Ezweni lamaphupho izigidi zabantu elinazo uhambe ngomcabango wakho, futhi abasizwe ngamafilimu aqondiswa nguPeter Jackson, manje abalandeli be-Lord of the Rings bazokwazi ukubona umhlaba ophakathi njengoba kwakhiwa umdali wawo uJRR Tolkien.
Imephu engashicilelwe, edwetshwe yindodana yombhali, uChristopher, futhi engezwe ngamanothi avela kuTolkien uqobo, kufanele iboniswe usuku olulodwa. Imitapo yolwazi yaseBodelian ithole imephu esanda kutholakala ye-Middle-earth eveza umbono kaTolkien wezidalwa, ubume bendawo, kanye nokumemezela umhlaba wakhe ocatshangelwe.
Imephu kwakuwumbhalo uTolkien nomdwebi wezithombe owaziwayo uPauline Baynes abasebenza ngawo ngo-1969 ngenkathi ethunywa khiqiza ibalazwe loMhlaba Ophakathi. Ngaleso sikhathi, i-Lord of the Rings yayingakaze iboniswe, ngakho-ke uTolkien wayenentshisekelo yokuqinisekisa ukuthi umhlaba ophakathi uzokhonjiswa ngokunembile.
Amanothi akho kanye amamaki angabonakala ngoyinki oluhlaza noma ipensela ebalazweni, ikakhulukazi akhombisa izindawo ezisemqoka eMiddle Earth namadolobha omhlaba wangempela. Imephu uTolkien noBaynes ababhala phansi kwakuyi-printout ayitholile komunye wemiqulu yabo yeThe Lord of the Rings. Imephu yadwetshwa ukuze ishicilelwe ngomunye wamadodana akhe, uChristopher, ngo-1954, futhi yafakwa kweyokuqala kwemiqulu emibili yeThe Lord of the Rings.
Izichasiselo kumephu zikhomba ukuthi iBaynes zilandele iziphakamiso zikaTolkien ekwakhiweni kwemephu yakhe ye-Middle-earth eyashicilelwa ngo-1970 nokuthi abalandeli abaningi bazoyibona. Iphinde iveze ukuthi izidalwa ezibonwe ebalazweni, njengezimpisi, izindlovu, amakamela namahhashi, zaphakanyiswa nguTolkien uqobo futhi wadonswa yiBaynes ezindaweni ezifanayo azichazile.
UBaynes wayenjalo kuphela umculi ovunyelwe nguTolkien ukukhombisa imisebenzi yabo ngesikhathi sokuphila kwabo.