Writing back to Tolkien: gender, sexuality and race in high fantasy

Edited book (chapter)

Baker, Dallas John. 2017. "Writing back to Tolkien: gender, sexuality and race in high fantasy." Baker, Dallas John, Brien, Donna Lee and Sulway, Nike (ed.) Recovering history through fact and fiction: forgotten lives. Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. pp. 123-143
Chapter Title

Writing back to Tolkien: gender, sexuality and race in high fantasy

Book Chapter CategoryEdited book (chapter)
ERA Publisher ID1417
Book TitleRecovering history through fact and fiction: forgotten lives
Authors
AuthorBaker, Dallas John
EditorsBaker, Dallas John, Brien, Donna Lee and Sulway, Nike
Page Range123-143
Chapter Number11
Number of Pages20
Year2017
PublisherCambridge Scholars Publishing
Place of PublicationNewcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom
ISBN9781527503250
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.

KeywordsTolkien, writing back, fantasy fiction, The Faeden Chronicles, D.J. McPhee
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020470599. 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 AffiliationsSchool of Arts and Communication
Institution of OriginUniversity of Southern Queensland
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