You Created a Desert and Called it Peace

Today is a GOOD DAY. 

First day of break, it’s sunny outside, been cleaning the apartment and finished the Two Towers reread (FINALLY). Got my first grade back from this quarter and it’s entirely acceptable considering what I was worried I would get (And all critiques of my paper were entirely valid, thank god I had a good thesis to pull me though). Annnnnd I got confirmation I have the same job next year! WHICH IS SO GOOD OH GOD. (Like, everyone kept assuring me, you’ll get the job renewed unless you like totally sucked! And it was like I really don’t think I sucked because one teacher gave me glowing praise the last day and my other professor gave me tea as a gift yesterday—which is the most awesome tea ever seriously—but there’s always that little doubt that some how I messed up. BUT NO I HAVE THE JOB ABOUT STIPEND I LOVE YOU). 

And I think things are set up for the internship this summer pretty much solidly though I need to do the background check paper work and send that back (Annnnd I need to do taxes this weekend). 

And! I’m going back to the homestead tonight so I get to see my parents. Which is not that rare since my uni is literally an hour away BUT it always makes me happy to have the chance to go home and vegetate and recharge. 

(I’m literally making this post so in 3-4 weeks when I’m sobbing into my keyboard trying to get through spring quarter I can think about this time and have a vague memory of what it was like to be happy XD)

Also I hope others are having good days! If not, I will try to send some of my happiness your way.  

On page 17 on a 18-20 page paper due on Monday and suddenly my issue is not OMG HOW AM I GOING TO WRITE 18 PAGES BY MONDAY? but I DON’T HAVE ENOUGH ROOM FOR ALL MY POINTS OH MY GOD DAMN YOU HISTORY. 

*Graduate Student Problems*

I really hope my neighbors don’t mind Celtic/Scottish music because I’ve been listening to an excessive amount of it today to get through grading. Just about on the edge of pulling out the heavy celtic metal actually.

(Though, they hopefully can’t hear it anyway and after being subjected to weeks of a techno beat through the walls I think they can cope).

(I haven’t really left the house in two days except to stop my the professor’s office and get more papers to grade. The students better be profuse in their thanks when we hand these things back less than a week since they got them turned in.) 

I should seriously not be as nice to my students as I am. Why am I nice to students again? 

(Holding extra office hours, going in on my day off because they’re worried about a test, letting them use a computer cos they got teary eyed when I said no computers for the workshop I was running, and now, grading a 10 page paper when it should have been six freaking pages, andI read the whole thing when I should just do what other professors do and go nope! Page limit reached I won’t read more. Or letting a girl turn in a freaking PINK PAPER. I don’t care if you’re printer ran out of ink this morning, be professional. We have… how many printers on campus? Yes, they cost money, I’m sorry, the days of print quotas were beautiful but they’re gone now. But it’s a 6 page paper? Double sided? That’s at most 30 cents. PAY FOR THE PRINTER). 

This would kill me less if there haven’t been cases where I got out of my way to be nice to a student and they huff at me and are massively disrespectful to my face. Hello. I have no time. I have to schedule time to breath some days (or go hide on tumblr, la). At least pretend to be thankful when I go out of my way to help you.

In summation: I am over halfway done with my stack of grading! (To be given back friday, oh dear god) And halfway done with the draft of my paper due Monday! (For reference numbers: 90 papers, 18 page paper). 

… I am still waytoo nice to my students. 

I’ve just been having a lot of destructive magic wielded by force of nature mages who are not good nor evil but a law unto themselves and performative revolutionaries feelings tonight.

(And when I saw shit like that you know I’ve been trained in literary criticism because who else comes up with phrases like that omg). 

But I’ve been trying to explain (and failing to explain) performative revolutions the last few days (to a poor freshman too. She got really wide eyed and it was like sorry no only I talk like this you’re fine). 

And a lot of it is the idea that if the revolution is to be televised than the revolutionary must preform the story that people want to see and hear to get them to fall in line. It’s no longer enough to believe, you have to fit your revolution, your dreams and hopes and aspirations into the scope and narrative that will make other people follow you. It means swallowing the bitter pill of compromise to force them to listen to you. It means crafting the very revolution with your words and hiding your soul because it might be too gritty and messy for people to understand (The public, the citizens, they like boxes and they want to fit you into one). It’s gaining converts through your performance. 

