The one truly original element that the Prof created, that is now copied in most fantasy novels, is the Hero as a "small person". (Not small just in terms of height, but in being a commoner) Before that, the Commoner as Hero was relegated to the the Fairy Tale, which were directed to children, usually as a moral compass or a teaching aid. The Mythic Quest was usually considered a more "grown-up" tale, and the Hero was usually of the nobility; a knight, king or powerful warrior. (Or in the case of very early Science Fiction, a "Man of Science".)
In the Fairy Tale, the Commoner Hero would have an adventure, which would, in the end, lead to a growth in status and earthly rewards. ("The Hobbit", is a classic example of the Fairy Tale, in fact.)
In the Mythic Quest, the Warrior Hero would endure much more hardship, and would also undergo a period of self-discovery, and in the end, may even suffer a fall from grace and status (usually due to the sin of Hubris.)
Tolkien was the first to successfully combine the two genres: The Commoner as Mythic Hero. Frodo summed up the difference very succinctly: "This is no treasure-hunt, no there-and-back journey. I am flying from deadly peril into deadly peril." And in the end the most deadly peril was his loss of innocence. His fall from "Hobbit Grace", as it were.
This seems to be the element that most other fantasy writers seem to overlook when trying to copy Tolkien. They use the Commoner Hero, but too often the character does not go through the changes that make him a truely Mythic Hero. There is no fall from grace for them. They go through all the trappings of a Mythic Quest, and yet do not change. All they are left with is some great stories to tell by the fireside, as they go back to their old life. Their ending is more like Samwise's, not Frodo's.
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