Did JRR Tolkien change Fantasy?

Many people think elves are sexy because of JRR Tolkien's human image of elves. In all reality if you read anything about mythology elves are similar to fairies and nymphs then humans. What is interesting is ever since JRR Tolkiens work we have seen fantasy in a diffrent way. Do you think he revolutionalized fantasy?

Based on all the sexy elves, (Liv Tyler, Cate Blanchett) yes, he has revolutionized fantasy in a way beyond his life... thru the film.

Seriously though "Lord of the Rings" was done before he wrote it... it was called "Ring Cycle" an opera by Richard Wagner and it was very popular in it's day. Mainly the similarities are because they were based on the same Norse myths but Wagner took it all the way. There was much about Tolkien's work that was very original but it had already been done. Fantasy has been choked off for many many years living under the Tolkien novels... I heard someone say the movie Troy was a Lord of the Rings rip off, unfortunately they failed to realize the story of the Iliad is just a few thousand years older than Tolkien's tale. Revolutionizing fantasy is now in the hands of a new generation... hopefully now that the LOTR movies are made we can escape that realm and move on. Maybe we'll have some great writers come about who will have films made immediately after their works are published... Leave that to me.

ever since JRR Tolkiens work we have seen fantasy in a diffrent way. Do you think he revolutionalized fantasy?

Tolkien started out to create a language. He ended creating languages, peoples, and a world, but did he revolutionalized fantasy?, well no I do not think so. What he did revolutionize was language, he worked out in astounding detail several wholly invented languages, all the rest grew out of his need to give those languages a home.

The Silmarillion is really Tolkien's magnum opus and how many adicts have read that work I wonder.

We must I believe avoid mixing the tremendous sucsess of the films, with the actual works produced by Tolkien, they attracted a fairly small cult following until the films appeared, might as well ask did Peter Jackson revolutionize fantasy? again my answer would have to be no, but he certainly revolutionalized the animated film art.

nay nay, the simple fact that his wonderous genius was unreconised does not detract from its value!

Tolkein defined fantasy! Every dull fantasy published since LOTR has been bland and derivative. Generic heroes on generic quests in fantasy worlds with dark countries and light countries....

Tolkien and Beowulf are the only fantasys to bother with.

Tolkien was certainly a genius if you ask me. I have begun to create my own fantasy world through my writings, and I must say it is very difficult to come up with completely original ideas. Oftentimes I'm writing and realize a certain aspect is basically a rip-off of Tolkien. However, I do work around that and for those of you who fear fantasy has become dull, wait for my works to be published and you will see a very fresh story and new perspectives!

If only to make the fantasy genre more palatable to the more mainstream reader for JRR Tolkein is one of the better trailblazers so to speak. In what the man himself described as being too short, The Lord of the Rings is without question an excellent reference as a fine example of modern day mythology. While it is doubtful that Tolkein was actually trying to deliver any core message etc., the fact that the flow is astonishingly natural helps the name to continue to attract a loyal following. By daring to elevate the very concept of fantasy from the realm of larger than life characters to a complicated plot of battles, tribulations and personal struggles was he able to bring forth a riveting tale even until the end.

I don't think there can be much doubt Tolkien set the standard for modern mythological tales.

Originally posted by Houndel
The Silmarillion is really Tolkien's magnum opus and how many adicts have read that work I wonder.

Well I certainly have and there's a film I would love to see made. The Fall of Gondolin in CGI? The splendor of Numenor and it's eventual destruction? Just got me slavering at the thought!

I wouldn't mind a series (there's certainly enough material) if I thought they would give it the treatment it deserves, but I guess there isn't the market for it at the price it would need to cost

I have an odd perspective. I played "rune quest" back in the 80's. I always played a dwarf character. My buddies were always elves or humans.

I saw the animated hobbit or lord of the rings movie, and I really didn't like it. Frodo was wimpy. They made the dwarves look stupid and clumsy, so I took it personally. I was a dwarf guy

I started reading all kinds of fantasy, and got into books like terry brooks' shannarra series. I loved it, and ate it up. I read everything I could get my hands on

I didn't read LOTR until I read the movies were being made

Since I read a lot of fantasy first, and then LOTR last, I can tell you everything is influenced heavily by LOTR.
Of course tolkein didn't invent elves and dwarfes, and it is based on norse mythologies, but the epic quest, the magic jewelry, the wise and powerful but unpredictable wizard, its a blueprint used over and over.

I have since read the book, and the hobbit 4 times. I read it all the way through before each movie was released.

I love how he began writing the elvish language, then needed a story around it, and he writes LOTR ! amazing

I love the legend of him sitting in his study, and the first line to the hobbit just popped into his head.

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit."

Its like god wanted him to do it or something

Tolkien changed fantasy writing by setting the bar higher in creating a complete worldview or feeling of immersion in the realm of fantasy. A little-known example of the range of his writing was Letters from Father Christmas, now (finally) available in paperback. Here is the Amazon link on that title:


www.amazon.com...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1196800917&sr=1-1