Annnnnd I love those magicians who believe in their own law as revolutionaries because it forces them to believe in something and make those others fight for and with them and…

I’m going to go back to writing my paper now (About the American Revolution, or so called American Revolution and I will never get over how snarky historians are). And convince myself I’m not allowed to rewatch the Hunger Games again and fail.

You know, I’m really happy about the trend history and historigraphy is currently taking. 

Because, a lot of people want to turn history into a nice and neat narrative and that is so far from the truth it’s not even funny. There’s a reason history is stranger than fiction and that’s because a lot that happens in history would /never fly/ in a fictional narrative, and history tends to break down most, if not all, of the tropes of a fiction narrative. Like, the good don’t win the day, there’s not really beginnings and ends rather trends and transformations and the entire thing is a massive clusterfuck. And it’s amazing and beautiful and tragic and unbearable and insane and inspiring. Because what history really is, is the accumulation of human action. 

But what really brought this on, is there’s this move right now toward a global history, and I’m in a seminar on the American Revolution (Or, the “so called American Revolution” as one author this week put really snarkily). But I just read this line: 

“It all added up, as historian Richard White puts it, to ‘a world system in which minor agents, allies, and even subjects in the periphery often guide[d] the course of empires.’” 

And I swear to god I started doing the fangirl flail and screeching at how perfect that line is. Because history isn’t just about elites or leaders or movers in the metropole, but it’s the people at the borders, at the far reaches, standing on the brink of the world who fuck it up and who act and who change the entire course of whatever history might have been.

(Much like in fiction, if you ever notice it’s not the army that takes down the dragon, but the one lone warrior guided by luck or fate or the divine hand or a crazy amount of skill. History isn’t just about great men or women, or movers, it’s about everyone and how they survive and what lengths they go to, and the human soul goes a lot further than fiction would ever have you believe.)

And… and the reason I love this so much. (And this is to fiction as much as history) Is just the idea that it’s the borderlands, the middle grounds, the edges of these vast empires were action happens, were clashes drive the entire world to the brink of war. The one cog in the machine who does something mad and stops the entire thing. 

And it just makes me want to write the borderlands of an epic space empire where the outskirts are entire worlds and it’s those few, those outsiders who break the very center itself. 

For a revolution that utterly failed at being a “revolution” this is currently giving me a lot of revolutionary feels (I was also telling someone about my preformative revolutionary feels and they were like whut? So I feel I need to express that more coherently at some point.)

The only acceptable reaction to the assignment I am currently doing:

Bitches don’t know about my mother fucking box list. 

*This post brought to you by too much caffeine and late night homework causing blind panic*

Having studied the black death several times and the Spanish Flu (that in 1918 killed more people world wide than WWI managed to do, which is a staggering number) I just really, really hope I miss out on the next pandemic. 

We’re probably about due for one too. 

I rediscovered my Lord of the Rings trading cards today (Or, rather, the remains of my once mighty collection from the trading card game. I think I must have had at least 6 starter decks plus various booster packs by the end, cos I also got all my brother’s cards at one point. And then, about a year ago, I sorta got rid of most of what i had left. This was a mistake). 

But the cards are really pretty. And I realized that I mostly kept Gondor cards (My tragic Boromir and Faramir feels are showing again) and elf cards. 

(Gotta build up my collection of dwarf cards again. I had so, so many Moria cards and I want them back. Though I still have the “They are coming” card and “Nobody Tosses a Dwarf” which was like one of the first ones I got). 

I showed them to my room mate, offered that I could always teach her since she never played TCGs and she promptly ordered three starter decks. So I might finally have someone else to play with (I literally only ever played with my brother. Other games like Magic and the Harry Potter one I actually managed to play with other people, but we honestly were the only ones with Lord of the Rings. I don’t want to think about the hours I spent on mom’s work computer looking up news about this game actually). 

And then also today I bought nail polish for the sole purpose its name (“Wrapped in Rubies”) sounds like the title of good dwarf smut. It’s also all red with gold glitter and I think I’ve stared at it five different times over the last month and finally gave in today. It shall forever be my Hobbit polish now. Any event and bam, Wrapped in Rubies. DVD comes out? The next Weta art book? Let alone the premier of the next movie (It’s very Smaug looking)? Nail polish already decided. 

