Tom Shakespeare on J.R.R. Tolkien

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Tom Shakespeare explores the influence of J.R.R.Tolkien's characters on his way of being. In this series, artists, writers and thinkers tell us about the ways they have been shaped by their ‘ways of being’, their individual bodies – what freedoms they allow, and their sensitivities or limits. They also explore how their work has been shaped and informed by the body, its freedoms and limits. As many creative people have discovered - limits can lead to originality, and freedoms can offer ‘more of the same’. Tom is the fifth essayist to let us into their particular 'way of being' and into their relationship with a cultural touchstone. In this essay Tom considers the character of J.R.R. Tolkien's hobbits, and his experience of reading about them as a child with restricted growth - a child who adored books Tom Shakespeare Tom Shakespeare is a writer, social scientist, bioethicist, and a regular broadcaster for BBC Radio. He has also performed as a stand-up comedian and compère in the disability arts world.