Real-World Inspirations Behind Lord of the Rings

Which epic poem by William Morris was a favorite of Tolkien and influenced his writing?

• Beowulf

• The Odyssey

• The Story of Sigurd the Volsung and the Fall of the Niblungs

• The Iliad

What Norse god is Gandalf compared to due to his characteristics and actions?

• Odin

• Freyja

• Loki

• Thor

What archaeological site did Tolkien work on that inspired elements of Middle-earth?

• Stonehenge

• Hadrian's Wall

• Dwarf's Hill

• The Roman Forum

Which Finnish epic inspired Tolkien's creation of Middle-earth?

• The Kalevala

• The Edda

• The Nibelungenlied

• The Mahabharata

What language did Tolkien create that was influenced by Finnish?

• Quenya

• Valyrian

• Sindarin

• Dwarvish

Which English village inspired Tolkien's depiction of the Shire?

• Hobbiton

• Sarehole

• Rivendell

• Bree

What major historical event influenced the themes of war in Tolkien's writing?

• World War I

• The Napoleonic Wars

• The American Civil War

• World War II

Which Anglo-Saxon king's story parallels that of Aragorn in 'The Lord of the Rings'?

• Edward the Confessor

• King Arthur

• Oswald of Northumbria

• Alfred the Great

What does the Scouring of the Shire chapter in 'The Lord of the Rings' symbolize according to some interpretations?

• The fall of the Roman Empire

• The rise of democracy

• The rise of fascism and industrialization

• The discovery of America

Which epic poem's dragon inspired the character of Smaug in 'The Hobbit'?

• The Aeneid

• The Iliad

• Beowulf

• The Odyssey