Also. I want Hobbit cards. Either collector cards or a Trading Card Game. The only thing to come out so far as I can tell are the dog tags/tattoos and that’s cool but damnit. I want to collect cards too. (Not that I need to spend /any/ more money on Hobbit related merchandise until the next wave of action figures comes out but damnit. There were an insane amount of LotR related cards, come on, please?)

You know, I’m actually curious: considering Ori/Fili is a small corner of a larger fandom that’s gotten some pretty dedicated people, if I created a blog for say, fyeahotpflowers would people be willing to hang out there/submit stuff? Like, prompts or contests and it could reblog the different fics and fanart for the ship? 

(Mostly I just wanna talk to more fiori shippers, come on) 

thorinwantsthebaggins:

Between One Breath and Another

discovered the perfect Fiori fic. I can’t. longing stares, innocence love, first experiences

Like, I can never figure out if it’s totally proper tumblr etiquette to reblog your own fics being rec-ed but seriously guys. Every time I see something I wrote on a fic rec or with gifs I grin like an idiot and make pleased squeaking sounds and otherwise behave in a rather undignified manner for a little while. 

But… the only thing is if people are talking about my writing on tumblr there’s really no guarantee I’m going to see it, and as an author there’s really very little that makes a writer happier than see people talk about their work (especially when it’s happy). And the thing is, I really /like/ being an interactive writer: I’ll reply to pretty much every single comment left to me on AO3 and messages on here and I’ll gladly talk anyone’s ears off about why I ship what I ship, or plans for other fics, or hell, I’ll take AU prompts at this juncture I just like talking to people in any way shape or form about writing and the ships I write. 

But I’d also just really, really, really appreciate getting some comments on AO3 too, or messages, cos that’s the easiest way for me to actually see what’s up and hear your comments. Also, the more comments and people talking to me I get, the more motivated I am to write. And if I’ve been posting fics with decent frequency, you guys haven’t truly seen me motivated to post fics yet. (You don’t have to have an AO3 account to post comments, btw, and my tumblr message box is open and annon enabled as well I believe). 

fromthegreyhavens:

victoriousscarf:

fromthegreyhavens:

Every acquisition I have seen of Tolkien being a racist has absolutely no substance and I think it’s ridiculous that this matter is even discussed among scholars.

From what I’ve seen the biggest reason that people make such an acquisition is because all the characters are light skinned. So many other works of literature, including much fantasy, are the same. Britain is quite a diverse nation in the 21st century but in the first half of the last century Europe was quite different, with most future immigrants still living in distant colonies of it’s empires. He was a professor of Anglo-Saxon and English language and literature and was very passionate about such things, which is reflected in Middle Earth and the construction of its cultures.

He was also very interested in foreign languages, such as Finnish, old Nordic, and Greek. He was influenced by many in his creation of Middle Earth languages. One might argue that he didn’t use non-European languages, but there was little to no academic interest in such things at the time and only at the end of the 20th century did scholars begin to actually take serious notice of them. Tolkien used in the construction of Tengwar script Sanskrit and Farsi as influences and for the creation of the Valar he was somewhat influenced not only by the Greek and Roman gods but the Egyptian and Hindu ones as well. For the Black Speech, which is spoken by the orc enemies, the languages used as influences included Anglo-Saxon and old English, as well as that of the Hittites and Hurrians, two long extinct cultures in ancient Mesopotamia. While one might be able to twist some indication of racism out of that fact, it can be easily argued that he was careful to use extinct languages and had no fear of mixing it with his own beloved Anglo-Saxon.

