Racial diversity in the films

How will today's obsession with racial balance in casts affect LotR? The books are dominated by white men (or dwarves, elves, hobbits, etc.) along with some white women. All the people of color (the "swarthy" easterlings and Haradrim) are villains, and that might not be acceptable in today's PC world. However, if there were black heroes, that wouldn't necessarily fit in with LotR. And what about Asians?

Is this a problem? Should there be a racially balanced cast of heroes despite the descriptions in LotR? That certainly seems to be the trend. In a recent production of "You're A Good Man Charlie Brown," there was an African-Am. Schroeder and an Asian Linus, and in Disney's recent production of Cinderella, there were familes with all sorts of different ethnic groups.

I personally don't find it a problem. If they decided to use ethnic actors, it would not ruin the story for me. By all means, use some diversity.

Hmm.....we too had a African-Am. playing Schroeder, in our production of YAGMCB. The thing with Cinderella is, it has been done so many different times before, that it was a natural course of action for Disney to use ethnic actors as a way to make it seem different. IMO, I believe it was their motivation.

Hollywood usually has no problems casting non-whites for secondary roles, or side-kicks.

Quite another story when it comes to main characters.

Why should all the hobbits be white? Where they specifically described as being uniformly white in the Shire? Was Sam, or even Frodo and Bilbo hinted to be white (I don't know, you tell me, I don't remember)? I'm pretty sure the Elves were described as whitish, but what about the Men (Humans), was Aragorn described as white, or the humans as all of white skin? (again, I don't remember).

We've seen the heroes as white from the trailer, so it seems that the diversity in skin color, if any, will be found in the background.

But really, would any story about the early european history contain any non-caucasian characters; very probably not. Just as a film about the Chin dynasty very long ago couldn't contain a European/white character.

I know at one point Sam's skin is described as "brown". Now that could mean sun-tanned or African. The Harfoots are described as being "browner of skin", again this could be open to interpretation. Aragorn was Numenorean, and so was white. The Rohirrim are alse definitely white. I've seen Michael Martinez argue that Gondor in the Third Age had a racially mixed population, so there could be racial diversity included in Gondor. Perhaps if Michael has time to visit us again, he'll expand on the racial diversity in Gondor.

I have never really been sure of how race is a factor in LotR either. I do think that in general the point about the setting being essentially European is a good one. I never have figured out if by "darker" of skin Tolkien meant people of an African-like race or if they were just darker caucasian, such as the Mediterranean races(if they are not considered caucasian and I have inadvertently offended, I offer my apologies). I agree, by all means PJ should use a racially mixed cast if it helps the film. As far as the Hobbits go, I have always pictured them in my mind as white, but that may simply be due to the fact that I am also white. I picture the elves as being rather pale (hey, they do seem to prefer the night :lol: ) but there again, that may just be me. Certainly I will not gripe at a particular actor playing a part simply because he is black, white, or any other ethnic group. Rest assured, any complaint I will have is if a part is ruined by bad acting.

I always thought of the Haradrim looking Arabian or Indian and those from Far Harad being dark black, because of the geography. I think I've seen maps of the entire globe at that time, and a continent that looks a lot like Africa extends down from Far Harad. Plus, aren't elephants (Oliphaunts) from India and Arabia?

As mentioned, the main characters have already been cast and seem to be white. I thought it might be interesting if the Elves were played by Asian actors to establish them as "apart" from the European humans, but I guess it's too late for that. Plus, Elves have blond hair, don't they?

Not all Elves have blonde hair! (You did know that and were joking, right?) Yes, there are Asian elephants, as well as African elephants.

I've always cringed a little when reading terms like "lesser men" in Tolkien. And one can't help but notice that as a rule, the lesser races of men are darker skinned (and shorter) than the greater ones. They are also, as a rule, more prone to evil.

Same is true of Hobbits -- there are different strains, and fairest strain is sort of greater than the others. From the Prologue to The Fellowship of the Ring:

"The Fallohides were fairer of skin and also of hair, and they were taller and slimmer than the others..."

