Document Type
Essay
Award Designation
First place
Publication Date
2024
Abstract
J.R.R. Tolkien is unarguably the most influential fantasy author of modern literature. The modern fantasy genre, from Harry Potter to Game of Thrones, would not exist without him. The motifs in Tolkien’s works, from elves to dwarves to the epic quest to save the world, have been retold and ingrained into the subconscious of the western world, so that a work of fantasy would not be fantasy without displaying at least some elements originating from Tolkien. His major works, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, have become staples of Western literature and film. However, some criticism has been made on the relative lack of women in Tolkien’s works, as well as claims of stereotypical and limited roles of these women, leading to the conclusion that Tolkien was sexist. Those who make these claims have probably not read The Silmarillion. Not only does Tolkien’s The Silmarillion portray female characters in a progressive light, especially for the time and genre in which it was written, but the complexity and roles of its female characters are such as to disprove claims of Tolkien’s sexism for even more feminist readers. Through analysis of differing modes of power between males and females, the role of masculinity and femininity in the created world, and focus on specific female characters, this essay will show how The Silmarillion places women, and femininity, in positions of great power and importance.
Disciplines
Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies | Women's Studies
eCommons Citation
Shelly, Madeline, "The Power of Females and Femininity in The Silmarillion" (2024). Joyce Durham Essay Contest in Women's and Gender Studies. 24.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/wgs_essay/24
Comments
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