Orientalist Representation in JRR Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings

Abstract

JRR Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings on its surface level is a medieval romance with issue of morality of good versus evil but in deeper level it springs to orientalist representation deciphering discrimination between the West and the non-West. For Tolkien, the Elves and Men of West are presented as reasonable, merciful, fair leaders and in fair complexion. The whole earth should be under their domination though they are the settlers there. When they are resisted by the forces from the East, they reunite the different races of the West to terminate the East and are shown to be successful. The Elven races leave the Middle-earth for the far-West when they see it under domination of the Western king, Elessar after the destruction and ultimate defeat of Eastern force. Tolkien suggests his panacea for peace to exterminate the East and come under the monarchial rule of West. The discriminative representation of East and Easterners with their belongings as dark forces with disgusting and horrifying characteristics of cruelty, evil and humanoid breeds in comparison to the Westerners is to suffuse the superiority and domination of West which reveals the latent orientalist psyche of Tolkien being manifested through the novel.