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{{disambig-two|[[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s son|grandson of Tolkien|[[Michael George Tolkien]]}}
'''Michael Hilary Reuel "Mick" Tolkien''' ([[22 October]], [[1920]] - [[27 February]], [[1984]]) was the second son of [[J.R.R. Tolkien|J.R.R.]] and [[Edith Tolkien]]. Tolkien wrote the story ''[[Roverandom]]'' as a way to console Michael over the loss of his toy dog; Michael appears in the story as '''boy Two'''.


'''Michael Hilary Reuel "Mick" Tolkien''' (October 22, [[1920]] - February 27, [[1984]]) was the second son of [[J.R.R. Tolkien|J.R.R.]] and [[Edith Tolkien]].
In the bioghaphical drama film, ''[[Tolkien (film)|Tolkien]]'' ([[2019]]), he appears briefly, and he was portrayed by actor Paul Gurcel Escudero.
==Biography==
===Youth===
Michael owned the puppet on which [[Tom Bombadil]] was based. Like his father, Michael also had '''[[Atlantis]]-haunting''' dreams while J.R.R. never mentioned his own to him.


When Michael lost his puppet dog on a holiday, his father wrote [[Roverandom]] to console him. Michael also owned the puppet on which [[Tom Bombadil]] was based.  
====''Roverandom''====
In early September [[1925]], the Tolkien family (then [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Ronald]], [[Edith Tolkien|Edith]], [[John Tolkien|John]], [[Michael Tolkien|Michael]] and a one-year-old [[Christopher Tolkien|Christopher]]) went on holiday to the seaside resort of Filey in Yorkshire. Although Tolkien had holidayed there previously in [[1922]], Tolkien described Filey as "a very nasty little suburban seaside resort".<ref name="bio">{{HM|Bio}}</ref>{{rp|146}} During the holiday, Michael lost his beloved black-and-white toy dog on the beach; although the family searched for it, the toy dog could not be found.  


Like his father, Michael also had '''[[Atlantis]]-haunting''' dreams while J.R.R. never mentioned them to him.
To console his son, Tolkien created the story of ''Roverandom'' to explain the adventures of the dog. Tolkien wrote the story down, based on his own oral version, in [[1927]] and also provided a number of illustrations which have since been published.<ref name="AI">{{HM|AI}}</ref>{{rp|77-83}} A few years later, Tolkien submitted ''Roverandom'' for publication to [[George Allen & Unwin]] in [[1936]] and although the book described by [[Rayner Unwin]] as "well written and amusing" it was never considered for publication, perhaps as a result of a desire for a [[The Lord of the Rings|sequel to ''The Hobbit'']].<ref name="Roverandom">{{HM|R}}</ref>{{rp|xvii}}


His grandson is [[Royd Tolkien]], who cameo'ed as a [[Rangers of Ithilien|Ranger]] in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]].
Throughout the story, Michael is referred to as "boy Two" as he's Tolkien's second son. In the story, boy Two is brought home a toy dog which he later loses at the beach. He never forgets the dog and later meets Roverandom in the dreamland on the moon. At the end of the story, boy Two is reunited with Roverandom, who is now a real dog.<ref name="Roverandom"/>{{rp|88}}
===Later life===
Michael and his family resided at Payables Farm, Woodcote. They hosted his father in late summer [[1948]]. While the family was away on holiday, his father found the quiet conditions to complete ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''.<ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. xxvii</ref>
 
His grandson is [[Royd Tolkien]], who had a cameo as a [[Rangers of Ithilien|Ranger]] in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]''.
 
 
==Bibliography==
===Article===
*[[1973]]: ''[[J. R. R. Tolkien – The Wizard Father]]'' in  "The Sunday Telegraph"
*[[1974]]: Two letters to [[The Tolkien Society]], published  in ''[[Mallorn 9]]''


==Family Tree==
==Family Tree==
Line 13: Line 29:
{{familytree| | | | | | | | | | | EDB |y| JRR | | | | | | | | | | | |JRR=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]]|EDB=[[Edith Tolkien|Edith Bratt]]}}
{{familytree| | | | | | | | | | | EDB |y| JRR | | | | | | | | | | | |JRR=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]]|EDB=[[Edith Tolkien|Edith Bratt]]}}
{{familytree| | | | |,|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|v|^|-|-|v|-|-|-|.|}}
{{familytree| | | | |,|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|v|^|-|-|v|-|-|-|.|}}
{{familytree| | | | JOT | | JOG |y| MIT | | CHT | | PRT |JOT=[[John Tolkien]]|MIT=[[Michael Tolkien (b. 1920)|Michael Tolkien]]|CHT=[[Christopher Tolkien]]|PRT=[[Priscilla Tolkien]]|JOG=[[Joan Griffiths]]}}
{{familytree| | | | JOT | | JOG |y| MIT | | CHT | | PRT |JOT=[[John Tolkien]]|MIT='''MICHAEL TOLKIEN'''|CHT=[[Christopher Tolkien]]|PRT=[[Priscilla Tolkien]]|JOG=[[Joan Griffiths]]}}
{{familytree| | | |,|-|-|-|-|-|-|^|-|-|-|-|v|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|.}}
{{familytree| | | |,|-|-|-|-|-|-|^|-|-|-|-|v|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|.}}
{{familytree| | |JOT |~| HUB | | IRF |~| MIT |~| ROW | | JUT |~| ALC |JOT=[[Joanna Tolkien]]|HUB=[[Hugh Baker]]|IRF=[[Irene Ferrier]]|MIT=[[Michael Tolkien (b. 1943)|Michael Tolkien]]|ROW=[[Rosemary Walters]]|JUT=[[Judith Tolkien]]|ALC=[[Alan Crombleholme]]}}
{{familytree| | |JOT |~| HUB | | IRF |~| MIT |~| ROW | | JUT |~| ALC |JOT=[[Joanna Tolkien]]|HUB=[[Hugh Baker]]|IRF=[[Irene Ferrier]]|MIT=[[Michael George Tolkien|Michael Tolkien]]|ROW=[[Rosemary Walters]]|JUT=[[Judith Tolkien]]|ALC=[[Alan Crombleholme]]}}
{{familytree/end}}
{{familytree/end}}


