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Tolkien's Hidden Interview Reveals Hobbit Author's True Self
21 Sep
Summary
- Tolkien admitted he would avoid adventures, unlike Bilbo.
- He drew inspiration for The Hobbit from a 1911 Swiss hiking trip.
- Finnish language heavily influenced the creation of Middle-earth.
- Tolkien saw Gollum's near-repentance as the story's most tragic point.
A previously unbroadcast 1968 BBC interview with J.R.R. Tolkien offers profound insights into the mind of the celebrated author. In the unearthed footage, Tolkien stated he would have declined Bilbo's perilous quest, preferring safety over adventure and expressing a childhood aversion to speaking with strangers.
Tolkien disclosed that a transformative 1911 hiking expedition through the Swiss Alps, undertaken at age 19, served as a primary inspiration for "The Hobbit." He described the trip's narrow escapes and rough accommodations, noting their resemblance to fictional events, though they met no goblins.
The author traced his passion for invented languages back to his university days, particularly his fascination with Finnish. He explained that this linguistic pursuit, though detrimental to his Greek drama essays, laid the foundation for Middle-earth's unique linguistic structures, with a blend of Finnish and Greek.
Tolkien also reflected on the complex morality within his works, specifically the character of Gollum. He identified Gollum's moment of near-repentance and subsequent intervention by Sam as the most tragic aspect of "The Lord of the Rings," highlighting the irony of good actions inadvertently causing harm.
