The Middle of What?

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Originally Posted by davem

Personally, I find the most interesting his comment that Middle-earth is this world "at a different stage of imagination". Any thoughts on what that might mean?

The world at a stage where people had no knowledge of what was beyond the sea, where the familiar lands are just (presumably) small parts of an otherwise vast and unchartered world of unknown size and orgin. No wonder people came up with strange myths and stories.