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Misconceptions

2020-01-09T02:52:47Z

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'''Misconceptions''' have arisen and circulated over numerous concepts within [[J.R.R. Tolkien|J.R.R. Tolkien's]] [[legendarium]] as a result of mistakes made by secondary authors and of changes made by adaptations.

==The Arkenstone was a Silmaril==
*The [[Arkenstone]] was a [[Silmaril]], probably the one thrown into a fiery pit by Maedhros, and found its way (geologically?) to the north, to be rediscovered by the [[Khazad]] of [[Lonely Mountain|Erebor]]. Tolkien wrote that the two lost Silmarils would remain lost until the end of Arda. However, in a partial translation of early Silmarillion texts into Old English Tolkien used the etymologically related term 'Eorclanstanas' ('holy stones') to translate 'Silmarils' - suggesting that he may have borrowed the name and other concepts from the Silmarils in describing the Arkenstone.
**A Silmaril is a gemstone hallowed by Varda which would not suffer the touch of mortal or evil hands.<ref>{{S|Silmarils}}</ref> It only allowed Beren to handle it, but Beren also lost the hand that held it. Many mortals handled the Arkenstone without a consequence, and they did not all have good intent. It would have burned them and possibly burned Smaug as well if it were truly a Silmaril. As attractive as this theory is, because it would have made the Arkenstone such a poignant element in ''[[The Hobbit]]'', it can only be, at best, Silmaril-like or Silmaril-inspired. The latter being the most likely case. It is not a Silmaril.
**This theory can also be disproven by the fact that Maedhros throws himself into a fiery pit with his Silmaril, while the Arkenstone was found deep within a mountain. Therefore, unless Erebor was of volcanic orgin, it is practically impossible for the Arkenstone to be a Silmaril.

==Arwen, the lastborn of the Elves==
*Arwen was the last Elf born in Middle-earth.
**This concept derives from being the youngest Elf whose birth is mentioned in the [[Appendix B|Tale of Years]], and perhaps from publicity for the films; but is never stated in the films or the books.

==Legolas' age==
*Legolas is 2931 years old during the [[War of the Ring]], and thus was born in {{TA|87}}.
**This information also comes from film publicity and is never stated in the films or books. It may derive from the fact that ''Aragorn'' was born in the ''year'' {{TA|2931}}. The date of {{TA|87}} for Legolas' birth agrees with another common fan theory, namely that Legolas was born during the period of peace at the beginning of the [[Third Age]]. Tolkien never wrote about Legolas' birthdate.

==Legolas' hair color==
*Legolas is blond.
**This is a visual tradition dating back to the works of the [[Brothers Hildebrandt]] in the 1970s and followed in both the [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|animated]] and [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|live action]] LotR films. However, Tolkien never specifies Legolas' hair color (although ''[[The Hobbit]]'' mentions that [[Thranduil]], Legolas' father, was blond). Legolas' hair color is one of the most enduring controversies in [[Tolkien fandom]].

==Elves' long hair==
*Elves have long hair, both males and females.
**Though it's safe to assume that female Elves had long hair on average, there's no clear indication that this was the same for males as well. Both [[Elwë]] and [[Olwë]] had long hair, as had [[Fingon]].<ref name="Shibboleth">{{PM|Shibboleth}}</ref> In early stages of writing, [[Celegorm]] was also described as having long blond hair,<ref>{{LR|Quenta}}</ref> though that passage was removed in the published book.<ref>{{S|Beren}}</ref> It is never made clear if long hair was a common feature for all male Elves, or that these were an exception.
*** Although there is a note that, "all the Eldar had beautiful hair (and were especially attracted by hair of exceptional loveliness)"<ref name="Shibboleth"/>, it does not mean their beautiful hair was necessarily long. The fact that Glorfindel of Gondolin died because the Balrog grabbed him by the hair to pull him over the cliff leads one to believe that he also wore his hair long.<ref>{{LT2|III}}</ref> Though not explicitly stated, as Tolkien rarely described his characters in detail, it is implied as short hair is more difficult to grab. Glorfindel of Rivendell clearly had long hair, "his golden hair flowed shimmering in the wind of his speed."<ref>{{FR|Flight}}</ref>

==Names of the Nazgûl==
*The names of all nine [[Nazgûl]] are known: Er-Murazor (the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]]), [[Khamûl]], Dwar of Waw, Ji Indur Dawndeath, Akhorahil, Hoarmurath, Adunaphel the Quiet (female), Ren the Unclean and Uvatha the Horseman.
**In fact Tolkien recorded the name of only one Nazgûl: Khamûl, the [[Nazgûl|Black Rider]] who barely missed catching the [[Hobbits]] at [[Bucklebury Ferry]]. Even the personal name of the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]] was not given by Tolkien, although some fans refer to him as "[[Angmar]]". The names for the eight Nazgûl other than Khamûl which some fans think were coined by Tolkien were actually invented for the [[Middle-earth Role Playing]] game (MERP) published by [[Iron Crown Enterprises]] (ICE).
** It should be also noted that Tolkien's texts seemingly contradict the idea that one of the Nazgûl was a woman, with their consistent references as "Men" and "kings", although it could be argued that "Men" includes women and "kings" includes queens. Unsurprisingly, the film version of ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring|The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' shows all nine Nazgûl as men when they received their [[Rings of Power]].

