British Authors

J.R.R. TOLKIEN

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, 3 January 1892 – 2 September 1973) was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor who is best known as the author of the classic high-fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.

He served as the Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon and Fellow of Pembroke College, Oxford, from 1925 to 1945 and Merton Professor of English Language and Literature and Fellow of Merton College, Oxford, from 1945 to 1959. He was at one time a close friend of C. S. Lewis—they were both members of the informal literary discussion group known as the Inklings. Tolkien was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II on 28 March 1972.

After Tolkien's death, his son Christopher published a series of works based on his father's extensive notes and unpublished manuscripts, including The Silmarillion. These, together with The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, form a connected body of tales, poems, fictional histories, invented languages, and literary essays about a fantasy world called Arda and Middle-earth within it. 

While many other authors had published works of fantasy before Tolkien, the great success of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings led directly to a popular resurgence of the genre. This has caused Tolkien to be popularly identified as the "father" of modern fantasy literature—or, more precisely, of high fantasy. In 2008, The Times ranked him sixth on a list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945". Forbes ranked him the 5th top-earning "dead celebrity" in 2009.

Here below you will find the titles of the books trilogy of The Lord of the Rings:

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

In the next picture you will find attached a reading exercise (Google Drive Folder):

Gandalf or Mithrandir

Let's talk about the films! 

The films series were released (fueron estrenadas) from 2001 to 2003. One year each. It was reacorded between New Zealand and the United States.  They were directed by Peter Jackson.  The story is based on the books written byJ.R.R. Tolkien and they are set in the fictional world of Middle-earth, the films follow the hobbit Frodo Baggins (Frodo Bolsón), from the Shire (la Comarca)as he and the Fellowship (La Compañía) embark on a quest to destroy the One Ring (el Anillo único), to ensure the destruction of its maker, the Dark Lord Sauron. The Fellowship eventually splits up (se separan) and Frodo continuos the quest with his loyal friend Sam and the treacherous Gollum. Meanwhile, Aragorn, heir in exile to the throne of Gondor, along with Legolas, Gimli, Boromir, Merry and Pippin and the wizard Gandalf, unite to rally the Free Peoples of the Middle-earth in the war of the Ring in order to help Frodo by distracting Sauron's attention.

If you click this link you will find all the informations about the movies.

Here I leave you the trailers of the films in one video:

 

The films series soundtrack was composed by the magnificent composer Howard Shore. He is also known for other popular films such as Gladiator (2000) or Star Wars (1977).

Below it is attached one of the most pieces of soundtrack in the series. Hope you enjoy it:

Here I leave a very interesting video about a Spanish musician and composer who analyses the Lord of the Rings' soundtrack. I bet you want to give it a go!

What do you think?

I would like to know what do you think about the films and the books:

- Would you like to embark on Frodo's adventure?

- What do you think of the friendship the films show?

- Is there any character in particular that you like or don't like? Why?

- If you could choose to be one of them, which one would it be? Why?

JANE AUSTEN

Jane Austen was an English novelist whose books, set among the English middle and upper classes, are notable for their wit, social observation and insights into the lives of early 19th century women.

Jane Austen was born on 16 December 1775 in the village of Steventon in Hampshire. She was one of eight children of a clergyman and grew up in a close-knit family. She began to write as a teenager. In 1801 the family moved to Bath. After the death of Jane's father in 1805 Jane, her sister Cassandra and their mother moved several times eventually settling in Chawton, near Steventon.

Jane's brother Henry helped her negotiate with a publisher and her first novel, 'Sense and Sensibility', appeared in 1811. Her next novel 'Pride and Prejudice', which she described as her "own darling child" received highly favourable reviews. 'Mansfield Park' was published in 1814, then 'Emma' in 1816. 'Emma' was dedicated to the prince regent, an admirer of her work. All of Jane Austen's novels were published anonymously.

In 1816, Jane began to suffer from ill-health, probably due to Addison's disease. She travelled to Winchester to receive treatment, and died there on 18 July 1817. Two more novels, 'Persuasion' and 'Northanger Abbey' were published posthumously and a final novel was left incomplete.

