What impact did J. R. R. Tolkien's son Christopher have on the legacy and shape of The Lord of the Rings? As reported earlier this week, Christopher Tolkien passed away at the age of 95, but he leaves behind a sterling legacy. Middle-earth was, of course, the brainchild of J. R. R. Tolkien, who devised one of literature's most immersive fictional worlds and wrote the seminal The Lord of the Rings trilogy, as well as The Hobbit. Around the turn of the new millennium, Middle-earth reached a whole new generation thanks to the live-action movie adaptations from Peter Jackson, and the success of that franchise sparked further interest in Tolkien's original works.
These legendary publications were enough to ensure Middle-earth would live on in the cultural consciousness indefinitely, but after J.R.R. Tolkien died in 1973, Christopher was named his literary executor, having been involved with Dwarves and Elves from a young age. Christopher was always keen to protect the integrity of his father's literary property, but is widely considered instrumental in The Lord of the Rings remaining such a relevant and ever-popular work a century after its inception.
Christopher Tolkien's Contribution To The Lord Of The Rings' World
Perhaps Christopher's most significant Tolkien contribution was to take the scattered writings and notes of his father that had never previously seen the light of day and transform them into a (mostly) coherent narrative. While the main Lord of the Rings story was published while its author was still alive, so much of what is currently known about Middle-earth's history emerged posthumously, and Christopher Tolkien was the vital conduit of that process, editing and refining his father's tales for public consumption.
The most famous example of these efforts is The Silmarillion. Released in 1977, The Silmarillion was an incomplete Tolkien work rejected by publishers in the author's lifetime. The books recount Middle-earth's ancient history, providing context for The Lord of the Rings and answering questions fans had been asking for decades, with Christopher not just piecing the assorted writings together, but also adding material to account for inconsistencies. Although criticized upon release by those who were expecting a standard fantasy adventure, The Silmarillion has since come to be recognized as a key part of understanding Tolkien's world.
Also significant was the History of Middle-earth series which greatly expanded Tolkien's story, once again with Christopher interpreting and piecing together contradictory notes into something now considered Lord of the Rings canon. Notable works such as Beren and Lúthien and Unfinished Tales also serve as key chapters in the development of Middle-earth and relate directly to the main narrative told in The Lord of the Rings. Especially useful were Christopher Tolkien's maps, vital documents that helped Tolkien fans physically plot out the adventures of Frodo and the Fellowship across Middle-earth. All of the above helped Middle-earth become more vivid, more real and more fascinating.
Christopher Tolkien & The Live Action Movies
The production of Peter Jackson's movie trilogy caused ruptures in the Tolkien estate, with Christopher choosing not to support the live-action interpretations of his father's books. Legally, however, the rights had long been sold and there was little that could be done. However, the Tolkien material Christopher was still the guardian of, he kept away from circling movie producers, shutting out any discussion of a Silmarillion movie. This helped protect the legacy of not only Tolkien's books but, in an unintended consequence, Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy also.
Although Jackson's initial 3 movies were rapturously received, the franchise soured with The Hobbit. Bloated, rushed and far less cohesive than The Lord of the Rings, Jackson's Hobbit movies risked sullying the reputation of the series and it's likely any attempt at The Silmarillion would've done the same. With Christopher's retirement in 2017, Amazon announced a Middle-earth TV series set prior to The Lord of the Rings, and the success or otherwise of that project may well justify Christopher Tolkien's decision to safeguard from further live-action efforts.
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Needless to say, J. R. R. Tolkien's books stand alone as literary masterpieces, but through the work of Christopher Tolkien, Middle-earth has been transformed from a fantasy setting to a fully-realized fictional world that continues to inspire and enrapture to this day, and that achievement will surely help The Lord of the Rings burn bright for centuries to come.