Tolkien festival to be held in Wales

The influence the Welsh language had on JRR Tolkien is to form part of a major new festival to honour the author.

The Festival in the Shire will celebrate themes inspired by Tolkien, whose novels included The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, and is the brainchild of local book dealer Mark Faith.

"My love for the geography and culture of this area is in part connected to my love of Tolkien’s books. I hope that this will turn into an annual event that will help local business and our community" said Faith, who believes that up to 10,000 people could attend what he describes as a “Glastonbury of Tolkien”.

Some visitors will be drawn by displays of original art, rare books and memorabilia, but the organisers hope families will also enjoy the Tolkien- inspired drama, music and Celtic crafts.

The success of the Lord of the Rings films has created a fresh generation of Tolkien aficionados, and the Hobbit films due for release in 2011 and 2012 will keep the author at the forefront of the public’s imagination.

Among the participants will be Dimitra Fimi, who has detailed how Tolkien drew inspiration from Welsh culture.

"Tolkien was fascinated by Welsh from childhood, when he first encountered Welsh names on coal trucks arriving to the railway station at the back of his house in Birmingham.” said Fimi.

Tolkien adapted Welsh grammar in the creation of imaginary languages, most strikingly when crafting Sindarin, the language of the Grey Elves of Middle Earth. He directly acknowledged Wales’ influence on place names in his 1955 O’Donnell Lecture, English and Welsh, which was delivered at Oxford the day after the publication of The Return of the King.

Further participants include Colin Duriez, who as well as being a world authority on Tolkien, is a leading expert on the author’s friend and fellow writer CS Lewis. Biographer John Garth, who studied the impact of World War I on Tolkien, will also appear. Artists taking part include Roger Garland, Ted Nasmith, Jef Murray, Peter Pracownik and Ruth Lacon.

The festival will run at Y Plas mansion from August 13 to 15. Further information for the event is available at www.festivalintheshire.com.

Source: BBC News

Posted: November 2nd, 2009
Author: Lee
Categories: JRR Tolkien

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