Influence on Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings
J.R.R Tolkien’s fascination with old tales and sagas began at an early age. At sixteen, he was already able to read Middle English and Old Norse, and read the story of Sigurd in its original language (St. Clair 3; ch. 1). Tolkien even translated the saga of Sigurd the Volsung from the original Icelandic language into English verse, which he titled The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún (Burns n.p.). His most famous works, The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy, owe a great deal to his passion for and extensive knowledge about sagas like Sigurd ...