What was the name of J.R.R. Tolkien’s wife and inspiration for Lúthien?

J.R.R. Tolkien’s wife and inspiration for the character Lúthien was Edith Tolkien. She was born Edith Mary Bratt and married Tolkien in 1916 after a long courtship.

Tolkien’s story of Beren and Lúthien was partly inspired by Edith dancing in a wooded area near Roos in Yorkshire. He later identified Edith with Lúthien and himself with Beren, a pair whose love crosses the boundaries between Elves and Men.

The names Beren and Lúthien were engraved on the couple’s shared gravestone in Oxford. Edith did not merely inspire a character’s appearance; Tolkien connected her with Lúthien’s courage, beauty, and dancing. Their relationship is also reflected in Tolkien’s broader legendarium, especially in the tale’s later versions published from his posthumous papers.