JRR Tolkien’s son Christopher, who compiled ‘The Silmarillion’ and ‘The History of Middle-earth’, dies aged 95
Christopher Tolkien, the son of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ author J. R. R. Tolkien, has died. The Tolkien Society, an educational charity, literary society and international fan club, devoted to promoting the life and works of J. R. R. Tolkien, informed on January 16 of the 95-year-old author’s passing.
In a statement issued on Twitter, the Society said: “Christopher Tolkien has died at the age of 95. The Tolkien Society sends its deepest condolences to Baillie, Simon, Adam, Rachel and the whole Tolkien family.” Baillie is the late author’s wife, while Simon, Adam, and Rachel are his children.
The Tolkien Society’s Chair, Shaun Gunner, too issued a statement that read: “All of us in the Tolkien Society will share in the sadness at the news of Christopher Tolkien’s death, and we send our condolences to Baillie, Simon, Adam, Rachel and the whole Tolkien family at this difficult time. Christopher’s commitment to his father’s works have seen dozens of publications released, and his own work as an academic in Oxford demonstrates his ability and skill as a scholar. Millions of people around the world will be forever grateful to Christopher for bringing us ‘The Silmarillion’, ‘The Children of Húrin’, ‘The History of Middle-earth’ series and many others. We have lost a titan and he will be sorely missed.”
In addition, Dr. Dimitra Fimi, a Tolkien scholar, wrote: “Tolkien studies would never be what it is today without Christopher Tolkien’s contribution. From editing ‘The Silmarillion’ to the mammoth task of giving us the ‘History of Middle-earth’ series, he revealed his father’s grand vision of a rich and complex mythology. He gave us a window into Tolkien’s creative process, and he provided scholarly commentary that enriched our understanding of Middle-earth. He was Middle-earth’s cartographer and first scholar.”
Christopher was J. R. R. Tolkien’s third and youngest son. He was responsible for editing and publishing much of his father’s work following his death in 1973. He also drew many of the maps detailing the world of Middle Earth that feature in the original ‘The Lord Of The Rings’ books.
Born as Christopher John Reuel Tolkien in Leeds, U.K., on November 21, 1924, he was raised in Oxford and went to the Dragon School in Oxford and Oratory School in Caversham, Berkshire. After the Second World War, Christopher studied English at Trinity College, Oxford.
In 1943, he joined the Royal Air Force and was sent to South Africa for flight training. After a brief stint as an RAF pilot, he transferred to the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve in 1945.
Christopher, a celebrated author and editor in his own right, was highly critical of Peter Jackson’s Oscar-winning adaptation of ‘The Lord Of The Rings’ film trilogy. In a 2012 interview with the French newspaper Le Monde, he said, “They eviscerated the book by making it an action movie for young people aged 15 to 25. And it seems that ‘The Hobbit’ will be the same kind of film.”
He added in the same interview: “Tolkien has become a monster, devoured by his own popularity and absorbed into the absurdity of our time. The chasm between the beauty and seriousness of the work, and what it has become, has overwhelmed me. The commercialization has reduced the aesthetic and philosophical impact of the creation to nothing. There is only one solution for me: to turn my head away.”