Is it everything worthless that it does not deserve our attention, care and preservation? It is up to us, how we treat it.
I have summarised Tolkien's major accomplishments, but there is at least one more of a very big importance. It is evident from his brief biography that his fondness of languages had to somehow influence his literary works. Actually it was inevitable, because he spend all his life studying old languages. I would guess that the application of his own fictional languages stood for the incentive of all his writings. No matter whether I am right or not, it became a quite important element of his books. For the narrative he was using a distinguished form of his mother tongue, but often he had to draw some words from Old English in order to evoke the atmosphere of the passed times. For this reason he also had to avoid a lot of words which derived their origin from French or entered the English usage later. It can be seen on the example of the word tobacco, which was introduced to English quite recently. Tolkien used the older word pipeweed instead. Similar it is with words potato and tater. These facts may cause difficulties in translations, but we cannot blame the author for that. No problems arise with other words that come from the languages of the Elves and the Dwarves. These are not translated at all, because they are Tolkien's inventions, but of course their formation is not accidental. They have their own alphabets, but for the purpose of legibility they are transcripted into the Latin letters. All these make it a unique book, which is sometimes difficult to read for a foreigner , but it gives the reader pleasure of reading.
I do not think I have covered everything that has made the book so special and admirable, as it is very complicated and enables more than just one explanation. Regardless of that, I tried to show that there are many aspects of Tolkien's message and I just mentioned the most obvious ones. My major aim is to recommend this book, so one can find his little truths and wisdom in it. Even if someone does not find the book interesting (which I doubt) and corresponding with his own ideas, reading of the LotR is worthy, for it can make one think about these things and it will raise questions relevant to our lives. Or do you find it not important?
The Road goes ever on and on
Out from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
Let others follow it who can!
Let them a journey new begin,
But I at last with weary feet
Will turn towards the lighted inn,
My evening-rest and sleep to meet. Bibliography:
Carpenter, Humprey: J.R.R.Tolkien - životopis, přel.