September 19, 2002

Re: Wonder About Beyond the Sea
Danny

If you recall in the Silmarillion after the sinking of Numenor is when the world was bent and the straight bath to Valinor was lost. It was at that point that the world was made round and mortals found to their dismay that sailing west would only bring them to the shores they already knew. It does mention however that the firstborn of Illuvitar, the Elves, could still find the straight roads where all else found the bent path. So after Numenor, only a few mortals ever find the straight path: the ring bearers Frodo, Bilbo, Sam, and it is implied that Gilmli does also. In the appendix, Gimli eventually leaves Middle Earth with Legolas, so it is implied that he is also granted admitance to the blessed realm which would make him the only Dwarf to my knowlege to ever set foot on that land.

Before that point the world was flat and vast. I don't know of what the idea is when you reach the end of that form of Tolkien's world, but it is implied that the void where Morgoth was eventually imprisoned was in the void beyond the edges of the world. I vaguely remembering Sauron speaking of the Numenoreans being able to free his just and powerful master if they could sail far enough west. That may be wrong, but I think I remember something about that.

My understanding of it is that Middle earth was the continent or group of continents or whatever that were not part of the undying lands. Morgoth resided in middle earth when he fled. It was distinguished from Valinor by that name anyway.

If this is posted twice, I apologize. I switched applications and came back to find it lost so I had to retype it, and I didn't remember if I had submited the first one or not.