Middle-earth is literally the translation of Midgard, or Middangeard. It is a place, and we call that place Earth, now.

During the lecture, Victorian literature professor John Holmes, alongside archeologists Rebecca Wragg Sykes and Tom Higham, debated how the various races of Middle-Earth — men, elves, dwarves, orcs, and hobbits — could be taken as analogies for the various hominin species that once coexisted on Earth.

Different regions in Middle-Earth > correspond to distinct periods of English history.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31g0YE61PLQ

No. No, No. No, they don't. Just...no. Do these people read the novel? Or the foreword, even?

Tolkien didn't do that.

“I cordially dislike allegory in all its manifestations, and always have done so since I grew old and wary enough to detect its presence. I much prefer history – true or feigned– with its varied applicability to the thought and experience of readers. I think that many confuse applicability with allegory, but the one resides in the freedom of the reader, and the other in the purposed domination of the author.”

― Oxford Professor J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

Might as well make a book about four kids and a lion and turn him into "literally Jesus in lion form".

Oh wait. He absolutely despised that when his friend did it and they had a falling out over it...

"...could be taken as analogies for the various hominin species that once coexisted on Earth."

Joggers are not from England. Even when their veiled presence is detected in a conversation or article, they don't actually have to be mentioned. Current year boffins are infuriating. The dogwhistle in this case is "coexisted". So predictable.

Well, they don't get Bombadil, either, (and Tom is not incomprehensible if you know the lore and the making of Tolkien's works), so what else should we expect?

"Who are you Master" he asked.

"Eh, what?" said Tom sitting up, and his eyes glinted in the gloom.  "Don't you know my name yet? That's the only answer.  Tell me, who are you, along, yourself and nameless?  **But you are young and I am old**.  Eldest, that's what I am. Mark my words, my friends. **Tom was here before the river and the trees; Tom remembers the first raindrop and the first acorn.  He made the paths before the Big People, and saw the little People arriving.**  He was here before the kings and the graves and the Barrow-wrights. When the Elves passed westward, Tom was here already, before the seas were bent.  He knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless--before the Dark Lord came from Outside"

The original version of Tolkien's poem "The Adventures of Tom Bombadil" was published in 1934 in The Oxford Magazine.

The Lord of the Rings is an epic high-fantasy novel by J.R.R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier work, The Hobbit, but eventually developed into a much larger work. The writing began in 1937, and was published in three volumes in 1954 and 1955.

Tom is literally the Eldest [Tolkien character], because Tolkien wrote of Tom first.

You can tell how jaded someone is by their feelings regarding the importance of Tom Bombadil's inclusion in Tolkien's works.

Tom is the professor's 'Pooh Bear' to Michael Tolkien's 'Christopher Robin'.

Academia's appreciation is charming and the Professor enjoyed interest in his work; but honestly, they're stories meant to entertain you, and your (and Tolkien's) family, not something to obsess over and miss the forest for the trees. The Prof. was embarrassed by the "fandom" stuff, too.

Sometimes, the author didn't make the curtains in the protagonist's library blue because they're depressed -- the curtains are just frigging blue. I know it's an improbable notion to the degenerate fiends who make dreck like "Velma", but it's true.