Re: Lord of the Rings: war propaganda?

["LouPaulsen" <LouPaulsen@xxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Louis Proyect" <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, December 15, 2002 9:14 AM
Subject: Lord of the Rings: war propaganda?


> (Last night I watched "Lord of the Rings, part one" on video. Although I
> fell asleep during the final 1/3rd of the flick, I can't say that it was a
> total disaster. Compared to most commercial films, it was at least
> watchable. This morning this NY Times article reminded me of the
> controversy it generated--including on the list--when some critics
explored
> what they saw as the reactionary character of Tolkien's home-grown
mythology.)

To give Tolkien his due, his vision is more pre-capitalist utopianism than
imperialism: anti-technological, pacifistic, and feudal.  Orcs are depicted
as lovers of technology.  While the fellowship is away, Saruman's people
build a new mill in Hobbiton which pollutes the air and water; they cut down
the Party Tree, and put the people in barracks housing.  The Ring is a
superweapon.  The point of the story is to destroy the superweapon and to
defy the temptation to use the superweapon yourself or build your own
superweapon.

In the preface referred to in the NYT article, Tolkien is more explicit
about his politics: if he had meant LOTR to be a political allegory of the
present day (the cold war), then he would have had all sides obtain or make
their own superweapons and use hobbits only as pawns.

Unfortunately it is much more correct to charge Tolkien with racism and
sexism.  "Black men" and "swarthy men" are always on the enemy side.  After
you see the scene in "Malcolm X" where Malcolm goes over the dictionary
definitions of "black" and "white", Tolkien will never be quite the same.
The sexism of course goes hand in hand with the world view of that whole
Christian circle.  See all of C.S. Lewis's writings for elaboration.

Lou Paulsen
Chicago


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