JRR Tolkien’s previous suggestions for the names of the 3 books that make up The Lord of the Rings
Tolkien previously suggested different names to his publisher for the titles of the three books that made up the series.
The publisher, who will publish The Lord of the Rings books, thinks that it will be more attractive to give different names to each of the books. They want ideas from Tolkien. Tolkien also expressed his ideas in a letter he wrote to the owner of the publishing house on March 24, 1953.
Book 1: The ring sets out and the ring goes south
Book 2: The treason of Isengard and the ring goes east
Book 3: The war of the ring and the end of the third
In the continuation of the same letter, he writes the following titles and says that he cannot find any better.
Book 1: The shadow grows
Book 2: The ring in the shadow
Book 3: The war of the ring or The return of the king
Later, Tolkien stated in his letter to the publisher owner, Rayner Unwin on August 8, 1953, that there might be more suitable titles and he thought that the name of the series would be the lord of the rings.
The lord of the rings I: The return of the shadow
The lord of the rings II: The shadow lengthens
The lord of the rings III: The return of the king
In the letter he wrote on August 17, 1953, the titles take the final form, but leave the title of the last book to the selection of Rayner Unwin.
The lord of the rings I: The fellowship of the ring
The lord of the rings II: The two towers
The lord of the rings III: The war of the ring or The return of the king
Source: Letters from the book of Tolkien
