Which Oxford university served as J.R.R. Tolkien’s academic employer for most of his career?

The University of Oxford was J.R.R. Tolkien’s academic employer for most of his career.

Tolkien held several Oxford positions. He became Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College in 1925, then moved to Merton College in 1945 as Merton Professor of English Language and Literature. He retired from Oxford in 1959.

His academic work focused especially on Old English, Middle English, philology, and medieval literature. Tolkien’s expertise in languages and historical texts influenced the depth of his invented languages and the ancient legends behind Middle-earth.

“Tolkien taught at Oxford” is accurate, but the university included different colleges and professorships over time. He was associated first with Pembroke and later with Merton, rather than holding one unchanged post throughout his working life.