--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The impulse is being called reactionary…" description: "\"“The impulse is being called reactionary now, but lovers of Middle-earth want to go there. I would myself, like a shot. For in the end it is Middle-ear..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16b/peter-s-beagle-1665_middle-earth_the-impulse-is-being-called-reactionary_3100478.jpg" --- # The impulse is being called reactionary now, but lovers of… ![“The impulse is being called reactionary now, but lovers of Middle-earth want to go there. I would myself, like a shot. For in the end it is Middle-earth and its dwellers that we love, not Tolkien’s considerable gifts in showing it to us. I said once that the world he charts was there long before…” quote by Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16b/peter-s-beagle-1665_middle-earth_the-impulse-is-being-called-reactionary_3100478.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16b/peter-s-beagle-1665_middle-earth_the-impulse-is-being-called-reactionary_3100478.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16b/peter-s-beagle-1665_middle-earth_the-impulse-is-being-called-reactionary_3100478.jpg) > ““The impulse is being called reactionary now, but lovers of Middle-earth want to go there. I would myself, like a shot. For in the end it is Middle-earth and its dwellers that we love, not Tolkien’s considerable gifts in showing it to us. I said once that the world he charts was there long before him, and I still believe it. He is a great enough magician to tap our most common nightmares, daydreams and twilight fancies, but he never invented them either: he found them a place to live, a green alternative to each day’s madness here in a poisoned world. We are raised to honor all the wrong explorers and discoverers—thieves planting flags, murderers carrying crosses. Let us at last praise the colonizers of dreams.”” [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlights Tolkien’s world as a refuge for universal human fantasies, urging appreciation of its imaginative power. **In simple terms:** Tolkien offers a shared dreamscape. Key Takeaway Value imagination’s role. Themes literature imagination escapism Mood reflective poetic Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - reading groups - creative writing - mental health coping Key Concepts mythic archetypes collective unconscious environmental metaphor Questions to Reflect On - What does Middle-earth symbolize for you? - How can imagination inspire real‑world change? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on fantasy may avoid real issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Middle earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-earth/) ## Related quotes > [I fell even more deeply in love with Tolkien's legendarium after studying Old English literature at uni, as I got a sense of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-shannon/i-fell-even-more-deeply-in-love-with-tolkien-s-legendarium-after/) [Samantha Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-shannon/) > [He is a great enough magician to tap our most common nightmares, daydreams and twilight fancies, but he never invented them either: he found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/he-is-a-great-enough-magician-to-tap-our-most-common-nightmares/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [We are raised to honor all the wrong explorers and discoverers thieves planting flags, murderers carrying crosses. 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I love Tolkien and I love Dungeons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-jones/i-was-also-a-science-fiction-and-fantasy-fan-growing-up-in-games-and/) [Duncan Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-jones/) > [“I did not buy a book called Lord Foul's Bane by Stephen Donaldson, which has the temerity to compare itself, on the front cover,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-walton/i-did-not-buy-a-book-called-lord-foul-s-bane-by-stephen-donaldson/) [Jo Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-walton/) > [“And there's no sex, hardly any love stuff at all, in Middle Earth, which always made me think, yes, the world would be better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-walton/and-there-s-no-sex-hardly-any-love-stuff-at-all-in-middle-earth-which/) [Jo Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-walton/) > [“(Referring to an obsession with Tolkien's Middle Earth): I meet a beautiful American heiress, I like her, she likes me . . . and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-m-stirling/referring-to-an-obsession-with-tolkien-s-middle-earth-i-meet-a/) [S.M. 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It's a contiguous world; it's like ours but different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boorman/i-m-trying-to-suggest-a-kind-of-middle-earth-in-tolkien-terms-it-s-a/) [John Boorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boorman/) > [“I met a lot of things on the way that astonished me. Tom Bombadil I knew already; but I had never been to Bree.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tolkien/i-met-a-lot-of-things-on-the-way-that-astonished-me-tom-bombadil-i/) Tolkien > [I want to live in Middle-earth, actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-armitage/i-want-to-live-in-middle-earth-actually/) [Richard Armitage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-armitage/) > [They can keep their heaven. When I die, I’d sooner go to Middle Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-can-keep-their-heaven-when-i-die-i-d-sooner-go-to-middle-earth/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A lot of ideas took us to dead ends or we found the tone wasn’t just right. I think we discovered very quickly this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-boyd/a-lot-of-ideas-took-us-to-dead-ends-or-we-found-the-tone-wasn-t-just/) [Billy Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-boyd/) > [“Sam: Mordor. The one place in Middle-earth we don't want to see any closer, and the one place we're trying to get to. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/sam-mordor-the-one-place-in-middle-earth-we-don-t-want-to-see-any/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) ## More by Peter S. Beagle > [Your name is a golden bell hung in my heart. I would break my body to pieces to call you once by your name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/your-name-is-a-golden-bell-hung-in-my-heart-i-would-break-my-body-to/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [Farewell,' she said. 'I hope you hear many more songs' - which was the best way she could think of to say good-bye to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/farewell-she-said-i-hope-you-hear-many-more-songs-which-was-the-best/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [He is a great enough magician to tap our most common nightmares, daydreams and twilight fancies, but he never invented them either: he found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/he-is-a-great-enough-magician-to-tap-our-most-common-nightmares/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [...no place is more enchanted than where a unicorn has been born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/no-place-is-more-enchanted-than-where-a-unicorn-has-been-born/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [“...and it's not my place to chase around after you, fixing stuff. What I know's what I know, and it don't include putting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/and-it-s-not-my-place-to-chase-around-after-you-fixing-stuff-what-i/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [The most professional curse ever snarled or croaked or thundered can have no effect on a pure heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/the-most-professional-curse-ever-snarled-or-croaked-or-thundered-can/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [“The baloney weighed the raven down, and the shopkeeper almost caught him as he whisked out the delicatessen door.