--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most people have made this mistake of…" description: "\"Most people have made this mistake of thinking Middle-earth is a particular kind of earth or is another planet of the science fiction sort but it's jus..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/686/j-r-r-tolkien-2-1316_earth_most-people-have-made-this-mistake-of-th_1551784.jpg" --- # Most people have made this mistake of thinking… ![“Most people have made this mistake of thinking Middle-earth is a particular kind of earth or is another planet of the science fiction sort but it's just an old fashioned word for this world we live in, as imagined surrounded by the Ocean.” quote by J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/686/j-r-r-tolkien-2-1316_earth_most-people-have-made-this-mistake-of-th_1551784.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/686/j-r-r-tolkien-2-1316_earth_most-people-have-made-this-mistake-of-th_1551784.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/686/j-r-r-tolkien-2-1316_earth_most-people-have-made-this-mistake-of-th_1551784.jpg) > “Most people have made this mistake of thinking Middle-earth is a particular kind of earth or is another planet of the science fiction sort but it's just an old fashioned word for this world we live in, as imagined surrounded by the Ocean.” [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Middle-earth is a poetic name for our own world, not a separate planet. **In simple terms:** Middle-earth means Earth, not a fantasy world. Key Takeaway See Earth as a shared mythic space. Themes myth language worldview interpretation literature Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type literary interpretive When to use this quote - education - travel writing - environmental advocacy Key Concepts semantics cultural studies fantasy studies Questions to Reflect On - How does naming shape perception? - What other terms carry hidden meanings? A Different Perspective Readers may misinterpret metaphorical terms literally. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Middle earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-earth/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Ocean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ocean/) [Old fashioned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-fashioned/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-fiction/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“From this distant vantage point, the Earth might not seem of particular interest. But for us, it's different. Consider again that dot. That's here,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/from-this-distant-vantage-point-the-earth-might-not-seem-of/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“From this distant vantage point, the Earth might not seem of any particular interest. But for us, it’s different. Consider again that dot. That’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/from-this-distant-vantage-point-the-earth-might-not-seem-of-any/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Deeds will not be less valiant because they are unpraised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/deeds-will-not-be-less-valiant-because-they-are-unpraised/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [Middle-earth is our world. I have (of course) placed the action in a purely imaginary (though not wholly impossible) period of antiquity, in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/middle-earth-is-our-world-i-have-of-course-placed-the-action-in-a/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [There is some good in this world, and it's worth fighting for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/there-is-some-good-in-this-world-and-it-s-worth-fighting-for/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [All that is gold does not glitter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/all-that-is-gold-does-not-glitter/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [If you really want to know what Middle-earth is based on, it's my wonder and delight in the earth as it is, particularly the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/if-you-really-want-to-know-what-middle-earth-is-based-on-it-s-my/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [He loved mountains, or he had loved the thought of them marching on the edge of stories brought from far away; but now he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/he-loved-mountains-or-he-had-loved-the-thought-of-them-marching-on/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [“Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/elen-s-la-l-menn-omentielvo/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [But to Sam the evening deepened to darkness as he stood at the Haven; and as he looked at the grey sea he saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/but-to-sam-the-evening-deepened-to-darkness-as-he-stood-at-the-haven/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [Renewed shall be blade that was broken, The crownless again shall be king.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/renewed-shall-be-blade-that-was-broken-the-crownless-again-shall-be/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [The burned hand teaches best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/the-burned-hand-teaches-best/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [I think it's a very old fashioned attitude, that you've got to wear short skirts and a lot of make up to get on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karren-brady/i-think-it-s-a-very-old-fashioned-attitude-that-you-ve-got-to-wear/) [Karren Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karren-brady/) > [I know that a lot of girls nowadays are proposing to guys but I think I'll be old fashioned. I'll wait until I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-lachey/i-know-that-a-lot-of-girls-nowadays-are-proposing-to-guys-but-i-think/) [Vanessa Lachey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-lachey/) > [Crafting your own decorations is such a nice, old fashioned way to spend time with loved ones, creating memories each year when you bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-farr/crafting-your-own-decorations-is-such-a-nice-old-fashioned-way-to/) [Hilary Farr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-farr/) ## More by J. R. R. Tolkien > [I never liked Hans Christian Andersen because I knew he was always getting at me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/i-never-liked-hans-christian-andersen-because-i-knew-he-was-always/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [No half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the light unflinchingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/no-half-heartedness-and-no-worldly-fear-must-turn-us-aside-from/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [If you don't know where you're going, you'll wind up somewhere else. Not all those who wander are lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/if-you-don-t-know-where-you-re-going-you-ll-wind-up-somewhere-else/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [The enemy? His sense of duty was no less than yours, I deem. You wonder what his name is, where he came from. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/the-enemy-his-sense-of-duty-was-no-less-than-yours-i-deem-you-wonder/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [Much of the same sort of degraded and filthy talk can still be heard among the orc-minded; dreary and repetitive with hatred and contempt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/much-of-the-same-sort-of-degraded-and-filthy-talk-can-still-be-heard/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [It was a hobbit hole, and that means comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/it-was-a-hobbit-hole-and-that-means-comfort/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [Adventures make one late for supper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/adventures-make-one-late-for-supper/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/the-lord-of-the-rings-is-of-course-a-fundamentally-religious-and/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [I have no help to send, therefore I must go myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/i-have-no-help-to-send-therefore-i-must-go-myself/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [Many are the strange chances of the world, and help oft shall come from the hands of the weak when the Wise falter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/many-are-the-strange-chances-of-the-world-and-help-oft-shall-come/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [Mind your P's and Q's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/mind-your-p-s-and-q-s/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [If you're going to have a complicated story you must work to a map; otherwise you'll never make a map of it afterwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/if-you-re-going-to-have-a-complicated-story-you-must-work-to-a-map/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [Outside the ring of dancing warriors with spears and axes stood wolves at a respectful distance, watching and waiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/outside-the-ring-of-dancing-warriors-with-spears-and-axes-stood/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [You have to understand the good in things, to detect the real evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/you-have-to-understand-the-good-in-things-to-detect-the-real-evil/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [The mind that thought of light, heavy, grey, yellow, still, swift, also conceived of magic that would make heavy things light and able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/the-mind-that-thought-of-light-heavy-grey-yellow-still-swift-also/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) [Explore all 252 J. R. R. Tolkien quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) ## More Earth quotes > [There is something more important than any ultimate weapon. That is the ultimate position-the position of total control over Earth that lies somewhere out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/there-is-something-more-important-than-any-ultimate-weapon-that-is/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [Give me strength to walk the soft earth, a relative to all that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/give-me-strength-to-walk-the-soft-earth-a-relative-to-all-that-is/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [Set NOT your hearts on the flowers of this world. They shall fade and die. Prize the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/set-not-your-hearts-on-the-flowers-of-this-world-they-shall-fade-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Then all this earth shines like one house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramana-maharshi/then-all-this-earth-shines-like-one-house/) [Ramana Maharshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramana-maharshi/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [When man of slender visits you / Nothing on earth that one can do / In well he’ll hide, or watery hole / And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-goldstein/when-man-of-slender-visits-you-nothing-on-earth-that-one-can-do-in/) [Jack Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-goldstein/) > [Cities are 2% of the earth's crust, but they are 50% of the world's population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlo-ratti/cities-are-2-of-the-earth-s-crust-but-they-are-50-of-the-world-s/) [Carlo Ratti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlo-ratti/) > [This, at last, was where things were as they ought to be. Everything was in its place -- the tree, the earth underneath, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-liedloff/this-at-last-was-where-things-were-as-they-ought-to-be-everything-was/) [Jean Liedloff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-liedloff/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [What did you do to save the world today?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie/what-did-you-do-to-save-the-world-today/) [Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie/) [Browse all 15,455 Earth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Most people have made this mistake of thinking Middle-earth is a particular kind of earth or is another planet of the science fiction sort but it's just an old fashioned word for this world we live in, as imagined surrounded by the Ocean.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J. R. R. Tolkien" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/most-people-have-made-this-mistake-of-thinking-middle-earth-is-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Earth" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/most-people-have-made-this-mistake-of-thinking-middle-earth-is-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/686/j-r-r-tolkien-2-1316_earth_most-people-have-made-this-mistake-of-th_1551784.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/686/j-r-r-tolkien-2-1316_earth_most-people-have-made-this-mistake-of-th_1551784.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/686/j-r-r-tolkien-2-1316_earth_most-people-have-made-this-mistake-of-th_1551784.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Most people have made this mistake of thinking Middle-earth is a particular kind of earth or is another…” — J. R. R. Tolkien", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "J. R. R. Tolkien", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Most people have made this mistake...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/most-people-have-made-this-mistake-of-thinking-middle-earth-is-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/most-people-have-made-this-mistake-of-thinking-middle-earth-is-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```