Middle-earth: Difference between revisions
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Tolkien developed his world in stages. The earliest version, as laid out in the ''Book of Lost Tales'', took shape between 1915 and 1920. At this time, there was no "Second" or "Third Age"; the ''Book of Lost Tales'', like the later ''Quenta Silmarillion'', only covers the events from the creation of the world to the defeat of Melko (Morgoth) and the destruction of Beleriand. Also, the ''Book of Lost Tales'' featured a framework story involving an Anglo-Saxon mariner, Eriol, later called Ælfwine, who ventures on the Atlantic Ocean, finds the Elven island Tol Eressea, and gets the old tales told by the Elves. The Elves themselves are also different from later versions in that, while being a heroic and human-sized race in the Elder Days from which the tales tell, had dwindled and become tiny sprites as they are found in Victorian fairy tales. (Also, Tolkien used the words ''elf'' and ''fairy'' inconsistently to refer to the same race.) Also, the Dwarves were conceived as an evil race, while hobbits did not occur at all. | Tolkien developed his world in stages. The earliest version, as laid out in the ''Book of Lost Tales'', took shape between 1915 and 1920. At this time, there was no "Second" or "Third Age"; the ''Book of Lost Tales'', like the later ''Quenta Silmarillion'', only covers the events from the creation of the world to the defeat of Melko (Morgoth) and the destruction of Beleriand. Also, the ''Book of Lost Tales'' featured a framework story involving an Anglo-Saxon mariner, Eriol, later called Ælfwine, who ventures on the Atlantic Ocean, finds the Elven island Tol Eressea, and gets the old tales told by the Elves. The Elves themselves are also different from later versions in that, while being a heroic and human-sized race in the Elder Days from which the tales tell, had dwindled and become tiny sprites as they are found in Victorian fairy tales. (Also, Tolkien used the words ''elf'' and ''fairy'' inconsistently to refer to the same race.) Also, the Dwarves were conceived as an evil race, while hobbits did not occur at all. | ||
Tolkien later dropped both the framework story and the notion of dwindling elves. In the 1930s, he added two originally foreign matters to the legendarium, corresponding to the Second and Third Ages. The first was '''Númenor''', an adaptation of the story of the fall of [[Atlantis]]. The second was the hobbits and the events concerning them. The children's book ''The Hobbit'' (published in 1937) was originally quite independent from the legendarium, though it mentioned a few elements from it, such as a sword forged in the ancient Elven city of Gondolin, and the Great March of the Eldar. Only with ''The Lord of the Rings'' the story of ''The Hobbit'' was fully intertwined with the legendarium. | Tolkien later dropped both the framework story and the notion of dwindling elves. In the 1930s, he added two originally foreign matters to the legendarium, corresponding to the Second and Third Ages. The first was '''Númenor''', an adaptation of the story of the fall of [[Atlantis]]. The second was the hobbits and the events concerning them. The children's book ''The Hobbit'' (published in 1937) was originally quite independent from the legendarium, though it mentioned a few elements from it, such as the Elves (including the character Elrond), a sword forged in the ancient Elven city of Gondolin, and the Great March of the Eldar. Only with ''The Lord of the Rings'' the story of ''The Hobbit'' was fully intertwined with the legendarium. | ||
==History (fictional)== | ==History (fictional)== | ||
Revision as of 11:55, 12 June 2013
Middle-earth is a conworld by J. R. R. Tolkien.
Middle-earth is certainly one of the most famous and most popular conworlds ever created, being the defining example of a high fantasy world which influenced countless other conworlds. For instance, the modern notions of Elves and Dwarves originate in Middle-earth.
Development of the world (extra-fictional)
Tolkien developed his world in stages. The earliest version, as laid out in the Book of Lost Tales, took shape between 1915 and 1920. At this time, there was no "Second" or "Third Age"; the Book of Lost Tales, like the later Quenta Silmarillion, only covers the events from the creation of the world to the defeat of Melko (Morgoth) and the destruction of Beleriand. Also, the Book of Lost Tales featured a framework story involving an Anglo-Saxon mariner, Eriol, later called Ælfwine, who ventures on the Atlantic Ocean, finds the Elven island Tol Eressea, and gets the old tales told by the Elves. The Elves themselves are also different from later versions in that, while being a heroic and human-sized race in the Elder Days from which the tales tell, had dwindled and become tiny sprites as they are found in Victorian fairy tales. (Also, Tolkien used the words elf and fairy inconsistently to refer to the same race.) Also, the Dwarves were conceived as an evil race, while hobbits did not occur at all.
Tolkien later dropped both the framework story and the notion of dwindling elves. In the 1930s, he added two originally foreign matters to the legendarium, corresponding to the Second and Third Ages. The first was Númenor, an adaptation of the story of the fall of Atlantis. The second was the hobbits and the events concerning them. The children's book The Hobbit (published in 1937) was originally quite independent from the legendarium, though it mentioned a few elements from it, such as the Elves (including the character Elrond), a sword forged in the ancient Elven city of Gondolin, and the Great March of the Eldar. Only with The Lord of the Rings the story of The Hobbit was fully intertwined with the legendarium.
History (fictional)
Middle-earth conlangs
- Khuzdul
- Black Speech
- several others
| This article is part of a series on the languages and worlds of J. R. R. Tolkien. Conlangs: Adûnaic * Avarin * Black Speech * Khuzdul * Quenya * Quendian * Sindarin * Westron |
