Tolkien's portrayal of nature in Middle-earth has been
interpreted in a variety of ways, often depending on the
context of the reading. Some have seen Middle-earth
and its potential destroyer, the Ring, as an allegory of
the European continent under the threat of the atomic
bomb, while others have embraced it as an artistic
expression of the Green movement's agenda in the face
of industrial abuse. Some have read nature in Tolkien's
work in terms of myth and religion; yet others take the
exhaustive descriptions of the physical environment as
a sign that Middle-earth itself is the central protagonist
of the stories. All in all, nature in Middle-earth plays
a crucial role not only in the creation of atmospheres
and settings that enhance the realism as well as the
emotional appeal of the secondary world; it also acts
as an active agent of change within the setting and
the story. This collection of essays explores Middle-earth
as an ecological entity, a scene for metaphysical
speculation, an arboreal depository of cultural memory
and a reflection of real-world natural and imperialistic
processes.