J.R.R. Tolkien is a legendary name in the world of literature. Known for his creation of Middle-earth, the land of hobbits, elves, dwarves, and orcs, Tolkien is a household name in the fantasy genre. However, little is known about his personal life and his love story with Edith Bratt, the woman who inspired him and was his muse throughout his life. Tolkien and Edith were childhood sweethearts who fell in love and stayed together until their dying days. Their love story is inspiring and beautiful, and this blog post will highlight their relationship journey.
Childhood Sweethearts
Tolkien and Edith met as teenagers living in Birmingham. Edith was three years older than Tolkien, and both were orphans. They were both studying at King Edward’s School, and Tolkien was immediately smitten with Edith when he first saw her dancing in a concert. They both shared a passion for music and literature, which brought them closer. However, their romance was short-lived as Tolkien was sent to a boarding school in Oxford.
Tolkien and Edith lost touch with each other for years, and Edith moved away to Cheltenham. It was only when Tolkien turned 21 that he reconnected with Edith, who was now living with her aunt. During this time, Edith was engaged to someone else, which devastated Tolkien. However, their love for each other was stronger than anything else, and they soon rekindled their romance.
A Love Story Interrupted
Tolkien and Edith’s relationship was interrupted by World War I. Tolkien enlisted in the army in 1915, and before he left, he proposed to Edith. However, her family refused to let her marry before she turned 21, which meant that she had to break her engagement with Tolkien. Tolkien was heartbroken, and he wrote letters to Edith expressing his sadness and longing for her. However, their love for each other remained strong, and they promised to wait for each other.
During the war, Tolkien was exposed to the harsh realities of life, and he lost most of his childhood friends. However, his love for Edith kept him going, and he poured his emotions into his writing. After the war, he returned to England and was reunited with Edith. In 1919, they got married and started their life together.
Edith’s Influence on Tolkien’s Writing
Edith was not only Tolkien’s wife but also his muse. She was his inspiration for many of his female characters, such as Lúthien and Arwen in The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings. Lúthien was a character that Tolkien had created when he was a teenager, and who he fell in love with. He had inscribed her name on Edith’s gravestone, and it was a testament to their love story.
Tolkien’s love for Edith was also reflected in his writing. The theme of love is prevalent throughout The Lord of the Rings, and it is a reflection of the deep love that Tolkien had for his wife. The relationship between Arwen and Aragorn is a perfect example of the love that Tolkien and Edith shared. Arwen is an elf who gives up her immortality to be with Aragorn, a human. Their love is pure and enduring, just like Tolkien and Edith’s.
Conclusion
J.R.R. Tolkien and Edith Bratt’s love story is one for the ages. Their journey from childhood sweethearts to husband and wife is inspiring and beautiful. Edith was not only Tolkien’s wife but also his muse, and her influence can be seen in his writing. Their love for each other was pure and enduring, and it is a testament to the power of love. Tolkien once wrote, “I never called Edith Lúthien – but she was the inspiration for her” – and this is a testament to the deep love that they shared. The world may know Tolkien as the creator of Middle-earth, but his greatest creation was his love story with Edith.
FAQ
Is Arwen based on Tolkien’s wife?
J.R.R. Tolkien, the renowned author of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, was known for drawing inspiration from his personal life when creating his fictional characters. One of the most beautiful and complex characters of his epic saga was Arwen Undómiel, the elven princess of Rivendell, and the love interest of Aragorn.
There always have been speculations about whom Arwen was based upon. Many people have believed that Arwen is heavily inspired by Tolkien’s wife, Edith Mary Tolkien (née Bratt), and there are several reasons that support this claim.
Firstly, Tolkien’s deep love for his wife has been documented in his letters and biographies. He has mentioned Edith as the “inspiration for the chief elf-lady” and “a superior person” in his life. Tolkien’s relationship with Edith had a significant influence on his work. He referred to them both as “Bereth” and “Luthien,” creating a parallel to the characters from his story, Lúthien Tinúviel and Beren.
Furthermore, it is known that Tolkien originally conceived of Arwen as Ar(Lúth)wen, an amalgamation of the names Aragorn and Lúthien. In Tolkien’s personal mythology, Lúthien was the beautiful and wise elf princess who fell in love with Beren, a mortal man. The story of Beren and Lúthien has been frequently associated with Tolkien’s love for his wife, who was buried under a namestone marked “Lúthien.” Arwen’s character has strong similarities with Tolkien’s description of his wife, who was known for her beauty, charm, and gentle but strong personality.
Additionally, Tolkien himself confirmed that Arwen’s character was inspired by Edith when discussing his thoughts on the character’s romance with Aragorn. He wrote to literary critic W.H. Auden that Aragorn was “a man of royal race, and a great warrior, and on the other hand, long secretly loves a lady of noble houses who is also, in her way, great.”
To conclude, all evidence suggests that Arwen was indeed strongly influenced by Tolkien’s wife, Edith Mary Tolkien. Although not a direct replication, Tolkien has said that his marriage to Edith formed a basis for his identification with and understanding of romantic love. Therefore, it is understandable why he would incorporate his personal experiences into his epic fantasy tale, preserving his love story for generations to come.
Does Tolkien marry Edith Bratt?
Yes, J.R.R. Tolkien did marry Edith Bratt. The couple met when Tolkien was only sixteen years old, and Edith was three years older. They fell in love, but Tolkien’s guardian, Father Francis Xavier Morgan, didn’t approve of the relationship, as he thought it was distracting Tolkien from his studies. He forbade Tolkien from communicating with Edith until he turned 21 years old.