==The War in the North==
*The [[War of the Ring]] included a "War in the North", which involved fighting in [[Eriador]] and around [[Rivendell]].
**This has been stated as fact by the writers of the films in a DVD commentary and has formed the basis for parts of the computer games ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]]''. However, although Tolkien mentions violent incidents around [[Bree]] during the War (not to mention the [[Scouring of the Shire]]), no extensive military campaign in Eriador is mentioned in the [[Appendix B|Tale of Years]] in Appendix B of ''The Lord of the Rings''. Since the Tale of Years does mention the [[Battle of Dale]] and the fighting around [[Lothlórien]], it is clear that it would also have mentioned the "War in the North" if it had been part of Tolkien's conception. Moreover, the section of Appendix A on the Dwarves includes comments by [[Gandalf]] to the effect that extensive, destructive fighting in Eriador was averted by the death of [[Smaug]] and the Battles of [[Battle of Five Armies|Five Armies]] and of [[Dale]].

==Hobbit feet==
*Hobbits have comparatively large, hairy feet.
**Tolkien wrote: "their feet had tough leathery soles and were clad in a thick curling hair, much like the hair of their heads". Besides the hair, Tolkien doesn't mention that the size of their feet is disproportionally large; they are portrayed so in several adaptations, such as illustrations by the [[Brothers Hildebrandt]] and the movies, where the feet are actually prosthetics.

==Déagol/Sméagol relationship==
*Déagol is Sméagol's cousin.
**Tolkien only calls him Sméagol's ''friend'' in ''The Lord of the Rings'', though in ''The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien'' he writes that Déagol was "evidently a relative (as no doubt all the members of the small community were)" of Sméagol’s.<ref>{{L|214}}</ref> This misconception probably dates from ''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'' by [[Robert Foster]] and ''[[Tolkien: The Illustrated Encyclopedia]]'' by [[David Day]]. (See: [http://greenbooks.theonering.net/questions/files/020101.html Green Books' Q & A])

==Gollum's age==
*Sméagol was born in the year {{TA|2430|n}} of the Third Age, found the Ring on his 33rd birthday in {{TA|2463|n}}, and thus was 589 years old when he died in {{TA|3019|n}}.
**33 is the age a Shire Hobbit becomes officially an adult. Sméagol "found" the Ring on his birthday. The filmmakers evidently decided that the day Sméagol found the Ring was his 33rd birthday. However: Sméagol was not a Shire Hobbit, but a Stoor, and these had different customs - Tolkien states that the Stoors of Rhovanion received, and did not give gifts on their birthdays (in ''Unfinished Tales'', ''The History of Middle-earth'' and ''Letters''); and {{TA|2463}} as the date of the discovery of the Ring is an approximate, not a precise date. Thus, there is no exact indication of Gollum's age in Tolkien's books. [http://www.theonering.net/movie/char/smeagol.html See http://www.theonering.net/movie/char/smeagol.html]

==Tengwar on Sting==
*The [[Sindarin]] words ''Maegnas aen estar nin dagnir in yngyl im'' are engraved on the blade of [[Sting]]. The worlds translate as "Maegnas (Sharp-point) is my name, I am the spider's bane".
*The origin of this inscription is the depiction in the movies. In the books, Tolkien describes Sting as a rather plain weapon with a simple leather sheath. Unlike [[Glamdring]] and [[Orcrist]], it bears no runes for [[Elrond]] to translate in ''[[The Hobbit]]''. It first receives a name from [[Bilbo Baggins]] after he uses it against the giant spiders of [[Mirkwood]].

==Saruman, the creator of Uruk-hai==
Saruman is believed to be the creator of the race of [[Uruk-hai]] (Uruks), the larger, stronger breed of [[Orcs]]. This is visualized in [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (film series)]] which further established this view. The movie also established wrongly that "Uruk-hai" are a stronger race of Orcs, while in reality it is simply a [[Black Speech]] term for the Orcs proper themselves (excluding the [[Snaga]]).

In reality, the Uruks first appeared out of [[Mordor]] in the last years of Steward [[Denethor I]], before {{TA|2475}} and before Saruman settles in [[Orthanc]]<ref>{{HM|AA}}</ref>.

The misconception originates from the fact that Saruman perhaps created a race of Orc-men or Men-Orcs in his service<ref>http://tolkien.slimy.com/faq/Creatures.html#Urukhai</ref>. However these aren't the same as the Uruk-hai.

== Dorwinion ==
*[[Dorwinion]] was only mentioned in passing until it appeared on [[Pauline Baynes]]' ''[[A Map of Middle-earth]]'' ([[1969]]), where it was placed on the western shore of the [[Sea of Rhûn]]. According to popular belief, its location was not decided by [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]], but by Baynes in random.
**As [[Michael Martinez]] notes, this is a misconception that circulates as an "urban legend" in several websites.<ref>[http://middle-earth.xenite.org/2012/06/21/did-pauline-baynes-choose-the-location-of-dorwinion/ Did Pauline Baynes Choose the Location of Dorwinion?]</ref> As [[Christopher Tolkien]] commented:
:{{blockquote|Dorwinion is marked on the decorated map by Pauline Baynes, as a region on the North-western shores of the Sea of Rhun. It must be presumed that this, like other names on that map, '''was communicated to her by my father''', but its placing seems surprising.|''[[The Lays of Beleriand]]'', "[[The Lay of the Children of Húrin]]"}}
*Evidence that Tolkien worked with Baynes on the map may be found in the transcribed map discovered in 2015.<ref>https://www.tolkiensociety.org/2015/11/tolkiens-annotated-map-of-middle-earth-transcribed/</ref> In which Dorwinion was written Tolkien's own hand.

