LotR's importance

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Lolidir

it has not only turned into that, but also a world wide phenomenon.

Tolkien claimed to be setting out to write a mythology for England, and it turned out he wrote a lot more than that. As a result of LotR his work spread around the world and he created a mythology for everyone, and I think an enduring mythology. In the normal scheme of things being alive 1,000 years hence would not appeal to me, but I would be intrigued to know whether Tolkien's work would still be being read and enjoyed, and whether it had taken its place alongside works such as Beowulf and the Mabinogion. His work has certainly had a deep influence on popular culture, prompting many of the genre novels, games and films we enjoy today; it has also entered the public consciousness at such a level that news reporters were able to describe the recent discovery of fossilised remains of 3 foot humans as "our Hobbit ancestors". If such assimilation into our culture can be maintained over time, then I think the ideas and creations of Tolkien will become mythology.