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Quiz about J R R Tolkiens Life and Works

J. R. R. Tolkien's Life and Works Quiz

This quiz is about JRR Tolkien's life and works. However, we will not be visiting Middle Earth (or at least, we won't dwell there). Middle English, on the other hand, may be spoken.

A multiple-choice quiz by ertrum. Estimated time: 3 mins.

Author
ertrum

Time
3 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
173,704

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
852

Awards
Top 20% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Who or what was Tom Bombadil before Tolkien used his name in "The Fellowship of the Ring"? Hint

Tolkien's sailboat

Tolkien's neighbor

A doll

Nothing -- Tolkien invented the name

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Question 2 of 10

2. Tolkien liked joining clubs. Which of these is NOT the name of a club he founded or joined? Hint

The Inklings

The Anchors

The Koalbitar

The T. C. B. S.

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Question 3 of 10

3. Tolkien graduated from which university? Hint

Oxford

Manchester

London

Cambridge

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Question 4 of 10

4. What did Tolkien study in college? Hint

Linguistics

English history

Chemistry

Medieval Art

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Question 5 of 10

5. What was Tolkien's first job after the First World War? Hint

Teaching at Brandeis University

Editing the magazine, "Punch"

Teaching at Eton

Working on the Oxford English Dictionary

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Question 6 of 10

6. Christopher Tolkien, who edited "The Silmarillion" and many of JRR Tolkien's unfinished and early writings, is Tolkien's oldest son.

True

False

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Question 7 of 10

7. Who did Tolkien base the character of Fangorn on? Hint

Christopher Tolkien

himself

Arthur Tolkien

C. S. Lewis

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Question 8 of 10

8. What medieval romance did Tolkien translate twice, first in 1925 and second published posthumously in 1975? Hint

Smith of Wooton Major

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Finn and Hengest

Farmer Giles of Ham

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Question 9 of 10

9. Tolkien wrote an autobiography, "The Road Goes Ever On".

True

False

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Question 10 of 10

10. Finally, what do the initials JRR stand for? Hint

John Richard Reuel

John Ronald Reuel

James Ronald Royal

John Ronald Royal

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Who or what was Tom Bombadil before Tolkien used his name in "The Fellowship of the Ring"?

Answer: A doll

Tom Bombadil was a Dutch doll with a feather in its cap. He was owned by Tolkien's second son, Michael. Tolkien's poem, "The Adventures of Tom Bombadil" was published in 1934, three years before "The Hobbit" was published.

2. Tolkien liked joining clubs. Which of these is NOT the name of a club he founded or joined?

Answer: The Anchors

The T.C.B.S were formed when Tolkien was in elementary school. Two of its members died in WW I.

Tolkien formed the Koalbitar when he started teaching at Oxford. It was a group of friends who would gather and study Icelandic literature. (The name came from "coal biter" -- the theory being that they would gather so closely around the fire that they could bite the coals.)

Tolkien and C. S. Lewis and their friends formed the Inklings.

3. Tolkien graduated from which university?

Answer: Oxford

He attended Exeter College, and graduated in 1915.

4. What did Tolkien study in college?

Answer: Linguistics

Tolkien studied philology, as it was called then.
Languages were crucial to his writings. He invented the languages of Middle Earth before writing any of "The Lord of the Rings".

5. What was Tolkien's first job after the First World War?

Answer: Working on the Oxford English Dictionary

He went on to teach at the University of Leeds, then joined Oxford in 1926.

6. Christopher Tolkien, who edited "The Silmarillion" and many of JRR Tolkien's unfinished and early writings, is Tolkien's oldest son.

Answer: False

Christopher is Tolkien's third son, after John and Michael. He was closer to his father than his brothers or his sister, Priscilla, were.

7. Who did Tolkien base the character of Fangorn on?

Answer: C. S. Lewis

C. S. Lewis was one of Tolkien's best friends. Tolkien based the Ent, Fangorn (Treebeard) on Lewis, just as Lewis based Elwin Ransom on Tolkien.

8. What medieval romance did Tolkien translate twice, first in 1925 and second published posthumously in 1975?

Answer: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

The posthumous publication of "Sir Gawain" was entirely Tolkien's work, while the earlier publication was the result of a collaboration with E. V. Gordon.

9. Tolkien wrote an autobiography, "The Road Goes Ever On".

Answer: False

"The Road Goes Ever On" is a song cycle of Tolkien's lyrics, with music by Donald Swann.

About the closest Tolkien came to publishing an autobiography is the story "Leaf by Niggle" which is the story of a painter who starts out painting a leaf and continues to paint the tree, the forest behind the tree, and so on.

10. Finally, what do the initials JRR stand for?

Answer: John Ronald Reuel

He was born in South Africa, and told his son Christopher that his earliest memory of Christmas was of a "blazingly hot day", as it should be in the early summer.

Source: Author ertrum

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor thejazzkickazz before going online.
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