==Money==
*It is thought that Middle-earth is a utopia with no finance based economy.
**This misconception is mentioned as such by [[Robert Foster]]<ref>''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'', entry "Money"</ref>. It originates from the very few times any transactions or the word "[[money]]" are mentioned in ''[[The Hobbit]]'' or ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''; most mentions of wealth are vague or in the form of [[gold]] or treasures. However in [[Bree]] both golden pieces and silver pennies appear. Furthermore, in a draft of "[[The Appendix on Languages]]" published in ''[[The Peoples of Middle-earth]]'' some details of the coins of [[Gondor]] are given.

==Gwaihir is the Great Eagle==
*The (unnamed) [[Lord of the Eagles]] from ''The Hobbit'' is identified in the ''Lord of the Rings'' as [[Gwaihir]], as they are the same person.
**This interpretation is stated by [[Robert Foster]]<ref>''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'' entry "Gwaihir"</ref> and perhaps originates from the meaning of Gwaihir's name, which translates as "Windlord". However Tolkien never states that Gwaihir was the [[Lord of the Eagles]] and [[King of All Birds]]. Furthermore there are some problems with conflating the two characters:
***The Great Eagle of ''The Hobbit'' is said to wear a golden crown<ref>{{H|Queer}}</ref> after the end of the book, but Gwaihir is not wearing one.
***Near the end of ''Lord of the Rings'' Gandalf mentions that Gwaihir has carried him ''twice'' <ref>{{RK|Cormallen}}</ref> (once from [[Orthanc]] and once from [[Celebdil]]); if Gwaihir was the Great Eagle, that would make it at least ''three'' times.

==Gil-galad's father==
*[[Fingon]] was Gil-galad's father
**Not really a misconception as it was at one point considered so by Tolkien, as in ''[[The Grey Annals]]'', and it is mentioned so in ''[[The Silmarillion]]''. However [[Christopher Tolkien]] admitted that it was a rushed choice as in his father's final scripts ''[[Orodreth]]'' was Gil-galad's father, and Fingon had no wife: even in ''The Silmarillion'', Fingon was succeeded by [[Turgon]] as [[High King of the Noldor]] instead of his "son".

==Ingwë, Finwë and Elwë awoke at Cuiviénen==
*[[Ingwë]], [[Finwë]] and [[Elwë]], the three ambassadors of the Elves to [[Aman]], and later Kings of their people, were among the first 144 Elves who [[awakening of the Elves|awoke]] at [[Cuiviénen]].
**''[[The Silmarillion]]'' only says that [[Oromë]] visited the Elves at Cuiviénen but does not clarify whether the Three Ambassadors were indeed firstborn. According to the [[Grey Annals]], Oromë found the Elves 500 [[coranar|years]] after the Awakening, a gap which would leave ample time for the firstborn Elves to procreate and for Elven children to be born and grow. Nothing states that the three Ambassadors could not have been born during that time, thus belonging to a second or third generation of Elves.
**Furthermore, the Silmarillion is clear that Elwë, [[Olwë]] (and [[Elmo]]) were brothers, and that Olwë was younger than Elwë. This can't be easily understood if Elwe was a Firstborn (i.e. without parents). The [[Cuivienyarna]] mentions that Elwe was ''born'' at Cuiviénen.<ref>{{WJ|Appendix}}</ref>

==[[Middle-earth]] is an underground world similar to the Hollow Earth==
*Middle-earth is a world that exists inside the Earth. Tolkien's stories are a kind of [[Wikipedia:Subterranean fiction|Subterranean fiction]] as they happen underground, at the center of the Hollow Earth.<ref>[http://www.esoterica.gr/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1714 Example article] in a Greek occult forum</ref>
**The misconception circulates mainly among the Greek audience and is explained by the Greek translation "[http://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%9C%CE%AD%CF%83%CE%B7_%CE%93%CE%B7 Μέση-γη]". Although the translation is accurate, the stem "μέσ-" can also be understood as ''inside'' by the occasional reader. The notion was popularised mainly by the Greek press, especially concerned with the occult or the paranormal. Those sources leave open the possibility that Tolkien possessed some esoteric or occult knowledge, whereas the fantasy [[races]] of Middle-earth are identified as the beings said to populate [[Wikipedia:Agartha|Agartha]].
**It is made clear in the ''Silmarillion'' that the Earth is called ''Arda'' floating in space with atmospheric layers such as [[Ilmen]], [[Vaiya]] and [[Vista]]; and Middle-earth is a continent.<ref>{{S|Ainu}}</ref> The term Middle-earth refers to "our earth" and is explained geographically as "surrounded by the ocean"<ref>Dennis Gerrolt, [http://www.lordotrings.com/interview.asp Tolkien's interview] to BBC, 1971</ref> and not being inside something.

