One may think that in fantasy worlds, so far removed from our own, with their own races, species, magical systems, and hierarchies, that the issues of inequality that are so ingrained in our own society, would not be an issue. However, to make such an assumption would be a mistake.

Take J R R Tolkien for example. The Hobbit and the series, The Lord of the Rings are undoubtably influential works of literature, their success sparking the legacy of the ‘high fantasy’ genre, which involves high stakes and thrilling quests. However, despite the success of his work, its Eurocentric bias cannot be denied. Tolkien draws from Norse and Celtic folklore, as well as Arthurian legend, such as the tale of Perceval and the quest for the Holy Grail. This European mythology is filled with grand ideas about heroism, nobility, and chivalry. However, it is notable that this leading fantasy novel neglects to look at precolonial myths and other cultural histories outside Europe.

Contemporary authors, such as Marlon James, are reversing this inattention by writing fantasy novels based in African folklore, recognising the rich cultures that exist outside of other authors’, such as Tolkien’s scope. In his 2019 novel, Black Leopard, Red Wolf takes inspiration from the Anansi stories, for example, with their themes of wisdom and creativity, often involving a spider trickster. James describes this book as the outcome of his ‘searching for my own mythologies’ that he could call his own, as a Jamaican writer. 

It is further important to note not only the mythologies that fantasy novels are based on, but also the magical systems and hierarchies within the novels themselves, and the problems that can arise from these. A particular area of issue among critics in Tolkien’s scathingly brutal descriptions of the ‘orc’ creatures in his tales. Tolkien calls their language ‘degraded and filthy’. While it is inevitable for novels to have antagonistic characters, as Nora K Jemisin points out, ‘All mythological creatures have a real world root’. The way in which orcs are referred to as dark, savage lesser beings is dehumanising, and can be seen as uncomfortably close to the rhetoric of racism that is experienced in the real world. Orcs are representative of the fear of the ‘Other’ that runs throughout humanity. Feminist author Simone de Beauvoir noted in The Second Sex that ‘no group ever sets itself up as the One without at once setting up the Other over against itself’. While she was referring to the gender imbalance, it also applies here. Fantasy authors are demonstrating that the upholding of a hierarchy that causes inequality, due to a fear of the ‘Other’ is an idea so ingrained within the minds of mankind that it pervades even in a fictional realm.

While I in no way intend to diminish the suffering of real people today through the comparison with fictional worlds, it is important to recognise that fiction is the translation of human beliefs from the mind onto the page. It is therefore important, when reading fantasy novels, and all works of literature, to look at them from a critical viewpoint and recognise their drawbacks and real-world influences.

Featured image: Davidson Luna via Unsplash