"The land speaks to those who listen" - African Proverb
Born in Bloemfontein, South Africa in 1892, young John Ronald Reuel Tolkien's earliest days were spent in a land where ancient stories whisper through the veldt. His father Arthur served as a bank manager in the Orange Free State, while his mother Mabel nurtured his growing imagination amid the vast African landscapes.
After Arthur's death in 1896 from rheumatic fever, the harsh African sun and threatening drought compelled Mabel to return to England with young Ronald and his brother Hilary. Though just three years old when he left, the imprint of Africa remained.
[Image: Smaug Giganteus lizard] Alt text: Smaug Giganteus (Sungazer Lizard) in its natural South African habitat, displaying its spiny, armoured scales and dragon-like appearance
Nature's Enduring Connection
The stark beauty of the Free State's landscapes bears striking resemblances to his later works. The towering sandstone formations near Bloemfontein might echo in the Misty Mountains. The contrast between drought-stricken plains and fertile valleys mirrors Middle-earth's diverse terrains, from Mordor's desolation to the Shire's abundance.
Tolkien's connection to nature endures in surprising ways:
An African spider species, Hadrodrassus Tolkieni, was named after him—perhaps a distant cousin of Shelob?
During his early years in South Africa, young Tolkien was bitten by a baboon spider (a type of tarantula)
This childhood encounter likely influenced his creation of fearsome arachnids in his works
Even more fittingly, the Smaug Giganteus, a spiny, dragon-like lizard native to South Africa, pays tribute to Tolkien's legendary dragon from The Hobbit. This armoured Sungazer evokes a sense of power and mystery, much like Smaug himself.
The Power of Place
Some scholars suggest these early years, though brief, left an indelible mark on his subconscious, the vast African horizons seeding the epic scope of his later works.
Like Tolkien's Middle-earth, Resistance: Chaos Tol's Bane draws inspiration from the power of contrasting landscapes. The harsh realm of Nordinium, where survival means battling nature itself, shapes its people far differently than the fertile Southlands, where harmony with nature breeds different values.
"For we carry our earliest landscapes within us, like secret maps of worlds yet to be discovered."
About the Author: CSR Keeley is a fantasy author exploring the powerful connection between landscape and storytelling.
CSR Keeley - Author
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