From what I’ve read on Tolkien, no where is there evidence that he held racist sentiments. Even though he was a lover of the old English culture and considered himself very much an Englishman, he was born and raised a Roman Catholic, something that in his time was seen as different and inferior in Britain. He detested the National Socialist regime of Germany. He pointed out the nation’s unscientific method for determining race and the misuse of the term “Aryan”. Before World War II, a German publishing company was interested in translating and publishing the Hobbit in Germany so, being loyal little Hitler pawns, they asked if Tolkien himself was Aryan, to which he responded (in an intentionally softened letter at his publisher’s wishes):

If I am to understand that you are enquiring whether I am of Jewish origin, I can only reply that I regret that I appear to have no ancestors of that gifted people. My great-great-grandfather came to England in the 18th century from Germany: the main part of my descent is therefore purely English, and I am an English subject—which should be sufficient. I have been accustomed, nonetheless, to regard my German name with pride, and continued to do so throughout the period of the late regrettable war, in which I served in the English army. I cannot, however, forbear to comment that if impertinent and irrelevant inquiries of this sort are to become the rule in matters of literature, then the time is not far distant when a German name will no longer be a source of pride.

In fact, after the second world war, Tolkien resisted comments that certain aspects of Middle Earth had a strong Nordic basis because of the connection it had following the devastating work of Hitler in the name of racism. This wasn’t all. He even showed great disgust at segregation/apartheid in South Africa, himself having been born in colonial Africa that would become a part of that future nation.

The various peoples of Middle Earth show mostly European influences. They say that writers will write about what they knew and these were the cultures that Tolkien was familiar with. C. S. Lewis, fantasy writer, fellow Oxford professor, and friend of Tolkien, wrote the famous Narnia series. In it there are is a country called Calormen which shows strong influences from Middle Eastern culture. However, it’s very clear that Lewis used a lot of stereotypes and little research in constructing the culture. While there are a couple of admirable characters who hail from this country, often times it is the enemy of Narnia and Archenland, nations of fair skinned people and the good guys. In Lewis’ defense, he was a veteran of World War I and the strong stereotypes of the opponent Ottoman Empire are likely what influenced Calormen. In his time such things were not as looked down upon, but it really lowers his stories in my eyes.

Anyway, my point with Narnia is an example where a fantasy author used a non-European influenced culture in their writing. Yet it makes Lewis no less racist than Tolkien. In fact, in the case of the Narnia and Calormen, it makes the stories slightly disturbing artifacts of a less understanding period not so long ago. By opting not to use what Tolkien did not know about, he saved himself from such shame.

That isn’t the end of it. A recurring theme in Middle Earth is the animosity between the dwarves and the elves, both considered free peoples. In Lord of the Rings, Gimli, a dwarf, and Legolas, an elf, rise above their racial hatred and differences to become close friends. They realise that race doesn’t matter and they have more in common than thought before and become leaders for peace between the two peoples (sadly just in time before the elves all leave Middle Earth for good). This should be no better an argument against racism in the writings of Tolkien.

Also, on a quick biological note, given the climate in Middle Earth (mild summers and cold winters), if its people were dark skinned then they wouldn’t be able to get enough vitamin D from the sun.

If you’re going to argue that Tolkien was a racist because his works were for the most part limited to European influences, you seriously need to revaluate your theories. For an Englishman who lived much of his life before the end of the British Empire, Tolkien was far from racist in a world that was quick to create degrading stereotypes. 

It’s actually a lot deeper than just saying he doesn’t have any/many ethnic characters or people of darker skin. I mean, yes, Tolkien is of course a product of his time and culture, but that doesn’t mean sometimes reading his work doesn’t make me feel vaguely uncomfortable. 

I mean, think about how the dwarves are described in the Hobbit specifically. They have long noses and care about money and gold and have been kicked out of their homeland and spent some time wondering the wild, and they all have beards which orthodox Jews do often require. So the dwarf culture at that juncture is very much based in at least part off Jewish peoples. I don’t feel like Tolkien did that to be  negative but he certainly doesn’t paint the dwarves in a particularly flattering light and their gold lust didn’t end very well.

More so, in his prologue of Fellowship, “Concerning Hobbits,” he spends some time describing how the “best” group of hobbit were of course the most light skinned and slender and most intelligent. (Frodo and Bilbo of course came from this stock). Is it subtle, could it be minor? Of course, but I’m uncomfortable with this association of being light skinned and the smartest. 

That’s not even touching on the Easterlings or the “dark” men that came to fight for Sauron. (A lot of people say that the Orcs are pretty racist too, but since they came from elves and I think symbolize more how industrial warfare can twist a people into evil, I’m giving that a pass since he fought in WWI and probably saw a lot of the horrors industrial warfare could bring about). 

