It's the land in the east that lies beyond the Black Gate, the seat of Sauron the Deceiver, and the final destination of Sam and Frodo in their quest to destroy the One Ring. That's how Peter Jackson fans know the land of Mordor, but those who have read The Lord of the Ringsbooks understand the land where the shadows lie on another level.
Mordor has a long history and it wasn't always a dark and lonely place. Sauron discovered the place early in Middle-earth's history after his own master Morgoth had created it, and even though he spent centuries sullying the land, King Ellesar was able to restore some of it during his reign.
6 Grendel And The Anglo-Saxon Epics
Many of the places in Middle-earth were inspired by the ancient Anglo-Saxon epics that Tolkien studied as a student and professor. He enjoyed the Finnish sagas but the story of Beowulf was one of his personal favorites. The character of Legolas quotes a line from the old Norse poem when he and his two companions come within sight of King Theoden's golden hall.
For the barren and dark land of Mordor, Tolkien took his inspiration from the character of Grendel and the setting of a dark and frozen wasteland. The Dead Marshes, in particular, are similar to the kinds of swamps and moors found in the Danish wilderness.
5 A Hellscape Inspired By The Black Country
_coal_trades_for_last_year_addresses_and_names_of_all_ironmasters_with_a_list_of_blast_furnaces_iro.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
The Black Country is a real place in England, and it's a microcosm of humanity's worst nightmares when it comes to rampant industrialization. Tolkien hated allegory, and his depictions of the effects of unchecked mining, refining, and burning are blatant and opposed to symbolic.
West Midlands County is northwest of London and it was one of the earliest places to become heavily industrialized, and coal mining and refining were the leading money-makers. In a time before environmental laws and worker's compensation, the results were devastating. Tolkien's portrait of this is "The Scouring Of The Shire" in which our heroes return from their adventures to find the Shire rebuilt in brick, mud, and smokestacks.
4 A Dark Name For A Dark Land
It was already called Mordor when Sauron decided to settle there, home to smoldering volcanoes and plains full of sand and ash. In Sindarin, the Elvish tongue that Tolkien created, Morder means "The Land of Shadow." It's consistent with the way the author uses the Elvish language in other parts of the book.
Those that know something about language will recognize the root, "Mor" as a term that can mean dark and devoid of light, as it appears again as the Elvish name for Khazad-dûm, Moria. The second part, "dor" is found in other country names throughout Middle-earth, like Gondor and Doriath.
3 The Mountain Ranges
Sauron chose this region because it was easy to defend. Three mountain ranges almost surrounded Morder, and in the books, these natural defenses are also one of the reasons that Frodo and Sam have to go through the Black Gate rather than find a pass or go through the wilderness.
The Ash Mountains, or Ered Lithui, were made up of active volcanoes and lined the northern border. The Ephel Dúath were located in the west and south. The northwestern section of Morder was a large valley where Sauron used to gather his armies and drive them forth through the Black Gate.
2 Breached By The Númenóreans
Sauron's first great defeat came at the hands of the Númenóreans, the formidable human empire from the island across the sea. The Númenórean forces were so overwhelming that Sauron chose not to fight, but instead gave himself up, and was taken prisoner by the Emporer Al-Pharazon.
It was just a clever way for Sauron to reach the heart of the human empire. At this time, Sauron was still able to take on a pleasing form, more like a beautiful human or elf, as he was a Maia and could change his shape at will. After the fall of Númenór, after he retreated to Mordor, he was no longer able to take these forms but appeared in dark, faceless armor that showed his true nature.
1 The History of Minas Morgul
Minas Morgal's past as a former human city called Minas Ithil is mentioned briefly in the movies, but the books go into more of the details about who built the city, why, and how it was lost. The Faithful Númenóreans, who escaped the destruction of their continent to reach Middle-earth, built the city of Minas Ithil, also known as The Tower of the Moon. Sauron used it to rally his forces for attacks and to guard the path into Mordor.
The city was built in the Second Age after the Last Alliance of Elves and Men defeated Sauron and the One Ring had been lost in the Anduin River. It was one of several fortresses built in strategic locations along the mountain passes to guard against Sauron's return. Located on the border of Morder and Gordor, the city changed hands twice before it was taken by the Witch-King of Angmar and made a bastion of evil.