In this picture you have attached a small reading exercise  (Google Drive Folder) for you to practise and get to know Jane Austen:

Her novels

She wrote 6 novels in total. Here we are going to see some of her most famous ones:

Pride and Prejudice... (Orgullo y Prejuicio)

..is romantic novel by Jane Austen, published anonymously in three volumes in 1813. A classic of English literature, it centres on the turbulent relationship between Elizabeth Bennet, the daughter of a country gentleman, and Fitzwilliam Darcy, a rich aristocratic landowner. is set in rural England in the early 19th century, and it follows the Bennet family, which includes five very different sisters. Mrs. Bennet is anxious to see all her daughters married, especially as the modest family estate is to be inherited by William Collins when Mr. Bennet dies. At a ball, the wealthy and newly arrived Charles Bingley takes an immediate interest in the eldest Bennet daughter, the beautiful and shy Jane. The encounter between his friend Darcy and Elizabeth is less cordial. Although Austen shows them intrigued by each other, she reverses the convention of first impressions: pride of rank and fortune and prejudice against the social inferiority of Elizabeth’s family hold Darcy aloof, while Elizabeth is equally fired both by the pride of self-respect and by prejudice against Darcy’s snobbery.

Two  of the most famous versions of the film ever made are these:

(1995)

(2005)

 Some quotes form the novel:

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”

― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

“What are men to rocks and mountains?”
― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

“I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! -- When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.”
― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

Sense and Sensibility... (Sentido y Sensibilidad)

                                  

                            

... novel by Jane Austen that was published anonymously in three volumes in 1811 and that became a classic. The satirical, comic work offers a vivid depiction of 19th-century middle-class life as it follows the romantic relationships of Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. 

Sense and Sensibility tells the story of the  Dashwood family, focusing on the sisters Elinor and Marianne, personifications of good sense (common sense) and sensibility (emotionality), respectively. They become destitute (desprovistas) upon the death of their father, who leaves his home, Norland Park, to their half brother, John. Although instructed to take care of his sisters, John is dissuaded (es disuadido)of his duty( labor) by his greedy (codiciosa) wife, Fanny. The family moves to Barton Cottage in Devonshire. There the open and enthusiastic Marianne meets Colonel Brandon, a bachelor 20 years her senior. Although he expresses an interest in Marianne, she discourages his attention and instead becomes infatuated with the attractive John Willoughby, who seems to be a romantic lover but is in reality an unscrupulous fortune hunter. He deserts Marianne for an heiress, and she eventually makes a sensible marriage with Colonel Brandon.

During this time, Marianne’s elder sister, the prudent and discreet Elinor, and Edward Ferrars, Fanny’s brother, have formed an attachment. However, she is outwardly reserved about her affections, especially after learning that he has been secretly engaged to Lucy Steele for several years. Although Edward loves Elinor, he is determined to honour his commitment to Lucy. When the engagement is revealed, Edward is disowned, and Colonel Brandon offers him a living as a clergyman. Later Elinor is told that Mr. Ferrars has married. Believing that the Mr. Ferrars in question is Edward, she is both shocked and relieved to discover that Lucy has wed Edward’s brother, Robert. Edward arrives at Barton Cottage and proposes to Elinor, who accepts.

Here you can enjoy the trailer of the film, which was performed by Kate Winslet (Titanic, 1997) and Emma Thompson (Harry Potter, 2004 and Love Actually, 2003)

If you are interested you can have a look at these films trailers about the life of Jane Austen:

Becoming Jane Austen

The Jane Austen Book Club

Austenland

Some quotes from the novel:

“The more I know of the world, the more I am convinced that I shall never see a man whom I can really love. I require so much!”

― Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility

“I come here with no expectations, only to profess, now that I am at liberty to do so, that my heart is and always will be...yours.”
― Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility

“I wish, as well as everybody else, to be perfectly happy; but, like everybody else, it must be in my own way.”
― Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility

What do you think?

Do you fancy writing like Jane Austen?

Would you use you own name or would you go anonymous? Why?

Do you find marriage important?