Part 5/13:
Dr. Ona Nubia, a historian and the course leader, argues that Tolkien’s treatment of these races perpetuates a tradition of “anti-African antipathy,” and furthermore, that such depictions align with Western stereotypes, positing these characters as inherently evil due to their skin color or origins. The course’s critique extends beyond Tolkien to other British literature, including C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. It suggests that portrayals of certain cultures or races as cruel, barbaric, or exotic are embedded within classical literature, exemplifying longstanding racial stereotypes.