Did this ancient Roman ring's curse inspire Tolkien?

Post Reply New Topic

http://www.news.com.au/travel/news/did- ... 6611459082


IS THIS the One Ring that inspired them all? This 'cursed' ancient Roman ring may have launched Tolkien on his imaginative quest.

One Ring to rule them all,
One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all
and in the darkness bind them

With this verse, J.R.R. Tolkien launched a storytelling revolution that has stuck at the top of the best-seller-lists ever since his books were released early last century.

Now the possible source of his inspiration is being revealed for all to see.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/travel/news/did- ... z2PMUrTwXm

The Ring of Gyges myth goes back a long way before Rome.

The Ring of Gyges is written of in Book II of Plato's Republic and is Greek in origin, not Roman.

ruveyn

It was probably just one of his many sources of inspiration. Writers generally use a number of different ideas and weave a tapestry of words combining things they've seen and experienced with their own creativity and imagination.

I read the book before seeing the movies and am glad I did because the books are so much more detailed and the movies left a lot out e.g. the meeting with Tom Bombadil and the Scouring of the Shire to name just two.