J. R. R. Tolkien (John Ronald Reuel) (1892-1973)

Death: 2nd September 1973
Location: Wolvercote Cemetery, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England
Cause of Death: Pneumonia
Photo taken by: julia and keld
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English author who is best remembered for writing The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. He was a professor of the Anglo-Saxon Language and also English Language and Literature at Oxford. Tolkien is also remembered as a member of the literary group ‘The Inklings’, along with fellow authors C.S. Lewis and Charles Williams. His writing shows influences from Norse and Greek mythology as well as the Bible. Tolkien had intended for The Lord of the Rings to be a children’s book, like The Hobbit, but as the story progressed it became increasingly darker. Several film adaptations of his work have been made, most famously the multi-Oscar winning ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy directed by Peter Jackson. 
The names ‘Beren’ and ‘Luthien’ on the grave of Tolkien and his wife are taken from a story called ‘Of Beren and Lúthien’ from The Silmarillion. It is a romantic story and Tolkien referred to his wife as his ‘Lúthien’ and said that she was his inspiration for the story.

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