A university professor is critiquing classic literature under the guise of academic exploration.
This includes well-known works by J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and even William Shakespeare.
“Diverse people and Africans lived there.”
Onyeka Nubia, a British historian currently working as an assistant professor at the Faculty of Arts, University of Nottingham, UK, is at the center of this discussion.
hobby racism
In a course titled “Decolonizing Tolkien et al.,” Nubia argues that “people of color” are unfairly demonized in the “Lord of the Rings” series, analyzing specific races of both creatures and humans.
Nubia points out that groups such as the Easterlings, Southrons, and Harad men face particular condemnation. According to a fandom page, the Harad and Southron characters are depicted with black skin, while the Easterlings are described as having “tan or olive” skin.
Fans may argue these races aren’t judged solely on skin color, but Nubia contends they are depicted as “the natural enemies of the white man.”
He extends similar arguments to orcs, despite them being monstrous creations bred for warfare. Furthermore, he claims there is “anti-African antipathy” present in the story, even though some key antagonists are portrayed as light-skinned, like Gríma, Saruman, and Gollum.
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Ian McKellen (left) as Gandalf and Elijah Wood as Frodo in “The Lord of the Rings”. Photo credit: New Line/WireImage/Getty Images
The Chronicles of Narnia
But Nubia doesn’t just limit his critiques to Tolkien. He also examines classics like “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.”
In his analysis of the Calormenes from this fantasy series, he characterizes them as not fitting Eastern stereotypes, but instead as “brutal” individuals with “long beards” adorned with “orange turbans.”
A related fan page describes them as “mostly bearded” and “dark-skinned” men in “fluttering robes, turbans, and wooden shoes.”
Nubia references an article that claims medieval England was quite diverse and populated by Africans, yet he says “ethnic chauvinism” is evident in its literature.
bad bard
This pattern is also noted in Shakespeare’s works. Nubia’s syllabus argues that the playwright presents a vision of an “imaginary monoethnic British past.”
He asserts Shakespeare’s plays are problematic, lacking any mention of Africans in Britain, thereby creating an “illusion” of racial homogeneity.
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Director Peter Jackson attends the world premiere of “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,” December 5, 2002. Photo by Evan Agostini/Getty Images
Various commentators in the media have expressed discontent with these teachings. One noted, “If you consider orcs to be black, you’re a racist.” Another voice on an X account said, “If you look at orcs and see people of color, that’s your problem.”
