I've just finished reading William Morris' "House of the Wolfings" and "Land of the Glittering Plain", and I was astounded by the likeness to Tolkien. The language is very archaic, though occasionally a more modern word slips in as Morris is not as perfectionistic as Tolkien, it is also quite often broken by verse, the whole style of writing reminds me of Tolkien, albeit not quite as good. I should think that Morris was a great influence on JRRT, perhaps the greatest apart from medieval and earlier sources.
There's also quite a few more superficial likenesses: the Wolfings live in Mid-Mark in Mirkwood forest, their prophetess/demigod is called a Vala (perhaps derived from the icelandic vølve though I haven't seen it in that form before), and a main element of the tale is the hapless love between a mortal man and a godess.
The "Land of the Glittering Plain" reminds me of the tale of Ælfwine, not that story is the same, but certain elements are there, and there's also a semblance in the style, which is more fairytale-like than in "House of the Wolfings".
Has anyone else read Morris? any thoughts as to his influence on Tolkien?
I read some George MacDonald last year, and he has certainly also influenced Tolkien, but mostly in details and single elements, the goblins of the Hobbit seems to be molded on MacDonalds goblins for example. But the influence of Morris seems to me to go much deeper than that.