The Wretched of Middle‐Earth: An Orkish Manifesto☆

2022/09/01 by Charles W. Mills · 1 voice
Arts and Humanities · #Folklore, Mythology, and Literature Studies #Themes in Literature Analysis

paper · doi:10.1111/sjp.12477

openalex publication_date 2022/09/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/25

Abstract

Abstract This previously‐unpublished essay by the late Charles W. Mills (1951–2021) seeks to demonstrate the racially‐structured character of the universe created by J. R. R. Tolkien in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Written long before the popular film series, the essay critically examines Tolkien's novels and comments on the nature of fictional creation. Mills argues that Tolkien designs a racial hierarchy in the novels that recapitulates the central racist myth of European thought.

Discussions

• Mills's posthumously published article providing an analysis of the Racial hierarchy in LoTR: [bsky, 0 points, 1 comments]

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