Letter 163

The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
Letter 163
Recipient	W.H. Auden
Date	7 June 1955
Subject(s)	The Lord of the Rings talking points for the BBC

Letter 163 is a letter written by J.R.R. Tolkien and published in The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien.

Background

Tolkien wrote this letter in response to Auden's request for insights into The Lord of the Rings, ahead of Auden's planned BBC broadcast on the subject. Auden had already reviewed The Fellowship of the Ring and The Return of the King and asked Tolkien for personal reflections or "human touches" to share during his talk.

Summary

Tolkien explained that he wrote The Lord of the Rings out of personal need, driven by his desire to read the kind of literature he enjoyed but found lacking. As he stated "I wrote the Trilogy as a personal satisfaction, driven to it by the scarcity of literature of the sort that I wanted to read." He emphasised that the work was a labour of love, not written with the primary aim of pleasing readers "I was not thinking much of the profit or delight of others; though no one can really write or make anything purely privately".

He described the writing process as a mix of invention and discovery, noting that certain elements of the story, such as the Ents, seemed to emerge from his unconscious mind. The name came from eald enta geweorc. He recalled how the chapter Treebeard seemed to write itself; "The chapter called 'Treebeard', from Treebeard's first remark... was written off more or less as it stands, with an effect on myself... almost like reading someone else’s work."

Allegory and Interpretation

Tolkien addressed the issue of interpretation and allegory, noting that many readers attempted to find allegorical meanings in his work. He distanced himself from this approach, stating, "I had very little particular, conscious, intellectual intention in mind at any point." He further rejected the idea of The Lord of the Rings as a simple allegory, asserting that stories inevitably carry universal truths but should not be reduced to topical or particular interpretations: "It is impossible to write any 'story' that is not allegorical in proportion as it 'comes to life'".

He admitted, however, that readers who enjoyed the book largely saw it as an exciting narrative, and that was his primary intention in writing it.

Origins and Influence

Tolkien emphasised his lifelong passion for language, describing how his love for linguistic structure, phonology, and the emotional resonance of words shaped his storytelling. He discussed how languages and names are deeply connected to the stories he created "Languages and names are for me inextricable from the stories" he wrote, explaining that his invented languages were an essential part of the world-building process.

He provided an account of his linguistic influences, including his fascination with Welsh, Spanish, and Finnish. Finnish, in particular had a profound impact on him: "It was like discovering a complete wine-cellar filled with bottles of an amazing wine of a kind and flavour never tasted before." This discovery inspired him to develop his own languages, which became integral to the legendarium in which The Lord of the Rings is set.

Tolkien traced the origins of his legendarium back to his school years, mentioning his early attempt at writing a story about a dragon when he was seven years old. His love for mythology and language grew over time, and during his university years, he began crafting the myths and legends that would eventually evolve into The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings. He noted that the first complete story of his imaginary world was The Fall of Gondolin, written in 1916.

His experiences during World War I, when he was hospitalized and had time to write, played a role in the development of his mythology. He recounted reading some of his early work to the Exeter College Essay Club in 1918, including the tale of Gondolin.

The Hobbit and Its Connection to The Lord of the Rings

Tolkien described the origins of The Hobbit, initially an unconnected children’s story, but how it eventually became intertwined with his larger mythology. He recalled how the opening line "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit" came to him unexpectedly while grading exam papers. He admitted that The Hobbit was influenced by other children’s literature of the time, though he later regretted some of its "sillinesses of manner".

After the success of The Hobbit Tolkien was asked to write a sequel, which ultimately became The Lord of the Rings. This shift required significant reworking of his earlier myths to accommodate the story of the Hobbits and their journey. Tolkien noted that The Lord of the Rings took him from 1936 to 1953 to complete, and its scope and structure were influenced by his extensive background mythology.

Unforeseen Developments

Tolkien reflects multiple times in this letter on the unpredictable nature of the creative process. He explains that many aspects of the story seemed to reveal themselves to him as he wrote, often surprising him. He described how Strider appeared unexpectedly in The Prancing Pony; "Strider sitting in the corner at the inn was a shock, and I had no more idea who he was than had Frodo". Similarly, other key elements, such as the Mines of Moria and Lothlórien, emerged organically as the story progressed.

He admitted to being mystified by certain aspects of his own work, such as the Palantíri, which only became clear to him as the story unfolded, remarking; "I knew nothing of the Palantíri, though the moment the Orthanc-stone was cast from the window, I recognized it".

Personal Connection

Tolkien shared personal anecdotes that influenced aspects of the story. He mentioned a recurring dream of a great wave, which he passed on to Faramir. This "Atlantis complex" was a significant emotional and imaginative influence for him. He also revealed that he had been stung by a tarantula as a child, which may have subconsciously influenced his creation of Shelob, though he professed no particular fear or hatred of spiders.

Tolkien ended the letter on a personal note, expressing hope that Auden would not find the lengthy response boring. He also conveyed his appreciation for Auden’s interest in his work, remarking that it was a considerable encouragement. Finally, Tolkien expressed a desire to discuss Auden’s work in a future meeting.