Brandon Sanderson, acclaimed author of the Cosmere universe and a noted Tolkien scholar, recently shared an intriguing detail about J.R.R. Tolkien's creative process. While delivering the annual Tolkien lecture at Oxford, Sanderson encountered an illustration of Helm's Deep that he had never seen before, found in an unexpected location.
During his weekly podcast, Sanderson detailed how the sketch appeared on the reverse side of a student's paper that Tolkien was grading. "The sketch of Helm's Deep is on the back of a student paper. He was grading papers over the summer, and during that time, you didn't get your paper back," Sanderson explained. "And so there was space on the back of this paper, and you can see the student's writing takes up half the page and then ends. And [Tolkien] is like, well, 'Shame to waste this paper,' and he did a sketch of Helm's Deep as he was trying to figure out where things were."
This discovery highlights a lesser-known aspect of Tolkien's life before he became the celebrated author of The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien began his academic career as a professor at Oxford in 1925, holding a fellowship at Pembroke College. It was during this period that he penned The Hobbit and the initial volumes of The Lord of the Rings. The Hobbit was eventually published in 1937.
Tolkien is widely regarded as a foundational figure in the fantasy genre, yet it is easy to overlook the years of development that went into crafting Middle-earth and its intricate details. Evidence suggests he frequently made notes and sketches wherever inspiration struck, contributing to the vast universe familiar to readers today.
For those interested in exploring Tolkien's visual contributions to his work, illustrated editions of The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and The Silmarillion are available, offering a direct look at some of his key drawings and illustrations.