Fantasy Counterpart Culture

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by Kuruharan

Rohan is consciously a version of the Anglo-Saxons. The Shire is rural England. Gondor is sort of a hybrid Egypt and late Roman Empire. The dwarves are commonly held to be a Viking themed culture (although I personally do not subscribe to this view).

I know we're now getting a bit off your actual question, but do you mind if I, too, quibble on your use of "is"? I'm not sure if there's really meant to be that kind of literal 1:1 relationship between Middle-earth and actual societies. For example- well, I am hampered by not having the books with me, but isn't there a bit in either "On Translation" or the "Letters" where Tolkien says that his use of Anglo-Saxon to stand in for the "real" Rohirric language *shouldn't* be taken to imply a close equivalency between the cultures?