atlantis given the simalarity, higher race of humans and the island gets swallowed by the sea

[Stormcrow]

Good point, Iradil. You see, people may use influence, but influence isn't always allegory. :)

[Ithildiel Noldoran]

Just re-discovered this incredible topic!!:)

I have to agree...influence is almost never allegory!!you might be influenced by the work of others, and you might make a hidden mention to it somewhere in your work-a lot of post-Tolkien authors seem to do that with our beloved professor-but that does not constitute allegory!

I think Tolkien's aim was to make a mythology, an epic...in that respect, he drew his influence form his own knowledge of not only other cultures, but of the British culture as well!;)The Shire landscapes did remind me of Lancaster when I first read LotR, and when I came to the Rohirrim, I was instantly reminded of Vikings and Norse mythology!

I was also a part of the Greek Tolkien Society's speech at the Tolkien 2005, last summer; me and a few others were assigned to write a speech titled "Tolkien and Universality", trying to compare the ancient greek gods with Tolkien'sValar; the similarities are striking...and we also found similarities with the Nordic deities, as we started writing!

[Lasgalen]

Tolkien was also inspired by the Icelandic Edda (as was Wagner)

[Periantari Andruil]

Wow this is a great thread! I actually wrote a paper about Beowulf's INfluences on LotR which could be found in the Prof forum in here...
http://www.warofthering.net/forums/vbulletin225/upload/showthread.php?t=6934
But yes, i can't believe i missed this thread before. Great topic, Ironhills Dwarf! :thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs:
and nice to see you back, Lasgalen! :cuddles: