Midgard

Midgard is a Germanic name for the world or the earth. The word has been handed down in this or similar meaning as gothic midjungards, Old Norse miðgarðr, Old English middangeard, Old Saxon and Old High German middilgard mittil ( a) cooked and was used in both the sacred and the profane language. Midgard, literally " Central Garden " here means, strictly speaking, the place of residence of the people in the center of the world.

In Norse imagination Miðgarðr and Útgarðr form two related poles, in contrast to the vertical world view of the world tree Yggdrasil describe a horizontal, circular world view that until the time of the industrial revolution corresponds to the settlement structure of the North into it, in the farmhouse the center the world is.

The basic word garðr, mainly for " farm" was in medieval Scandinavia, but originally meant a fence, a boundary wall or fence, which the world is divided into two contrasting areas: in an interior and an exterior. The walled interior is the vital space of the people, in which, under the protection of the gods culture is possible, while outside, the demons and giants live.

In the literature thus eddischen Miðgarðr is not only the world of men, but also of gods. Miðgarðr is created by the Gods, which is build their castle Ásgarðr. Then they have Miðgarðr the first man Askr and Embla to as place of residence. On various occasions also the Wall or fence with Miðgarðr but apparently referred to, which protects the human world from the giants.

Reception in modern times

JRR Tolkien described in his work The Lord of the Rings, which is greatly influenced by the Germanic mythology and the Beowulf, the world comparable to Midgard as Middle-earth. The German author Wolfgang hollow leg named one of his novels, in which he utilized elements of Norse mythology free, Midgard.

Joel Primack and Nancy Ellen midgard use in their contemporary cosmology The View from the Center of the Universe as a concept, to clarify the position of man in the universe. Man as an intermediary between macro and micro cosmos have the task of seeking to expand into the context of his consciousness.

Willibald Hentschel gave his people breeding plans the title Mittgart.

The oldest German RPG named Midgard. The word is also often used as the name of the virtual game world of computer games, including Dark Age of Camelot, Rune, Age of Mythology, Ragnarok Online.