Writing back to Tolkien: gender, sexuality and race in high fantasy
Edited book (chapter)
Chapter Title | Writing back to Tolkien: gender, sexuality and race in high fantasy |
---|---|
Book Chapter Category | Edited book (chapter) |
ERA Publisher ID | 1417 |
Book Title | Recovering history through fact and fiction: forgotten lives |
Authors | |
Author | Baker, Dallas John |
Editors | Baker, Dallas John, Brien, Donna Lee and Sulway, Nike |
Page Range | 123-143 |
Chapter Number | 11 |
Number of Pages | 20 |
Year | 2017 |
Publisher | Cambridge Scholars Publishing |
Place of Publication | Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom |
ISBN | 9781527503250 |
Web Address (URL) | http://www.cambridgescholars.com/recovering-history-through-fact-and-fiction |
Abstract | This book chapter discusses race, gender and sexuality in the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien and in High Fantasy. The chapter argues that the discursive Tolkien, the Tolkien that emerges from scholarly reading and discussion of his works, is at risk of being obscured by the cultish popularity of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit books and films. It suggests that the privileged readings of Tolkien’s works are racist and sexist and posits “writing back” to Tolkien by creating more diverse Tolkienesque fiction as a way to intervene in and resist negative discourses about race, gender and sexuality arising from those privileged readings. The paper uses the author’s Young Adult fantasy trilogy, The Faeden Chronicles, as a case study of such a writing back. |
Keywords | Tolkien, writing back, fantasy fiction, The Faeden Chronicles, D.J. McPhee |
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020 | 470599. Literary studies not elsewhere classified |
360201. Creative writing (incl. scriptwriting) | |
Public Notes | File reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher/author. |
Byline Affiliations | School of Arts and Communication |
Institution of Origin | University of Southern Queensland |
https://research.usq.edu.au/item/q483z/writing-back-to-tolkien-gender-sexuality-and-race-in-high-fantasy
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