Tolkienists.org

In creating the world of Middle-earth, J.R.R. Tolkien did not merely confine himself to construction of a narrative; he described the landscape in meticulous detail, including comprehensive descriptions of the flora, fauna, climate, and physical geography. The significant interweaving of landscape and narrative have led some critics to position Tolkien as an ecocentric author, claiming his writing as an environmentalist warning to humanity. This paper explores Tolkien’s landscape as a fundamental element of the legendarium, offering the hypothesis that the narrative and environment of Tolkien’s legendarium are intrinsically linked and essentially inseparable.