Tolkien created the Lord of the Rings universe by himself through his various life experiences, the one who provided the initial spark for his epic world-building was none other than his wife, Edith. After being called back from his service in World War I due to a case of Trench Fever, Tolkien and Edith lived away in Yorkshire. While Tolkien created much of The Lord of the Rings ' universe by himself through his various life experiences, it's interesting to note that many elements featured in the trilogy were actually inspired by things he saw while living near Birmingham, England.