My dictionary defines racism as follows -
"a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race"
There is a somewhat circular argument (which is linked to the development of political correctness) that if, in literature or other art form, one associates personal characteristics with a particular appearance or race - even coincidentally - then the reader may consciously or subconsciously infer (and accept) racist connotations. For example, it may be true that there were one or two ill-educated and feeble-minded black people in 19th century America who were blindly devoted to their white masters, but the fact that ALL black people were portrayed in this way in Hollywood up to the late 1940s certainly DID contribute to a commonly-held racial stereotype and the continuing cultural and political oppression of black people in America.
Now since Orcs are all uniformly base creatures, you could argue there was a sort of racism at work here. To be an Orc is to automatically be a foul and inferior being. But, since Orcs are in effect a "different animal" from every other grouping in ME, they can be seen as more of a different species than a race. If this is the case, then there is no racism ... eg. it's not racist to describe dinosaurs as more stupid than mammoths. Or to describe Balrogs as evil.
So in addressing this issue, the first question in Tolkien is whether Elves, Men, Hobbits and Dwarves are different races OR different species. Since the whole "science of race" is ill-conceived and muddled, and the 'evolution' of Middle Earth does not correspond to the "accepted" scientific wisdom of our Earth (don't get me started on evolution theory), it's very hard to get past the starting line on this one.
The second question is whether groups (ie. Men, Dwarves etc.) have differing personality characteristics that are clearly 'better' or 'worse'. It seems to me that Men, Elves and Dwarves all suffer from pride, greed, they can lie, and so on. In this respect Hobbits come out rather well. But is it the case that, just as to be a Dwarf means that one is small, it also means one is necessarily small-minded, obsessed with material things etc.? This is the key question. I think that Gimli's description of the glittering caves, and his devotion to Galadriel, counteract the 'racist' archetype for Dwarves. And Feanor's folly shows that even Elves are flawed.
So, the key issue is among Men. Does being 'swarthy' or dark-skinned necessarily mean one is more easily corrupted by Sauron, more violent and base?
Sadly I think we have to accept that Tolkien was a product of his age here. This isn't exactly racism in it's clearest manifestation, but the archetypes of post-colonial England (and South Africa) hold sway. In this context, naturally the invading hordes from distant lands would be black-skinned or oriental. And (to evoke fear and foreboding), in this context naturally those hordes would be resentful, acquisitive and ruthless, unwilling to accept the patriarchal justice of the nobility (of Gondor etc.).
Tolkien was a political and cultural conservative, and it would be more of a surprise if none of this cultural context could be found in his work. He was also set against "reformers" and "modernisers" per se. However, it is to his credit (and to the benefit of his work) that these references are so sparse and obscure, and in no way do they define or underpin the morality or narrative at work.
I would summarise my reading of this argument as follows -
"As a product of his age, in some small ways Tolkien's work reflected the dominant cultural assumptions of the time. However, the greater essence of his work was the creation of a new mythos - with its own cultural framework, its own tradition and social evolution, and its own history - which was neither allegorical nor metaphorical. It is just possible (with much delving) to find the rare phrase or reference that reflects the racial assumptions of one born in the 19th century. But more dominant in his work are the illustrations of wide moral and cultural variations, both within and between different social groups."
BTW if someone wants to start a new topic, I do think 'Sexism in Tolkien' has legs [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]
Peace
|