His guardian, Father Morgan, considered it "altogether unfortunate" that his surrogate son was romantically involved with an older, Protestant woman; Tolkien wrote that the combined tensions contributed to his having "muffed [his] exams". Morgan prohibited him from meeting, talking to, or even corresponding with Edith until he was 21. Tolkien obeyed this prohibition to the letter, with one notable early exception, over which Father Morgan threatened to cut short his university career if he did not stop.
his guardian father morgan considered it "altogether unfortunate" that his surrogate son was romantically involved with an older protestant woman; tolkien wrote that the combined tensions contributed to his having "muffed [his] exams" morgan prohibited him from meeting talking to or even corresponding with edith until he was 21 tolkien obeyed this prohibition to the letter with one notable early exception over which father morgan threatened to cut short his university career if he did not stop