In this BBC-interview from 1964 (released in 1971) Tolkien sits down for a talk with Denys Gueroult. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (3 January 1892 – 2 September 1973) was an English writer, poet, philologist, and academic, best known as the author of the high fantasy works The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Inspired by British adventure stories, European mythology and catholicism, Tolkien created an enormous high fantasy (epic fantasy) world with its own languages, races, geography,...

The Grey Havens -- The Shire’s brief police state overthrown, the Hobbits rebuild the villages of the region. Sam opens the box Galadriel gave him and finds a small silver seed, which he plants. In the Party Field, a sacred tree springs up to replace the old one. Many children are born that year. Merry and Pippin become heroes in the Shire, but Frodo quietly retires. That spring, Sam marries Rosie Cotton, Farmer Cotton’s daughter, and they live at Bag End with Frodo. Frodo decides to travel...

The Scouring of the Shire -- The hobbits find the bridge at Brandywine closed with a large spiked gate. When they demand entrance, a frightened gatekeeper informs them that he is under orders from the Chief at Bag End to let no one enter between sundown and sunrise. Frodo guesses that the Chief must be Lotho, his greedy relative. Merry and Pippin climb over the gate. The four hobbits set out for Hobbiton and encounter a large group of Hobbit Shirrifs, who inform them they are under arrest....

Homeward Bound -- The hobbits are nearing home. Gandalf asks if Frodo feels much pain. Frodo answers that he has been wounded by a knife and by the other torments of his long and heavy burden. Gandalf is silent. The next day, Frodo feels happy, and they travel onward in relative ease. They arrive at Bree and speak to Butterbur, the innkeeper who aided them early in the quest. Butterbur, after welcoming them and making them comfortable by the warm fire, tells Gandalf and the hobbits that their...

Many Partings -- After many days, when the festivities are over, the Company sets out for Rivendell. Aragorn tells Frodo that he knows the hobbit wishes for nothing more than to return home. Frodo answers that he wishes first to stop off at Rivendell to visit Bilbo one last time, as the older hobbit will likely die soon. On the way, they stop at Rohan and bid farewell to Éomer, honoring the memory of Théoden. After a brief stay in Rohan, they set off again. Arriving in Isengard, they meet...

The Steward and the King -- The narrative jumps back to the time before the quest is finished, now focusing on the perspective of those in Minas Tirith. While Aragorn and the forces of Gondor are away, the city remains shrouded in fear. Faramir meets Lady Éowyn in the Houses of Healing. Éowyn longs for Aragorn and the chance to fight with the Riders against Mordor. Her sadness, mixed with pride and beauty, leads Faramir to fall in love with her. For days, they stare to the east, waiting for...

The Field of Cormallen -- The narrative returns to Gandalf and those outside the Black Gate. To the north, the Captains of the West founder on the hills outside the Gate, surrounded by a dark, rolling sea of Orcs and Wild Men. Gandalf stands proudly, white and calm, with no shadow falling upon him. Suddenly, a great cry rises up: “The Eagles are coming!” Out of the north arrives a company of great eagles, led by Gwaihir the Windlord. The will of Sauron falters, and all the armies of Mordor...

Mount Doom -- The next morning, Sam gains new strength and a grim sense of responsibility. He wakes Frodo and pushes him on toward Orodruin. The land before them is cold and dead, dotted by countless craters and hollows. The hobbits crawl eastward from hiding place to hiding place. After a few miles, Frodo is nearly spent, his mind and body tormented by the terrible weight of the Ring. He refuses to give the Ring to Sam, for he knows he is held by its power. The two decide to take to the road...

The Land of Shadow -- Sam and Frodo run away from Cirith Ungol as horns peal in the tower. They run onto a long bridge, but as they approach the other side, they hear a company of orcs quickly approaching. The orcs cannot see the two hobbits, but are heading straight for them. Frodo and Sam jump over the edge of the bridge, landing safely on the side of a cliff. With great difficulty, they clamber down to the valley below. Mount Doom lies to the east, but the hobbits travel northward, hoping...

The Tower of Cirith Ungol -- As Book VI begins, the narrative returns to focus on Sam and Frodo, who are still in the Tower of Cirith Ungol in Mordor. Sam wakes to find himself in the dark, outside the Orc stronghold. He knows he needs to rescue Frodo, but a massive door blocks his path. He turns and makes his way through the tunnel behind him. Without reason or purpose, Sam puts on the Ring. Immediately, he feels the great physical weight of the Ring’s power. His hearing improves, but his...

The Black Gate Opens -- Two days later, the armies of the West set out for Mordor, numbering seven thousand. At Imrahil’s urging, a small force remains in Minas Tirith to defend the city. Though the injured Merry cannot go to battle, Pippin marches as a soldier of Gondor. The army passes Osgiliath and makes camp; the horsemen move ahead, but they encounter no opposing forces. As the army draws closer to Mordor, Gandalf instructs the heralds to sound the trumpets and declare the coming of the...

The Last Debate -- Gimli and Legolas find Merry and Pippin in the Houses of Healing. The hobbits eagerly ask questions about the Paths of the Dead. Gimli refuses to speak of the experience, but Legolas describes it. According to Legolas, after setting out from the Paths of the Dead, Aragorn led the Company and the army of the Dead to the Great River, Anduin. Invading fleets of Sauron’s allies prevented thousands of potential defenders from reaching Minas Tirith. At Aragorn’s command, the...

The Houses of Healing -- Crying and in pain, Merry accompanies the procession carrying Théoden and Éowyn into the city. As Merry ascends the city roads, he runs into Pippin, who is startled and glad, and notices that Merry is stumbling badly. Merry’s arm has gone completely numb after he stabbed the Nazgûl. Pippin escorts Merry to the Houses of Healing. After the battle, Aragorn furls his banner and orders his men to prepare tents outside the city. He refuses to claim his throne until the war...