The Lord of the Rings

Lore & Background

The title refers to the story's main antagonist, the Dark Lord Sauron, who created the One Ring to rule other Rings of Power. The story follows the quest to destroy the One Ring, seen mainly through the eyes of the hobbits Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin, aided by the wizard Gandalf, the men Aragorn and Boromir, the elf Legolas, and the dwarf Gimli, who unite as the Company of the Ring. Tolkien drew inspiration from philology, mythology, Christianity, earlier fantasy works, and his own experiences in the First World War.

Reader's Guide

Although often called a trilogy, Tolkien intended The Lord of the Rings to be a single volume in a two-volume set, along with The Silmarillion. For economic reasons, it was first published over the course of a year in three volumes: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. The work is divided internally into six books, two per volume, with several appendices. After an initial mixed reception by the literary establishment, it has been the subject of extensive analysis and is considered one of the most influential fantasy books ever written, helping to create and shape the modern fantasy genre. It has been reprinted many times, translated into at least 38 languages, and inspired numerous derivative works including paintings, music, films, television, video games, and board games.

Did You Know?

• The work is divided internally into six books, two per volume.
• It has been translated into at least 38 languages.