why middle earth - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

feonor · 09-26-2005, 04:06 PM

why does tolkien call it "middle" earth?. is it in the middle of something

? have you ever been thinking about it?

malkatoj · 09-26-2005, 04:19 PM

He could have called it 'Middle Mars'...or Jupiter...or perhaps Bob...

I want to live in Middle Bob.

feonor · 09-26-2005, 04:33 PM

i don't think tolkien use needless words. we can see it in his all sentences and descriptions. that's why did i ask.. there must be something ? isn't it?

Kath · 09-26-2005, 04:35 PM

You know I think I used to know this but it's just gone now. Possibly it had something to do with ME being between Valinor (heaven) and I don't know, the Void (hell)?

feonor · 09-26-2005, 04:48 PM

but in the beginning of the time there was no valinor in the middle earth.

Rune Son of Bjarne · 09-26-2005, 06:08 PM

Maybe it is simpley something he has taken from Nordic Mythology.

where there is Asgård (The home of the gods) Midgård (Middle Earth, The home of men) and Jotunheim (Home of the giants)

So maybe he just transfered a name for the world in witch men lived.

Besides i do think that this name for world of men, is the same in ancient english so it
makes perfect sense.

(It would not be the first time Tolkien took a name from Nordic Mythology. eks. Gandalf was the name of a dwarf in a tale)

09-26-2005, 04:06 PM	#1
feonor Pile O'Bones Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Eriador Posts: 11	why middle earth why does tolkien call it "middle" earth?. is it in the middle of something ? have you ever been thinking about it? __________________ There was Eru, the One, who in Arda is called Iluvatar; and he made first the Ainur, the Holy Ones, that were the offspring of his thought, and they were with him before aught else was made.

09-26-2005, 04:33 PM	#3
feonor Pile O'Bones Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Eriador Posts: 11	i don't think tolkien use needless words. we can see it in his all sentences and descriptions. that's why did i ask.. there must be something ? isn't it? __________________ There was Eru, the One, who in Arda is called Iluvatar; and he made first the Ainur, the Holy Ones, that were the offspring of his thought, and they were with him before aught else was made.

09-26-2005, 04:35 PM	#4
Kath Everlasting Whiteness Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Perusing the laminated book of dreams Posts: 4,533	You know I think I used to know this but it's just gone now. Possibly it had something to do with ME being between Valinor (heaven) and I don't know, the Void (hell)? __________________ “If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”

09-26-2005, 04:48 PM	#5
feonor Pile O'Bones Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Eriador Posts: 11	but in the beginning of the time there was no valinor in the middle earth. __________________ There was Eru, the One, who in Arda is called Iluvatar; and he made first the Ainur, the Holy Ones, that were the offspring of his thought, and they were with him before aught else was made.

09-26-2005, 04:19 PM	#2
malkatoj Wight Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: A hovel in Florin Posts: 173	He could have called it 'Middle Mars'...or Jupiter...or perhaps Bob... I want to live in Middle Bob.