I started writing this more than a year ago while sitting under a tree at the Old Edwardian Society. That’s kind of random, but it sounds mildly Tolkinean. I only finished it today. Enjoy!
It goes without saying that an author’s works are greatly influenced by his life. His childhood, education, experiences, and acquaintances all shape his worldview, imagination, and literary skills, and these things make his works what they are. Sometimes he may purposefully base his writings on what he has experienced, or the influence may be more subtle – principles which have been ingrained in his mind by such experiences shape his stories.
When we look at Tolkien’s early life; those vital years in childhood and early adulthood that shape our thinking so much, perhaps one of the biggest events that stands out is World War I, in which he fought in 1916. It was during this time that the legends of Middle-Earth actually started taking shape in his mind. Some people jump straight to the conclusion that Tolkien directly based the great wars of Middle-Earth, perhaps the War of the Ring itself, on the war he had experienced. Some go even further, theorizing such things as that the Ring was meant to represent nuclear weapons. They assume too much. Tolkien said in the Foreword to the Second Edition of Lord of the Rings:
“I cordially dislike allegory in all its manifestations… An author cannot of course remain wholly unaffected by his experience, but the ways in which a story-germ uses the soil of experience are extremely complex, and attempts to define the process are at best guesses from evidence that is inadequate and ambiguous.”
He goes on to explain how he may have been indirectly influenced by many things, including this first World War, but he was certainly not trying to represent current events allegorically in his writings.
The stories he worked on at this time are mostly those from the Silmarillion, in which we see a lot of conflict and tragedy, but also some hopeful tales, like the love story of Beren and Luthien. It would be easy for people to take things out of context, studying individual battles in the war against Morgath, and saying “Perhaps that corresponds with this particular battle in Tolkien’s life.” That would be incorrect.
Instead, the war’s influence on him might look something like this. During his years as a soldier, he saw many extremely grim things firsthand, and experienced great personal loss – “By 1918, all but one of my close friends were dead.” (from the same Foreword mentioned above) Just like the characters in his stories, he knew what it was like to be in horrible circumstances, so there was greater realism in what he wrote. It was an emotional rather than an allegorical influence.
Perhaps these writings also were a diversion for his mind from the nightmare-like nature of the trenches, and helped him keep a grasp on things that are noble and beautiful. What soldier wouldn’t have a desire to escape the pattern of extreme monotony and trauma, even if only for a few moments in his mind? Perhaps at times they even encouraged him, and the valiance of these characters in his mind inspired him to greater bravery. We can only speculate.
It is doubtless, however, that when you’re crafting a story, if you know what it feels like to be in the character’s shoes, it’s a great help.
In summary, rather than Tolkien directly basing events from his books on the Great War, his experiences rather shaped him, therefore shaping his works in a roundabout manner.