==The [[Seven Rings]] were made for the Dwarves and the [[Nine Rings]] for Men==
*The Elves of [[Eregion]] made specifically [[Seven Rings]] especially for the Dwarves, and [[Nine Rings]] for the Men. Occasionally it is believed that each group had its own powers to be used accordingly by Elves, Dwarves and Men. The [[Ring Verse]] ("...'''for''' the Elven-kings, ...'''for''' the Dwarf-Lords") indicates their purpose and destination as when [[Celebrimbor]] himself gave [[Ring of Thrór|a ring]] to King [[Durin III]]<ref>{{S|Rings}}</ref>.
*Some adaptations, such as [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|Lord of the Rings]]'' and [[Peter Jackson]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' show a similar notion: in both movies the prologue shows that the Elf smiths made the Rings '''for''' the Elves, Dwarves and Men, before Sauron makes war to seize them. Furthermore, in Jackson's adaptation, each group has a distinct visual style (eg. the Seven have a definite "Dwarvish" design).
**Nowhere in Tolkien's books is mentioned that the Seven and the Nine were different from each others nor that they were made for the Dwarves and Men. Everything shows that the Rings were produced massively and were designed by the Elves for themselves. The Ring that Celebrimbor gave to Durin was a notable exception. Only the Three were created distinctly outside the other 16.<ref>FAQ of the Rings: [http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/ringfaq.htm#Q79-Differ How did the Seven and the Nine differ?] and [http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/ringfaq.htm#Q79-Intent Were the Seven and Nine Rings originally intended for Dwarves and Men?]</ref>
::The Silmarillion mentions that (besides Durin's Ring) it was Sauron who gave the Rings to the Dwarves and Men, and that was only after the Elves repented.
==[[Buckland]] eventually became part of the [[Shire]]==
*When King [[Aragorn|Elessar]] gave the [[Westmarch]] to the Shire in the [[Fourth Age]], Buckland -an independent sliver of land- was also given to the Shire and was renamed "Eastmarch" to mirror the former.
**This misconception originates from the ''[[The Lord of the Rings Prologue|Prologue]]'' to the ''Lord of the Rings'', and is repeated in several reference books, such as Robert Foster's ''Guide''<ref>[[Robert Foster]], ''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'', entry "Buckland"</ref> and Fonstad's ''Atlas''.<ref>[[Karen Wynn Fonstad]], ''The Atlas of Middle-earth'', "the Shire"</ref> A second misconception is the name "Eastmarch" which is never mentioned as such in the narrative.
:::Tolkien's actual quote in the ''Prologue'' speaks about "''the East and West Marches: the Buckland''';''' and the Westmarch added to the Shire''".<ref>{{FR|Ordering}}</ref> The semi-colon here serves to show that the "addition to the Shire" refers only to the Westmarch. This is further supported by the [[Appendix B|Tale of Years]], where the creation of the Westmarch is mentioned, but not the addition of Buckland or its renaming to Eastmarch.<ref>{{App|B5}}</ref>
==The Eye of Sauron==
*After being separated from the Ring, Sauron lost his humanoid shape and turned into a great eye.
**It was portrayed as such in Peter Jackson's films, but in Letter 246 Tolkien explained that "Sauron had a humanoid form, large, but not gigantic", and in Lord of the Rings Gollum comments how Sauron had only four fingers on the Black Hand, which implies that he retained some of his previous physical form.

{{References}}

[[Category:Debates]]

Gorcrows

2019-12-10T00:21:52Z

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__NOTOC__
[[Image:Alan Lee - Gorcrows.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Alan Lee]] - ''Gorcrows'']]
'''Gorcrows''' were a legendary species of birds, only mentioned in passing in [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] verse. These foul [[crows]], who croaked in their sleep, are said to have lived in the same damp marshes as the fearsome [[Mewlips]].<ref>{{AB|Mewlips}}</ref>
<small>{{quote|And gloomily the gorcrows stand<br /> Croaking in their sleep.|[[The Mewlips]]}}</small>
==Etymology==

''Gorcrow'', "gore crow", is an [[old English]] name for [[Wikipedia:Carrion Crow|carrion crow]].<ref>Patrick J. Cassidy, ed. (1913), ''Webster Dictionary''</ref>

==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''1982-97: ''[[Middle-earth Role Playing]]'':'''
:''Gorcrows'' are said to have 4 ft. wingspan and to be smaller cousins of the ''[[crebain]]'',<ref>{{ICE|2012}}</ref> and to be attracted to shiny things.<ref group="note">A common character trait of crows, [[wikipedia:Common Raven|ravens]], [[wikipedia:European Magpie|magpies]] and [[wikipedia:Jackdaw|jackdaws]], for example.</ref><ref>{{ICE|8014}}, p. 6</ref> The ''northern gorcrow'', living in [[Forodwaith (lands)|Forodwaith]], is described as a larger version of the common gorcrow. The [[Lossoth]] are said to regard the northern gorcrows as birds of ill-omen.<ref>{{ICE|2025}}</ref>

'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:''Gore-crows'' are a type of crebain native to the [[Lone-lands]].
:''They also appear in great number in Mordor.''