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/the-baloney-weighed-the-raven-down-and-the-shopkeeper-almost-caught/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [Men have to have heroes, but no man can ever be as big as the need, and so a legend grows around a grain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/men-have-to-have-heroes-but-no-man-can-ever-be-as-big-as-the-need-and/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [A Clock is not time; it's numbers and springs. Pay it no mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/a-clock-is-not-time-it-s-numbers-and-springs-pay-it-no-mind/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [Heroes know that things must happen when it is time for them to happen. A quest may not simply be abandoned; unicorns may go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/heroes-know-that-things-must-happen-when-it-is-time-for-them-to/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [The Lady Amalthea beckoned, and the cat wriggled all over, like a dog, but he would not come near... She was offering her open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/the-lady-amalthea-beckoned-and-the-cat-wriggled-all-over-like-a-dog/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [“Where have you been?" she cried. "Damn you, where have you been?" She took a few steps toward Schmendrick, but she was looking beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/where-have-you-been-she-cried-damn-you-where-have-you-been-she-took-a/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [Unicorns are not to be forgiven." The magician felt himself growing giddy with jealousy, not only of the touch but of something like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/unicorns-are-not-to-be-forgiven-the-magician-felt-himself-growing/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [The magician stood erect, menacing the attackers with demons, metamorphoses, paralyzing ailments, and secret judo holds. Molly picked up a rock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/the-magician-stood-erect-menacing-the-attackers-with-demons/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [You pile of stones, you waste, you desolation, I'll stuff you with misery till it comes out of your eyes. I'll change your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/you-pile-of-stones-you-waste-you-desolation-i-ll-stuff-you-with/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) [Explore all 218 Peter S. Beagle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) ## More Middle earth quotes > [“Sam: Mordor. The one place in Middle-earth we don't want to see any closer, and the one place we're trying to get to. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/sam-mordor-the-one-place-in-middle-earth-we-don-t-want-to-see-any/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“I met a lot of things on the way that astonished me. Tom Bombadil I knew already; but I had never been to Bree.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tolkien/i-met-a-lot-of-things-on-the-way-that-astonished-me-tom-bombadil-i/) Tolkien > [A lot of ideas took us to dead ends or we found the tone wasn’t just right. I think we discovered very quickly this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-boyd/a-lot-of-ideas-took-us-to-dead-ends-or-we-found-the-tone-wasn-t-just/) [Billy Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-boyd/) > [They can keep their heaven. When I die, I’d sooner go to Middle Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-can-keep-their-heaven-when-i-die-i-d-sooner-go-to-middle-earth/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to live in Middle-earth, actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-armitage/i-want-to-live-in-middle-earth-actually/) [Richard Armitage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-armitage/) > [I had this desire to see the world. I couldn't see any of it, but I saw it in my imagination, and that's why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin-2/i-had-this-desire-to-see-the-world-i-couldn-t-see-any-of-it-but-i-saw/) [George R. R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin-2/) > [One of the great pleasures of working in Middle Earth is you get to be another being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evangeline-lilly/one-of-the-great-pleasures-of-working-in-middle-earth-is-you-get-to/) [Evangeline Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evangeline-lilly/) > [ “We weren't born yesterday. We are from \[New York\]. But we are also from somewhere else. We are from Oz, from the Looking-Glass Land,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/we-weren-t-born-yesterday-we-are-from-new-york-but-we-are-also-from/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [No one seems to wash in Middle-earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/no-one-seems-to-wash-in-middle-earth/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [“Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien. Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn’ Ambar-metta!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/et-e-rello-endorenna-ut-lien-sinome-maruvan-ar-hildinyar-tenn-ambar/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“Then they were off again, across the unbroken sprawl of Chicagoland, a single city made up of interlocking strip malls, decorated at random intervals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-gregory/then-they-were-off-again-across-the-unbroken-sprawl-of-chicagoland-a/) [Daryl Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-gregory/) > [“Martian invasion: sure, the Army understands what it needs to do, if not necessarily how to go about it. 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Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) [Browse all 70 Middle earth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-earth/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The impulse is being called reactionary now, but lovers of Middle-earth want to go there. I would myself, like a shot. For in the end it is Middle-earth and its dwellers that we love, not Tolkien’s considerable gifts in showing it to us. I said once that the world he charts was there long before him, and I still believe it. He is a great enough magician to tap our most common nightmares, daydreams and twilight fancies, but he never invented them either: he found them a place to live, a green alternative to each day’s madness here in a poisoned world. We are raised to honor all the wrong explorers and discoverers—thieves planting flags, murderers carrying crosses. 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