[[Category: Tolkien Family|Tolkien, Michael]]
==External links==
[[Category:Letter receivers|Tolkien, Michael]]
*[http://archive.catholicherald.co.uk/article/16th-april-1948/2/labour-and-russia-stie-may-i-commend-the-insight-o Labour and Russia] (online letter by Michael Tolkien to ''The Catholic Herald'')
[[Category:British people|Tolkien, Michael]]
 
[[Category:People by name|Tolkien, Michael]]
{{references}}
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tolkien, Michael}}
[[Category:British people]]
[[Category:Letter receivers]]
[[Category:People by name]]
[[Category:Roverandom]]
[[Category:Tolkien Family]]
 
[[de:Michael Tolkien]]
[[de:Michael Tolkien]]
[[fr:tolkien/portraits/michael_hilary_reuel_tolkien]]
[[fi:Michael Tolkien]]
[[fi:Michael Tolkien]]

Latest revision as of 21:45, 18 July 2023

"...It is a long tale..." — Aragorn
This article or section needs expansion and/or modification. Please help the wiki by expanding it.
This article is about J.R.R. Tolkien's son. For the grandson of Tolkien, see Michael George Tolkien.

Michael Hilary Reuel "Mick" Tolkien (22 October, 1920 - 27 February, 1984) was the second son of J.R.R. and Edith Tolkien. Tolkien wrote the story Roverandom as a way to console Michael over the loss of his toy dog; Michael appears in the story as boy Two.

In the bioghaphical drama film, Tolkien (2019), he appears briefly, and he was portrayed by actor Paul Gurcel Escudero.

Biography[edit | edit source]

Youth[edit | edit source]

Michael owned the puppet on which Tom Bombadil was based. Like his father, Michael also had Atlantis-haunting dreams while J.R.R. never mentioned his own to him.

Roverandom[edit | edit source]

In early September 1925, the Tolkien family (then Ronald, Edith, John, Michael and a one-year-old Christopher) went on holiday to the seaside resort of Filey in Yorkshire. Although Tolkien had holidayed there previously in 1922, Tolkien described Filey as "a very nasty little suburban seaside resort".[1]:146 During the holiday, Michael lost his beloved black-and-white toy dog on the beach; although the family searched for it, the toy dog could not be found.

To console his son, Tolkien created the story of Roverandom to explain the adventures of the dog. Tolkien wrote the story down, based on his own oral version, in 1927 and also provided a number of illustrations which have since been published.[2]:77-83 A few years later, Tolkien submitted Roverandom for publication to George Allen & Unwin in 1936 and although the book described by Rayner Unwin as "well written and amusing" it was never considered for publication, perhaps as a result of a desire for a sequel to The Hobbit.[3]:xvii

Throughout the story, Michael is referred to as "boy Two" as he's Tolkien's second son. In the story, boy Two is brought home a toy dog which he later loses at the beach. He never forgets the dog and later meets Roverandom in the dreamland on the moon. At the end of the story, boy Two is reunited with Roverandom, who is now a real dog.[3]:88

Later life[edit | edit source]

Michael and his family resided at Payables Farm, Woodcote. They hosted his father in late summer 1948. While the family was away on holiday, his father found the quiet conditions to complete The Lord of the Rings.[4]

His grandson is Royd Tolkien, who had a cameo as a Ranger in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.


Bibliography[edit | edit source]

Article[edit | edit source]

Family Tree[edit | edit source]

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Edith Bratt
 
J.R.R. Tolkien
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
John Tolkien
 
Joan Griffiths
 
MICHAEL TOLKIEN
 
Christopher Tolkien
 
Priscilla Tolkien
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Joanna Tolkien
 
Hugh Baker
 
Irene Ferrier
 
Michael Tolkien
 
Rosemary Walters
 
Judith Tolkien
 
Alan Crombleholme
 
 
 
 


External links[edit | edit source]

References