J.R.R. Tolkien delivered the lecture later published as “On Fairy-Stories” in 1939.
He presented it as the Andrew Lang lecture at the University of St Andrews on 8 March 1939. Tolkien used the occasion to discuss the nature, origins, and purposes of fairy stories, challenging the idea that they are merely simple entertainment for children.
The essay was published in 1947 in Essays Presented to Charles Williams. It was later reprinted in collections including Tree and Leaf, published in 1964. Tolkien’s argument identifies several functions of fairy stories, including recovery, escape, and consolation.
The lecture took place shortly before the publication of The Hobbit’s successor became a major concern for Tolkien. The essay is important both as literary criticism and as a statement of principles behind Tolkien’s own imaginative writing.