Who is the author of this article?
I always note how commentators pick up straight away on the influence of Cynewulf for the words 'Middle-earth' and don't follow this up with an even earlier origin (by around 200 years) in Caedmon's Hymn:
Quote:
nu scylun hergan hefaenricaes uard
metudęs maecti end his modgidanc
uerc uuldurfadur swe he uundra gihwaes
eci dryctin or astelidę
he aerist scop aelda barnum
heben til hrofe haleg scepen.
tha middungeard moncynnęs uard
eci dryctin ęfter tiadę
firum foldu frea allmectig
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In modern English, because Northumbrian is a bit difficult, the following line perfectly describes Tolkien's creation:
Quote:
Then the middle earth, the guardian of mankind
the eternal lord, afterwards appointed
the lands for men
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However, I would
strongly disagree with the following:
Quote:
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A chief reason that Tolkien felt a certain lack of folklore for his culture is the fact that his homeland, England, can at times have a lack of identity.
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England lacks only a grand myth cycle, it has no lack of either folklore or regional identity.