J.R.R. Tolkien taught Anglo-Saxon at Oxford before becoming a professor of English language and literature.
In 1925, Tolkien became Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at the University of Oxford. The position focused on Old English language and literature, including the texts and linguistic history of the Anglo-Saxon period. His scholarship in this area strongly influenced his approach to invented languages and historical storytelling.
In 1945, Tolkien moved to the Merton Professorship of English Language and Literature, also at Oxford. He held that chair until his retirement in 1959. His famous 1936 lecture “Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics” helped change how scholars viewed the Old English poem, emphasizing its artistic structure rather than treating it merely as a historical source.
Anglo-Saxon in this academic context means Old English studies, not the modern study of a fictional culture. Tolkien’s expertise in real historical languages provided the foundation for the linguistic depth of Middle-earth.