Oxford University’s Bodleian Library recently launched a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition dedicated to J.R.R. Tolkien and his connection to Oxford. Many authors have strong connections to Oxford: Lewis Carroll who wrote Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, C.S. Lewis who wrote The Chronicles of Narnia and, of course, J.R.R. Tolkien who brought us The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. This exhibition brings together rare items from various archives together into one place to showcase the breadth of Tolkien’s works.
Many of the objects on display here have not been seen in Oxford since Tolkien’s death in 1973 so this exhibition is being billed as a “once in a generation” opportunity.
Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth opened at The Weston Library at Bodleian Libraries this month and it is completely free (although it is recommended to pre-book as it is so popular).
This is a chance to explore the legacy of J.R.R. Tolkien’s vast creative genius with not just the Bodleian Libraries extensive collection but also many items from private collections.
There are around 200 items in the exhibition and around half have never been displayed before. The various manuscripts, artworks, maps, letters and artefacts have been gathered from the UK, the US and France.
J.R.R. Tolkien (1892 – 1973) is one of the world’s best-loved authors, with his works regularly appearing in polls of the top 100 greatest British novels of all time. The Hobbit (1937) has sold over 100 million copies worldwide while The Lord of the Rings (1954-5) has sold over 150 million copies, and both works have been translated into over fifty languages.
Read more at the Anglotpia Magazine’s blog.
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