What is Reddit's opinion of Tolkien's Mythology For England: A Middle-Earth Companion?

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

>No, that is the meaning of the words when used in that way, I don't know what else to tell you.

You could show me a definition, as I showed you.

>He was a linguist, if he meant to say crestfallen, he would have.

As a linguist, he creatively used terms slightly differently than the norm, like saying crest has fallen, instead of crestfallen.

> He specifically said it is not an English/British tale,

He never said that!

>and he said that once upon a time he thought to write myths, but that he moved on from the idea long ago. They are his own words.

That's your interpretation. The common view is otherwise.

https://thehistoryvault.co.uk/tolkiens-english-mythology/

https://www.amazon.com/Tolkiens-Mythology-England-Middle-Earth-Companion/dp/189828136X

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England_in_Middle-earth#:~:text=Tolkien%20has%20often%20been%20supposed,that%20lies%20behind%20The%20Silmarillion.

Interestingly, he doesn't even address the other side of the argument:

>Many fans still believe the concept of the ‘mythology for England’ was a driving force for Tolkien, and it is largely because they are unaware that there is newer scholarship. The reasons for this disconnect are varied and complicated and, quite frankly, would require another blog post even longer than this one to expound upon.

But the view of LOTR as mythology for England still seems to be the prevalent view, or at least a very popular one.

https://thehistoryvault.co.uk/tolkiens-english-mythology/

https://www.amazon.com/Tolkiens-Mythology-England-Middle-Earth-Companion/dp/189828136X

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England_in_Middle-earth#:~:text=Tolkien%20has%20often%20been%20supposed,that%20lies%20behind%20The%20Silmarillion.

But anyway, as I explained in another comment - this type of hairsplitting is ignoring the larger issue. It's clear where his influences came from, even your article admits that - English and Norse mythology and history. Not Africa or Asia. You could add automobiles and airplanes to LoTR and make a passionate argument that Tolkien didn't explicitly say Middle Earth didn't have those things either, but everyone knows it wouldn't feel like Middle Earth.

When I read the books or watched the films, I wanted to escape in the world that he created. I can already see countless other TV or films the reflect the demographics of today's America or UK, some of them are very good, but they aren't Middle Earth. Fans want to Middle Earth to remain it's own special place, not reflect the modern world, yet that's what Amazon said they were doing!