{{references|note}}
{{Legend}}
[[Category:Birds]]
[[fi:Vaakut]]

Racism

2019-12-09T23:24:12Z

162.250.152.60:

{{sources}}
{{quote|For years, Tolkien scholars have waged a fight on two fronts: against an academic establishment that for the most part refused to take the author's work seriously, and against white supremacists who have tried to claim the professor as one of their own.|David Ibata, ''Chicago Tribune''<ref>http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/movies/chi-030112epringsrace,0,341461.story</ref>}}

[[File:The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King - Haradrim.jpg|thumb|225px|''[[Haradrim]]'' from [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (film series)]]]]
[[Image:John Howe - Easterlings.jpg|thumb|[[John Howe]] - ''Easterlings'']]

Fans and critics of Tolkien's works have observed several ambiguously '''Racist and race-based elements'''; these go further into stereotyping or symbolism of good versus evil in the Tolkien's [[legendarium]]. As early as the first edition of the Lord of the Rings this topic was discussed, including by [[C.S. Lewis]] who wrote that people who dislike a clear demarcation of good and evil ''"imagine they have seen a rigid demarcation between black and white people."''

Tolkien's legendarium also makes many references to topics related by extension to racialism, such as eugenics, bloodlines, and (by extension) even the superiority of heredity over other authorities.

Some of these accusations of racism may be partially explained by a wider reading of Tolkien's works or a deeper thematic analysis, and others are more difficult to dismiss. In Tolkien's extensive letters one can find both comments that can be interpreted as racism as well as defense against the accusations.

[[Christine Chism]] mentions the issue of racism in the ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: Scholarship and Critical Assessment|J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia]]'', where she distinguishes accusations as falling into three categories: intentional racism, unconscious [[Wikipedia:Eurocentrism|Eurocentric]] bias, and an evolution from latent racism in Tolkien's early work to a conscious rejection of racist tendencies in his late work.

In the Foreword to the revised edition of ''The Lord of the Rings'', Tolkien cautioned strongly against viewing it as an allegory, saying that he disliked allegory himself. Furthermore, according to his own claims, Tolkien denounced Hitler, Nazi beliefs, "race-doctrine" and apartheid and praised the Jews, calling them a "gifted people" (see below).

The global popularity of [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (film series)]] has done much to perpetuate popular interest in, as well as criticism of, Tolkien's writing.

==Indications==

===Orcs===
The mostly white Free Peoples of Middle-Earth doing battle with the hordes of beast-like orcs is seen by some as an indication of racism.

Of the orcs, the [[Uruk-Hai]] are described as "black <ref>''The Lord of the Rings'' book two chapter 5: ''"some are large and evil: black Uruks of Mordor"'' and appendix A: ''"In the last years of Denethor I the race of uruks, black orcs of great strength, first appeared out of Mordor"''</ref> and a smaller orc, a tracker, is described as "black-skinned".<ref>''The Lord of the Rings'' book six chapter 2 ''"it was of a small breed, black-skinned, with wide and snuffling nostrils: evidently a tracker of some kind."''</ref> All orcs are often described as "slant-eyed" and the Uruk-Hai at least refer to the Rohirrim as 'white skins.' In one of his letters, Tolkien described Orcs as ''"...squat, broad, flat-nosed, sallow-skinned, with wide mouths and slant eyes; in fact degraded and repulsive versions of the (to Europeans) least lovely Mongol-types."''([[Letter 210]])

While Tolkien's statement comparing Orcs to the "Mongol-types" is undoubtedly insensitive given today's standards, he does put a disclaimer, "(to Europeans,)" before "least lovely", at least recognizing Western cultural bias and also points out that they were "degraded and repulsive versions" of "Mongol-types", not actual "Mongol-types". It is worth noting that some Orcs use crooked or bent swords (Tolkien also uses the term scimitar, which are historically associated with the Middle-East).

Orcs however, are not men. Unlike the wicked men who serve the Enemy, who might have been enslaved or beguiled, orcs are portrayed as irredeemably evil, or at least having a redemption outside the scope of the narrative. The origin of orcs is not clear, but they may be products of Morgoth's sorcery, or the descendants of tortured and ruined elves or men. Regardless of their origins they are not presented as a natural race.

===Light vs. Dark===
Some critics have declared that there is racism in Tolkien's works through his use of the words such as "light" and "white" vs. "dark" or "black". In 2002, John Yatt in ''The Guardian'' wrote: "White men are good, 'dark' men are bad, orcs are worst of all."<ref>The Guardian (2 December 2002)</ref>. Other critics such as [[Tom Shippey]] and [[Michael D.C. Drout]] disagree with such clear-cut generalizations of Tolkien's "white" and "dark" men into good and bad.

The whole of Tolkien's Legendarium contains a conflict between ''literal'' light (The Trees, the [[Silmarils]]) and darkness (the literal absence of light). Morgoth's standard was ''"sable unblazoned"'' (that is, plain black). ''"Mordor"'' means "black land" in Sindarin. This ongoing clash may be interpreted as containing racial symbolism of light skinned versus dark skinned peoples, although Eol, father of Maeglin was known as the Dark Elf, and the Moriquendi were called the Elves of Darkness, although both these terms refer to remaining outside the light of the two trees, not to skin tone. The [[Black Númenóreans]] are likewise named because of the color of their allegiance to Sauron and their heraldry, not their skin tone.