"...In Eriador they soon mingled with the other kinds that had preceded them, but being somewhat bolder and more adventurous, they were often found as leaders or chieftains among the clans of Harfoots and Stoors. Even in Bilbo's time the strong Fallohide strain could still be noted among the greater families, such as the Tooks and the Masters of Buckland."

In other words, in Tolkien's world, blood matters.

I know they're fantasy stories and not really literal descriptions of our world. But in view of what happened during WWII, I find some of the race stuff in LoTR just a little troubling.

I hadn't thought about that, Easygreen, but you make an excellent point. It does tend to remind one vaguely of the eugenics movement under Hitler. But in all fairness, I think that a great many people accepted such views as gospel around the turn of the century. Perhaps Tolkien had older relatives as a young man who held such views and that is where that business about the races came from in LotR.

This has reminded me of something that I read in Letters:

Letter 29 From a letter to Stanley Unwin 25 July, 1938

[Allen & Unwin had negotiated the publication of a German translation of The Hobbit with Rutten & Loening of Potsdam. This firm wrote to Tolkien asking if he was of "arisch" (aryan) origin.]

I must say the enclosed letter from Rutten and Loening is a bit stiff. Do I suffer this impertience because of the possession of a German name, or do their lunatic laws require a certificate of "arisch" origin from all persons of all countries?

Personally I should be inclined to refuse to give any Bestatigung ( verification, acknowledgement) (although it happens that I can), and let German translation go hang. In any case I should object strongly to any such declaration appearing in print. I do not regard the (probably) absence of all Jewish blood as necessarily honourable; and I have many Jewish friends, and should regret giving any colour to the notion that I subscribe to the wholly pernicious and unscientific race-doctrine.

You are primarily concerned, and I connot jeopardize the chance of a German publication without your approval. So I sumit two drafts of possible answers.


Letter 30 to Rutten & loening Verlag 25 July, 1938

[One of the "two drafts" mentioned by Tolkien in the previous letter. This is the only one perserved in the Allen & Unwin files, and it seems therefore very probable the the English publishers sent the other one to Germany. It is clear that in that letter Tolkien refused to make any declaration of "arisch" origin.]

Dear Sirs,
Thank you for your letter......I regret that I am not clear as to what you intend by arisch. I am not of Aryan extraction: that is Indo-iranian; as far as I am aware none of my ancestors spoke Hindustani, Persioan, Gypsy, or any related dialects. But if I am to understand that you are enquiring whether I am of Jewish origin, I can only reply that I regret that I appear to have no ancestors of that gifted people. My great-great-grandfather came to England in the eighteenth century from Germany: the main part of my descent is therefore purely English, and I am an English subject-which should be sufficient. I have been accustomed, nonetheless, to regard my German name with pride, and continued to do so throughout the period of the late regrettable war, in which I served in the English army. I cannot, however, forbear to comment that if impertinent and irrelevant inquiries of this sort are to become the rule in matters of liturature, then the time is not far distant when a German name will no longer be a source of pride.

Your enquiry is doubtless made in order to comply with the laws of your own country, but that this should be held to apply to the subjects of another state would be improper, even if it had (as it has not) any bearing whatsoever on the merits of my work or its suitability for publication, of which you appear to have satisfied yourselves without reference to my Abstammung. ( descent)

I trust you will find this reply satisfactory, and remain yours faithfully.

J.R.R. Tolkien

From the Master himself... thank you anduin...

(Nevertheless, whatever is the truth, perception by the audience is what filmaker and producer may fear most)

Sell-outs!

Excellent post, Anduin. Many thanks for that information, for I had never heard of that correspondence.

etherealunicorn, run out to your nearest bookstore and pick yourself up a copy of The Letters of JRR Tolkien. You will find the correspondance that anduin mentioned and all sorts of other goodies, all from the professor himself. A new edition has just been released, apparently with an improved index, so it sould be relatively easy to find.

Wow, nice!

Many thanks, Eruve, I'll look for that one the next time I am book shopping