March 4, 2003

In Response to Elf Girl
Lady of Rohan

Elf Girl, you are right. Tolkien did NOT mean to be racist when he wrote the Lord of the Rings trilogy. That is why there are so many diverse "races" working together. (Elves, Men, Dwaves, Hobbits, etc.)

The reason everyone is "white" is because Tolkien was trying to create a mythology for Britain. Middle-earth is based on the pre-Christian British Isles (England, specifically). They are all white because they are all "British," if that makes any sense at all.

As for the Orcs being dark-skinned, I think race had absolutely nothing to do with it. Tolkien made the Orcs dark-skinned to show that they came from a land of darkness and torment, and that their souls were twisted and evil. The color black has always been a popular literary symbol for evil, and I think Tolkien's intentions were honest and innocent.

He fought in World War I, and his sons fought in World War II. I think it is clear from LOTR that Tolkien had a very keen distaste for hate-mongery of all kinds.