But white is not associated only with Good. [[Saruman]] the White has the [[White Hand]] as his symbol. Similarly black is not only associated with evil as Gondor uses a black standard bearing the White Tree, and the Guards of the Citadel of Minas Tirith wore black chain mail. In [[The Peoples of Middle-earth]], three Númenórean ships are followed by a boat with black sails. One of the mariners explains to a native of Middle-earth, scared that the black sails indicate doom, that the blackness is in fact a thing of beauty, the night sky of Elbereth (who kindled the stars). Indeed, Tolkien states that one of Morgoth's (literally, the ''Black Enemy'') victories was in associating darkness and night with fear and evil.

===Evil Men===
One potentially racist element in Middle-Earth is that the majority of the men who serve Sauron are the dark-skinned peoples of the [[Easterlings (First Age)|Easterling]]s and [[Southrons]]. They come from the South and East of Middle-Earth, corresponding with Asia and Africa in the loose connection between Middle-Earth geography and that of the real world.
The Easterlings are aligned with Morgoth or Sauron with the exception of Bór's folk. They are described as being of fairly dark skin complexion, swarthy and exceedingly cruel. The Southrons (or Haradrim) are described as black-skinned, cruel and evil, and are apparently at least inspired by Indian cultures with traits such as fighting on [[Mumakil]]-back.

In some cases, people having the slightest blood relation to enemies, like [[Freca]] and [[Wulf]], who are related to the [[Dunlendings]], are presented as evil themselves, as if evilness is hereditary. Some of these are also called "swarthy" (dark). Bill Ferny is said to be swarthy, and this can be traced to his Dunlending ancestry.

While the Easterlings and the Haradrim are dark-skinned people in the service of the Enemy, the [[Woses]] are primitive, small, and alien compared to other peoples (their chief Ghan-buri-Ghan only wears a grass skirt) yet they are valuable allies (in ''The Return of the King''). While Tolkien does not mention their skin colour, they were considered monsters by the Rohirrim who hunted them as animals, which the narrative explicitly condemns. However in the First Age they were counted as ''Edain'', or noble Men, and were allies of the Elves.

However, not all enemies are non-white. Noteworthy examples are Saruman, [[Gríma]], [[Gollum]], and at least two of the [[Nazgûl]]. Also [[Lotho Sackville-Baggins]] and the [[ruffians]] are white-skinned characters who ravage and take over [[the Shire]]. Indeed, while during the timeframe of Lord of the Rings those enslaved and serving Sauron are darker skinned people from the South and East, during the history of Middle-Earth many of the white races of man and even some Elves were fooled and coerced by the Enemy.

Tolkien also wrote that the [[Blue Wizards]], who do not appear in '''The Lord of the Rings'' narrative, were sent into the South and East lands to spread dissent and resistance against Sauron. While he wrote on one occasion (as given in ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'') that they failed, on another occasion (as given in ''[[The Peoples of Middle-earth]]'') he wrote that they were successful, making Sauron's hold on these lands throughout the centuries significantly weaker than it should have been. This prevented Sauron from overwhelming the West with his armies and ultimately contributed to his defeat in the War of the Ring. This means that Southrons and Easterlings resisting Sauron were meant to exist, only that their stories remain untold.

===Racism in Middle-earth===
Tolkien portrays racism within the "heroic" races as unabashedly negative. Elves and Dwarves distrust each other. Some Elves hunted the Petty-dwarves as animals, as did the Rohirrim to the [[Woses]]. The friendship between [[Legolas]] and [[Gimli]] is portrayed as unusual but commendable, and several scenes illustrate them learning to understand and respect each other's cultural differences. When [[Gimli]] takes a strand of [[Galadriel]]'s hair, he is described as having ''"look[ed] into the heart of an enemy and saw there love and understanding."''

It is notable that there is apparently racism within the ranks of Orcs as the Uruk-hai held themselves as superior to the common Orcs, whom they called ''snaga'' (slave).

The point-of-view characters of the book -- the hobbits -- are themselves of a race that is frequently described as being overlooked, under-estimated, and lightly regarded by the other races of Middle-earth, yet they often demonstrate far greater courage and nobility than the races who denigrate them. They are not without prejudice, however, and Gandalf is shown reprimanding Frodo for his comments on [[Barliman Butterbur]].

The Númenóreans of Gondor fell to infighting because of a supposed need for racial purity, especially concerning the ancestry of their king (the [[Kin-strife]]), and grew weaker as a result. In this affair, the villain was the pure-blooded Númenórean [[Castamir]] while the hero was the half-Númenórean [[Eldacar (King of Gondor)|Eldacar]].

===Dwarves as Jews===

Tolkien himself compared Dwarves to Jews:
{{quote|"The dwarves of course are quite obviously - wouldn't you say that in many ways they remind you of the Jews? Their words are Semitic obviously, constructed to be Semitic."|J.R.R. Tolkien<ref>http://www.daisy.freeserve.co.uk/jrrt_int.htm</ref>}}
One may interpret this comment in many ways. It should be noted that he only made an explicit connection between the dwarf-language [[Khuzdul]] to Semitic languages. In another letter, he makes the same comparison, but this time it is explicitly about both peoples being dispossessed of their lands, forced to wander the world, and adopt the languages of other lands: both were "at once natives and aliens in their habitations, speaking the languages of the country, but with an accent due to their own private tongue…" ([[Letter 176]])

Throughout the books, Tolkien paints a mostly positive picture of the dwarves ([[Gimli]] of course is brave and honourable, and it is stated in one of the Appendices to The Lord of the Rings that "few Dwarves ever served the enemy willingly", contrary to the tales of Men) and elsewhere he made explicitly positive statements about the Jewish people.

