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Did J.K. Rowling Get Inspiration From Tolkien?

The Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter series are both highly popular series that have shaped the literary journey of many young people. However, If you’ve read both of them, you may have noticed many similarities. Considering the Lord of the Rings came first, can we say that J.K. Rowling got inspiration from Tolkien?

J. K. Rowling didn’t get inspiration from Tolkien for Harry Potter, even though there are similarities between the two series. The resemblances are familiar tropes used in the hero’s journey concept. The Bible, Iliad, and English folklore are cited as influences for her series.

In the rest of this article, I will discuss why J.K Rowling doesn’t consider Tolkien’s works as inspiration for her series and show you some actual inspirations she has acknowledged. I will also include specific elements that have made some Tolkien fans believe that the similarity is not accidental.

Has J.K. Rowling Read Tolkien’s Works?

As soon as the Harry Potter series was published, loyal Tolkien fans noticed similarities that made them think that J.K Rowling may have been inspired by Tolkien’s works. However, the author has not mentioned Tolkien and any of his works as an inspiration for her series.

When asked about this very issue, J.K. Rowling maintained that she had read the Lord of the Rings when she was 14. However, she claims she had not read the Hobbit until she was in her 20s and had already started working on Harry Potter.

J.K. Rowling denied being inspired by Tolkien and maintained that the similarities between the two series are coincidental and superficial. You could say that Rowling may have been inspired by Tolkien to create a series based on a fantasy world, but anything further than that seems just an assumption.

Similarities Between the Lord of the Rings Series and the Harry Potter Series

The reason this discussion started in the first place is a variety of elements that seem very similar in both series. Some of them are characters and plot elements, but some, according to Tolkien fans, are similar names, which could indicate that Rowling could have copied Tolkien. 

Let’s see some of these elements:

While there’s no way of knowing if J.K Rowling is really inspired by Tolkien despite denying it, some of the above similarities can be explained as common tropes in literature. 

The protagonist, who is chosen by destiny and becomes the hero, is common in literature. It would make sense for J.K Rowling to have stayed loyal to this particular concept, which was incidentally also used by Tolkien. The same could be said about the wise old mentor who tries to guide the main character through their challenges. 

A long white beard on these characters is fairly common, as it symbolizes wisdom. 

Acknowledged Influences for Harry Potter

While J.K. Rowling has denied being inspired by Tolkien, she has mentioned several different influences over the years. It’s important to stress that she doesn’t maintain that any of the below works inspired the Harry Potter series in any way, but only that they influenced it directly or indirectly. 

Before I delve into the influences, I should warn you I may spoil some key details of the series, so skip this part if you haven’t read the books and are planning to.

Conclusion

The Harry Potter series is one of the most successful series of all time, and for good reason, as it offers a complex and fantastic journey through a magical world that makes you wish you were part of it. 

However, it seems quite similar in certain aspects to another massively successful series by J.R.R Tolkien.

J.K. Rowling denies being inspired by this author and acknowledges influences by other important books. Although there are many similarities, the most important ones can be written off as simply common tropes that occur in literature.

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