During these years of separation, Edith moved to Cheltenham and started working as a governess. When Tolkien turned 21 years old, he declared his love for Edith and asked her to marry him. She accepted, and they were engaged to be married.
However, Tolkien’s family was also against their marriage, as they wanted him to focus on his studies and become a priest. This caused a delay in their wedding plans. In 1913, Tolkien graduated from Oxford University and finally got permission from his family to marry Edith.
The couple got married on March 22, 1916, in St. Mary Immaculate Roman Catholic Church in Warwick. Together they had four children: John Francis Reuel, Michael Hilary Reuel, Christopher John Reuel, and Priscilla Mary Anne Reuel. They remained devoted to each other until Edith’s death in 1971.
Interestingly, Edith served as an inspiration for several characters in Tolkien’s books. Lúthien Tinúviel, the elf princess, and Arwen Evenstar, the half-elven, were both inspired by her. Tolkien described Lúthien as “the most beautiful of all the children of Ilúvatar,” and Arwen as “the fairest lady in all the land.” Both characters were depicted as strong and noble, qualities that Tolkien undoubtedly saw in his beloved wife.
Is Arwen Galadriel’s daughter?
Arwen is a character in J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel, The Lord of the Rings. She is one of the half-elven who lived during the Third Age, and her ancestry can be a bit confusing to some readers. While her father was Elrond half-elven, lord of the Elvish sanctuary of Rivendell, her mother was the Elf Celebrian, daughter of the Elf-queen Galadriel, ruler of Lothlórien.
However, it’s important to note that Arwen is not Galadriel’s daughter. Although Galadriel is Arwen’s grandmother, her mother Celebrian is Galadriel’s daughter, whereas Arwen is Celebrian and Elrond’s daughter. Arwen’s full brothers are the twins Elladan and Elrohir, and her grandfather is Eärendil, who was also half-elven.
Arwen’s ancestry is significant in The Lord of the Rings because of her choice to become mortal and marry Aragorn, a human man who is the legitimate heir to the throne of Gondor and Arnor. This was a major decision for Arwen, as her Elvish heritage meant that she had the option to remain immortal and pass into the realm of the Valar, the higher beings who created Middle-earth. However, her love for Aragorn was strong enough that she was willing to give up her immortality, which she ultimately did after the defeat of Sauron and the War of the Ring.
While Arwen is not Galadriel’s daughter, she is still closely related to the powerful Elf queen as Galadriel is Arwen’s grandmother through her mother Celebrian. Arwen’s decision to become mortal and marry Aragorn is a significant moment in the novel, tying her Elvish lineage to the fate of Men and the future of Middle-earth.
Is Galadriel the grandmother of Arwen?
Galadriel is not the grandmother of Arwen, but rather her grandmother-in-law. Galadriel is one of the oldest and most powerful elves in Middle-earth, having been born in Valinor and lived in Middle-earth for thousands of years. She is the wife of Celeborn, whom she met during the First Age of Middle-earth when he was a prince of the Teleri. Together they ruled over the forest realm of Lothlórien during the Third Age.
Galadriel and Celeborn had a daughter named Celebrian, who married Elrond. Celebrian became the mother of Arwen, as well as her brothers Elladan and Elrohir. This makes Galadriel Arwen’s grandmother-in-law, not her grandmother. However, Galadriel did have a significant influence on Arwen’s life and played an important role in her decision to marry Aragorn.
Arwen was first introduced in J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” as the daughter of Elrond and granddaughter of Galadriel. She was known for her beauty and wisdom, and for being the last of the high elves in Middle-earth. Arwen’s decision to marry Aragorn was not an easy one, as it meant giving up her immortality and choosing a life that would eventually end in death. Galadriel was the one who presented Arwen with the choice of the mortal life, telling her that if she were to marry Aragorn, she would have to give up her immortality and choose a life that was both beautiful and tragic.
Galadriel is not Arwen’s grandmother, but rather her grandmother-in-law. Nonetheless, she had a significant influence on Arwen’s life and played an important role in her decision to choose a mortal life and marry Aragorn.
Are Aragorn and Arwen technically related?
In J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, Aragorn, the rightful heir to the throne of Gondor, falls in love with Arwen, an elf princess. However, some might find their romance a bit strange due to the fact that they are technically related. Arwen is actually Aragorn’s aunt, as her father, Elrond, is the twin brother of Aragorn’s great-great-great-great-grandfather, Elros.
However, it’s important to note that this familial relationship isn’t quite as creepy as it may seem at first glance. Arwen and Aragorn are both members of the extended clan of elves and humans known as the Edain. Elros himself was a half-elf, and was given the choice to be either human or elf. He chose to be human, and so his descendants – including Aragorn – inherit both human and elven blood. Meanwhile, Elrond chose to be an elf, and so his own descendants – including Arwen – are pure elves.
As a result of their shared heritage, the relationship between Arwen and Aragorn is seen as something of a bridge between the human and elven worlds. In fact, the story of their romance is considered to be one of the great love stories of Middle Earth. When Aragorn is first introduced in “Lord of the Rings,” he is described as being “a man soiled by many journeys to distant places,” but is transformed into a figure of great nobility and strength through his love for Arwen.
While Arwen and Aragorn are technically related, their romantic relationship is not necessarily as taboo as it may seem at first glance. Their shared heritage and their roles as representatives of different parts of Middle Earth make the story of their love a poignant and meaningful one within the context of Tolkien’s world.