However, one of the weaknesses of the Dwarves was their greed for gold and other riches, amplified by the [[Seven Rings]]. Some see a connection between this and the stereotype of the Jewish usurer. It is also possible to draw a connection between the bearded Dwarves and the beards of Orthodox Jews.

===Númenóreans===

Tolkien has divine beings blessing or gifting peoples or persons and their descendants, having thus the concept of the [[chosen people]] who differ from others — in Tolkien's case, the Dúnedain (literally "Men of the West") of Númenor. It should be also noted that according to Theosophy, Ariosophy and Nazism<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aryan_race#Occultism</ref>, the Aryan race is supposedly descended from [[Atlantis]].<ref>Alfred Rosenberg, [[Wikipedia:The_Myth_of_the_Twentieth_Century|The Myth of the Twentieth Century]]</ref>

Although gifted, many of Tolkien's Númenóreans are evil. In the Appendices to the Return of the King, Númenórean fleets sail to Middle Earth, where they conquer and subjugate native peoples in what may be a commentary on European imperialism. The Númenóreans ultimately cause their own downfall by following the teachings of Morgoth, conducting human sacrifices, and making war on Valinor. At least some of the Nazgûl are Númenóreans.

==Counterindications==
Tolkien's defenders assert that many criticisms of racism and elitism leveled at ''The Lord of the Rings'' and other writings are oversimplifications and generalizations, and do not take account of everything the author may have written concerning these matters.

*The symbolism of light as good and dark as evil is a prehistoric dichotomy present in a great many cultures, Western and otherwise. It is also a part of Christianity (John 8:12 Jesus Christ said, "I am the Light of the World, Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."). Variations such as the Manicheeist heresy and further the ancient religion of Persia - Zoroastrianism.

*Tolkien was English, and wanted to make a mythology for England. Therefore he wrote ''The Lord of the Rings'' according to his people's point of view. He could not make his protagonists, say, Incan or Japanese, or even put the setting anywhere else than (an alternative) North-western Europe, in spirit if not in actuality.

*Tolkien only made precise ''geographic'' correspondences of Third Age Middle-earth locations to those in the real world. For example, [[Hobbiton]] was at the latitude of Oxford. The Shire was based upon, but ''was not actually'' rural England, since "the lands have changed" since then. Tolkien made no precise correspondences regarding the ''peoples'' concerned. Though the Hobbits were based upon rural English folk, they were not literally ancient Englishmen. He never said that Harad was Africa, nor the Eastlands Asia, nor their inhabitants ancestors of Africans or Asians. ''The Silmarillion'' presents tales of a time when the Earth's lands were different from that in the Third Age.

*Not only the East and South are associated with evil, and neither were they always so. In the First Age, evil came from the North when Morgoth based himself in [[Angband]]. Also, all Men and Elves first awoke in the East. Boromir is introduced as a "man of the South" without qualification (actually South-west).

*The white but darker-skinned Dunlendings themselves are descendants of the [[Edain]] (through the [[House of Haleth]]), therefore distant though unrecognized relatives of the Dunedain of Numenor, and their ancestors grew hostile to the Dunedain due to the latter despoiling their forests. The mostly benign and hearty men of Bree are descended from Dunlendings.

*In the War of the Ring, the human enemies are not truly evil, since they are described as deceived, enslaved or exploited. Sam sees a dead warrior of Harad and wonders if he was truly evil — or rather deceived or coerced to go to war (see below). The Dunlendings are persuaded by Saruman to attack Rohan, playing on their grievances due to Gondor giving what they considered their land to the Eotheod, the ancestors of the Rohirrim. Earlier, Sauron persuaded their ancestors to fight against the Numenoreans, the cause of their relocation from forests into the hills.

*Tolkien does not actually mention the physical features of the Easterlings in ''The Lord of the Rings''; however the Easterlings of ''The Silmarillion'' are described as either sallow or swarthy. There is no certainty that the Easterlings of the First Age are the same people as those of the Third Age though: in fact, many of the "white" Men of Eriador are indicated to be descendants of the First Age Easterlings.

*Tolkien first describes the Haradrim in ''The Lord of the Rings'' as tall, dark, and looking fierce and nasty (according to [[Gollum]]), with long black hair, painted faces and gold earrings and ornaments. Later a warrior of Harad who falls at Sam's feet has black plaits of hair braided with gold. Notably, the author does not describe them as black, nor their hair as kinky, nor give them any other typical sub-Saharan African features.

*All the "superior" people, be they Elves, Edain or Dunedain, have no direct analogues in peoples of the real world. If the Dunedain could be put somewhere, they would belong in [[Atlantis]], since Numenor was Middle-Earth's counterpart to Plato's Atlantis. The Rohirrim, who have been parallelled to blond and fair Europeans, are "inferior" to them, being Middle Men, in their view.

*Kings, princes, heirs and noblemen as protagonists is not necessarily an advocation of blood nobility, since it is a theme and concept common in myths and fairy-tales. Also, [[Samwise Gamgee]] represents the common man, and sees insights that more "noble" characters apparently do not, such as the true situation of the human enemies. Note that in a letter (#131), Tolkien states that Sam is the chief hero of the whole book.

