Tolkienists.org

This essay looks at world-building in reverse: the process of transforming a desirable fantasy world into a familiar mundane one. Focusing on the tools he had on hand to effect this transformation, particularly on Tolkien’s use of what he calls Faërian Drama, helps explain some of Tolkien’s more cryptic remarks in his late metaphysical writings — e.g., that what was once Valinor is now the Americas.