So, as a literature major? Yeah, I think there are some pretty concerning racist elements in Tolkien, and it’s not just that there aren’t dark skinned people running around, it’s much more subtle than that but it’s there. Does that lessen my enjoyment of Tolkien? Usually not that much because I can place him in his history pretty well. But it can be problematic and I think that’s important to keep in mind and be aware of.  

(This is a really quick and dirty post because hello homework that I’ve been ignoring all evening). I mean, I think it’s an important conversation to be having and I’d love to continue it (and pull in in text citations, etc, go all out) but basically: it’s there, it’s not necessarily as bad as some, it can still be problematic and it’s there in a lot of different forms so it’s not so easy to spot and go oh lookit! 

Numerous connections are made between the dwarves and viking culture. Many of the connections you point to also point to pagan Scandinavia as well: a bearded people with a love for gold. Like the vikings they are rugged folk and are known for their metal craft. On the other hand, the elves are the keepers of knowledge and wisdom, and it was for this that many people hated the Jews who held on to much knowledge during the Middle Ages. Personally, I can see the connection from what you describe, especially in regards to Erebor and a lost homeland though I can’t say I believe that Tolkien intended it or if it is created by future criticism. From his own words on the issue of anti-semetism it would seem unlikely. In any case, the description is much more fitting with the mediaeval Jews than his contemporaries, where in England at the time the trend was that many Jews were becoming secular, wanting to be seen as Brits. Or, conversely, the quest to reclaim Erebor could be a metaphor for zionism, something many in Britain wanted to see as opposed to a Palestinian state. Whatever it is, I think that Tolkien reputed any alleged negativism to all of this with the character Gimli in the Lord of the Rings. Also, for all the shortcomings of the dwarves there are just as many for the hobbits and men.

On “Concerning Hobbits” prologue it is certainly written that the Fallohides are the “best” hobbits. However, in the same books we find that Merry is described as quite intelligent, perhaps even more so than Frodo, and he is a Brandybuck, a family which has some Stoor blood in them (the darkest of the hobbits and that which Smeagol was before being corrupted by the Ring). More so we have Samwise Gamgee who is of common stock but Tolkien gives him the quality of deep thoughtfulness, devotion, endurance, and unwavering courage. Even though he is afraid and constantly misses the Shire, he fights on beyond the point of Frodo and it is clear that without him the quest would not have got very far. Anyway, I don’t think that it is so much as race that is the division of these three groups of hobbit but a system of class. The Fallohides are obviously the nobility as it is the Tooks who hold the title of Thain and it is from them that Frodo and Bilbo have some ancestry.

As for those men described as “dark” I originally had similar feelings but lately I’ve read interpretations that the word is meant in the same way that Tolkien uses the word “fair”, which is as a overall quality or essence as opposed to colouring (for many of the elves are said to have dark hair and at the same time be fair). I’ve heard the orc argument plenty, but I find it rather unfounded since, while they are a “bad” people, I can’t seem to find any legitimate connection between them and any actual culture. Industrialism vs pastorial life and natural force is a huge theme in Tolkien’s writing and he was very much an anti-industrialist, having seen the much of the once green English country side rimmed with factories upon his return from the Great War.

Anyway, I was mainly writing in protest of some discussions I’ve seen of late - criticism of Tolkien for focusing on light skinned people (no offense to anyone who has only seen the films but this is where it seems to be coming from). We can speculate quite a bit about Tolkien’s thought process by digging deep into his writing, but for me what he had to say himself is of the most value. There are definitely some more questionable elements in the Hobbit, but to me it says a lot that much of this is diminished by the Lord of the Rings. In those 17 years between the Hobbit and LotR there was a massive war that made people really think about these things and people became more aware of what before had been unnoticed hints of racial prejudice. Anyway, there are plenty of writers with clearly racist elements in their writing (for example C. S. Lewis as I mentioned before) that if I had children (which is very unlikely since I have no plans for that) I would not read with out a gallon of salt. If I were to read Tolkien to children there would be no salt needed.