*There are no truly "perfect" peoples in Tolkien's writings, save perhaps the [[Vanyar]]. Given that Tolkien loved trees and nature in general, having his Numenoreans wantonly cut down trees for ships is decidedly negative. The Noldor rebelled against the Valar and killed their fellow Elves.

==''Lord of the Rings'' and Fascism==

In Italy, ''Lord of the Rings'' is considered fascist by some groups and Italian fascist organisations are allegedly using the book for recruiting.<ref>http://www.johnreilly.info/ata.htm</ref> According to Italian website [http://www.caltanet.it/frm/cinema/ Caltanet], [[Wikipedia:Alleanza Nazionale|Alleanza Nazionale]], a right-oriented Italian political party, had taken a picture from ''Fellowship of the Ring'' movie to promote a speech by his leader, [[Wikipedia:Gianfranco Fini|Gianfranco Fini]].<ref>http://www.theonering.net/perl/newsview/8/1001628604</ref>

Tolkien's works have also been embraced by self-admitted racists such as the British National Party.<ref>The Sunday Times - [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article804465.ece The BNP has declared Lord of the Rings essential reading. They’re not the only extremists to get the wrong idea]</ref>

==Relevant Passages from the text==
{{quote|It is not unlikely that they <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Orcs]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> invented some of the machines that have since troubled the world, especially the ingenious devices for killing large numbers of people at once, for wheels and engines and explosions always delighted them"|''[[The Hobbit]]'', "Over-Hill and Under-Hill"}}

{{quote|It was Sam's first view of a battle of Men against Men, and he did not like it much. He was glad that he could not see the dead face. He wondered what the man's name was and where he came from; and if he was really evil at heart, or what lies or threats had led him on the long march from his home; and if he would not really rather have stayed there in peace.|''[[The Two Towers]]'', "[[Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit]]"}}

==Tolkien on Racism==
{{quote|I must say that the enclosed letter from Rutten & Loening is a bit stiff. Do I suffer this impertinence because of the possession of a German name, or do their lunatic laws require a certificate of arisch origin from all persons of all countries? ... Personally I should be inclined to refuse to give any ''Bestätigung'' (although it happens that I can), and let a German translation go hang. In any case I should object strongly to any such declaration appearing in print. I do not regard the (probable) absence of all Jewish blood as necessarily honourable; and I have many Jewish friends, and should regret giving any colour to the notion that I subscribed to the wholly pernicious and unscientific race-doctrine.|[[Letter 29]] — Tolkien's German publishers had asked whether he was of Aryan origin}}

{{quote|Thank you for your letter... I regret that I am not clear as to what you intend by ''arisch''. I am not of Aryan extraction: that is Indo-Iranian; as far as I am aware noone [sic] of my ancestors spoke Hindustani, Persian, Gypsy, or any related dialects. But 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.|[[Letter 30]] (Tolkien's unsent response to his German publishers; a more neutral version was ultimately sent)}}

{{quote|There was a solemn article in the local paper seriously advocating systematic exterminating of the entire German nation as the only proper course after military victory: because, if you please, they are rattlesnakes, and don't know the difference between good and evil! (What of the writer?) The Germans have just as much right to declare the Poles and Jews exterminable vermin, subhuman, as we have to select the Germans: in other words, no right, whatever they have done.|J.R.R. Tolkien — September 23, 1944}}

{{quote|I have the hatred of apartheid in my bones; and most of all I detest the segregation or separation of Language and Literature. I do not care which of them you think White.|From a [[Valedictory Address to the University of Oxford]] in [[1959]]}}

{{quote|As for what you say or hint of ‘local’ conditions: I knew of them. I don't think they have much changed (even for the worse). I used to hear them discussed by my mother; and have ever since taken a special interest in that part of the world. The treatment of colour nearly always horrifies anyone going out from Britain, & not only in South Africa. Unfort[unately], not many retain that generous sentiment for long.|[[Letter 61]] — Written to Christopher Tolkien who was stationed in South Africa during World War II}}

{{quote|Anyway, I have in this War a burning private grudge—which would probably make me a better soldier at 49 than I was at 22: against that ruddy little ignoramus Adolf Hitler (for the odd thing about demonic inspiration and impetus is that it in no way enhances the purely intellectual stature: it chiefly affects the mere will). Ruining, perverting, misapplying, and making for ever accursed, that noble northern spirit, a supreme contribution to Europe, which I have ever loved, and tried to present in its true light.|[[Letter 45]]}}

==External links==

*[http://middle-earth.xenite.org/2012/11/29/is-it-true-there-is-racism-in-the-lord-of-the-rings/ Is It True There is Racism in The Lord of the Rings?] by [[Michael Martinez]]
*[http://tolkien.slimy.com/faq/External.html#Racist Portion of a Tolkien FAQ attempting to give an answer to the matter]
*[http://www.rediff.com/news/2003/jan/08lord.htm Critique of the Lord of the Rings as an 'epic rooted in racism' by Dr Shapiro]
*[http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/chi-030112epringsrace,0,4574891.story 'Lord' of racism? Critics view trilogy as discriminatory] by Chicago Tribune
* [https://tolkienland.wordpress.com/2018/01/21/tolkiens-squinteyed-orc-men/
Tolkien’s Squinteyed Orc-men
]
{{references}}
[[Category:Debates]]
[[category:Tolkien criticism]]