I do recall reading some essay or another mentioning that Tolkien had based the dwarves off medieval Jews over his contemporaries? Or that their language is based of Hebrew or Yiddish but I’m fuzzy on that so I’m not taking a firm stand there. I do agree that Gimli went far to negate any negatives put forth in the Hobbit, and yet they still exist in that volume and I have known people to only read the Hobbit or only LotR. 

I suppose the question I would have is how exactly to define the parameters of what matters in a discussion of Tolkien and racism. (Excuse me, I’ve been reading really technical academic works the last couple hours, excuse my language). If the question is: Is Tolkien a racist? I believe there is enough of his own words to support the idea that he himself never meant to be racist, and if he displayed misguided judgements they come from his time, etc, and there’s nothing malevolent that he seems to put forth. However, to me, the more important question as a reader and scholar might be something more like: Can Tolkien’s works be taken to display racism? Keeping in mind the idea of “the Death of the Author” put forward by literature scholars (Which I never fully agree with but it’s an important concept) then it might not matter what he intended but how it can be read. He might never have thought his ideas would be taken in such a manner, but can they be? In this case it also means looking at the texts closely. Sometimes when I read a text I find it doesn’t matter what the author meant to do, or what they might have actually believed as much as what they actually wrote and the words on the page. It is at that point that even quasi-racist ideas can become problematic in Tolkien. 

So I suppose what that meant: I don’t think the man himself was malevolently racist in any way. But his writings sometimes can still be found problematic because of issues within them. I love his writings and the world he built was gorgeous. But I found myself doing a few different double takes during my current re-read of the series because I feel like the writing itself displays troubling characteristics. That shouldn’t stop enjoyment, but I do feel it might be worth a conversation. 

fromthegreyhavens:

Every acquisition I have seen of Tolkien being a racist has absolutely no substance and I think it’s ridiculous that this matter is even discussed among scholars.

From what I’ve seen the biggest reason that people make such an acquisition is because all the characters are light skinned. So many other works of literature, including much fantasy, are the same. Britain is quite a diverse nation in the 21st century but in the first half of the last century Europe was quite different, with most future immigrants still living in distant colonies of it’s empires. He was a professor of Anglo-Saxon and English language and literature and was very passionate about such things, which is reflected in Middle Earth and the construction of its cultures.

He was also very interested in foreign languages, such as Finnish, old Nordic, and Greek. He was influenced by many in his creation of Middle Earth languages. One might argue that he didn’t use non-European languages, but there was little to no academic interest in such things at the time and only at the end of the 20th century did scholars begin to actually take serious notice of them. Tolkien used in the construction of Tengwar script Sanskrit and Farsi as influences and for the creation of the Valar he was somewhat influenced not only by the Greek and Roman gods but the Egyptian and Hindu ones as well. For the Black Speech, which is spoken by the orc enemies, the languages used as influences included Anglo-Saxon and old English, as well as that of the Hittites and Hurrians, two long extinct cultures in ancient Mesopotamia. While one might be able to twist some indication of racism out of that fact, it can be easily argued that he was careful to use extinct languages and had no fear of mixing it with his own beloved Anglo-Saxon.

From what I’ve read on Tolkien, no where is there evidence that he held racist sentiments. Even though he was a lover of the old English culture and considered himself very much an Englishman, he was born and raised a Roman Catholic, something that in his time was seen as different and inferior in Britain. He detested the National Socialist regime of Germany. He pointed out the nation’s unscientific method for determining race and the misuse of the term “Aryan”. Before World War II, a German publishing company was interested in translating and publishing the Hobbit in Germany so, being loyal little Hitler pawns, they asked if Tolkien himself was Aryan, to which he responded (in an intentionally softened letter at his publisher’s wishes):

If I am to understand that you are enquiring whether I am of Jewish origin, I can only reply that I regret that I appear to have no ancestors of that gifted people. My great-great-grandfather came to England in the 18th century from Germany: the main part of my descent is therefore purely English, and I am an English subject—which should be sufficient. I have been accustomed, nonetheless, to regard my German name with pride, and continued to do so throughout the period of the late regrettable war, in which I served in the English army. I cannot, however, forbear to comment that if impertinent and irrelevant inquiries of this sort are to become the rule in matters of literature, then the time is not far distant when a German name will no longer be a source of pride.

In fact, after the second world war, Tolkien resisted comments that certain aspects of Middle Earth had a strong Nordic basis because of the connection it had following the devastating work of Hitler in the name of racism. This wasn’t all. He even showed great disgust at segregation/apartheid in South Africa, himself having been born in colonial Africa that would become a part of that future nation.

The various peoples of Middle Earth show mostly European influences. They say that writers will write about what they knew and these were the cultures that Tolkien was familiar with. C. S. Lewis, fantasy writer, fellow Oxford professor, and friend of Tolkien, wrote the famous Narnia series. In it there are is a country called Calormen which shows strong influences from Middle Eastern culture. However, it’s very clear that Lewis used a lot of stereotypes and little research in constructing the culture. While there are a couple of admirable characters who hail from this country, often times it is the enemy of Narnia and Archenland, nations of fair skinned people and the good guys. In Lewis’ defense, he was a veteran of World War I and the strong stereotypes of the opponent Ottoman Empire are likely what influenced Calormen. In his time such things were not as looked down upon, but it really lowers his stories in my eyes.

Anyway, my point with Narnia is an example where a fantasy author used a non-European influenced culture in their writing. Yet it makes Lewis no less racist than Tolkien. In fact, in the case of the Narnia and Calormen, it makes the stories slightly disturbing artifacts of a less understanding period not so long ago. By opting not to use what Tolkien did not know about, he saved himself from such shame.

That isn’t the end of it. A recurring theme in Middle Earth is the animosity between the dwarves and the elves, both considered free peoples. In Lord of the Rings, Gimli, a dwarf, and Legolas, an elf, rise above their racial hatred and differences to become close friends. They realise that race doesn’t matter and they have more in common than thought before and become leaders for peace between the two peoples (sadly just in time before the elves all leave Middle Earth for good). This should be no better an argument against racism in the writings of Tolkien.

Also, on a quick biological note, given the climate in Middle Earth (mild summers and cold winters), if its people were dark skinned then they wouldn’t be able to get enough vitamin D from the sun.

If you’re going to argue that Tolkien was a racist because his works were for the most part limited to European influences, you seriously need to revaluate your theories. For an Englishman who lived much of his life before the end of the British Empire, Tolkien was far from racist in a world that was quick to create degrading stereotypes. 

It’s actually a lot deeper than just saying he doesn’t have any/many ethnic characters or people of darker skin. I mean, yes, Tolkien is of course a product of his time and culture, but that doesn’t mean sometimes reading his work doesn’t make me feel vaguely uncomfortable. 

I mean, think about how the dwarves are described in the Hobbit specifically. They have long noses and care about money and gold and have been kicked out of their homeland and spent some time wondering the wild, and they all have beards which orthodox Jews do often require. So the dwarf culture at that juncture is very much based in at least part off Jewish peoples. I don’t feel like Tolkien did that to be  negative but he certainly doesn’t paint the dwarves in a particularly flattering light and their gold lust didn’t end very well.

More so, in his prologue of Fellowship, “Concerning Hobbits,” he spends some time describing how the “best” group of hobbit were of course the most light skinned and slender and most intelligent. (Frodo and Bilbo of course came from this stock). Is it subtle, could it be minor? Of course, but I’m uncomfortable with this association of being light skinned and the smartest. 

That’s not even touching on the Easterlings or the “dark” men that came to fight for Sauron. (A lot of people say that the Orcs are pretty racist too, but since they came from elves and I think symbolize more how industrial warfare can twist a people into evil, I’m giving that a pass since he fought in WWI and probably saw a lot of the horrors industrial warfare could bring about). 

So, as a literature major? Yeah, I think there are some pretty concerning racist elements in Tolkien, and it’s not just that there aren’t dark skinned people running around, it’s much more subtle than that but it’s there. Does that lessen my enjoyment of Tolkien? Usually not that much because I can place him in his history pretty well. But it can be problematic and I think that’s important to keep in mind and be aware of.  

(This is a really quick and dirty post because hello homework that I’ve been ignoring all evening). I mean, I think it’s an important conversation to be having and I’d love to continue it (and pull in in text citations, etc, go all out) but basically: it’s there, it’s not necessarily as bad as some, it can still be problematic and it’s there in a lot of different forms so it’s not so easy to spot and go oh lookit!