The Problem of Female Characters in Tolkien
So the first part of "The Hobbit" is out in theaters. With the release of another Peter Jackson film based on the work of Tolkien, pundits everywhere can once again gloss the back cover of the book or watch the trailer of the movie and render sweeping judgments.
The latest one comes from Ruth Davis Konigsberg of Time Online. Her complaint is not a new one. The Hobbit and Tolkien's works in general are lacking in a sufficient number of female characters. This makes them unrealistic and very unapproachable by women.
The problem is one of biological accuracy. Tolkien’s characters defy the basics of reproduction: dwarf fathers beget dwarf sons, hobbit uncles pass rings down to hobbit nephews. If there are any mothers or daughters, aunts or nieces, they make no appearances. Trolls and orcs especially seem to rely on asexual reproduction, breeding whole male populations, which of course come in handy when amassing an army to attack the dwarves and elves.
Now, I know that Tolkien has many devoted fans among the fairer sex, so clearly there is enough in the books and stories to attract women to them, and I won't go on to detail all the important female characters that do exist or are mentioned. The critique I have is that this complainer is looking at the stories in the wrong light.
For the most part, Lord of the Rings and the mythology of Middle Earth is written based around the various wars fought between the powers of Good and Evil. The focus on male characters is only natural in this case, as men have historically been the primary participants and instigators of war. If one where to write the history of European wars, Chinese wars, Japanese wars, or any other nation's, one would find the books filled to the brim with males. This is not to say that women were not part of these wars. Some were very involved and very important, but the overall ratio is highly skewed to the Y chromosome.
Perhaps tales of women warriors would be more progressive, but they hardly would be more realistic. Perhaps the complainer does not wish to see a movie about a war? This would seem to me to be fine reason to show no interest in "The Hobbit" or "Lord of the Rings," but it is a poor reason to complain about them.
So what do people here think about Tolkien's female characters? Are there enough? Do the books seem unrealistic because of their scarcity?
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Comments:
Jun '12
Re: The Problem of Female Characters in Tolkien
Ruth Davis Konigsberg should write a compelling, epic work of fiction, or take a hike.
Apr '11
Re: The Problem of Female Characters in Tolkien
Ahem. Éowyn. Hello!!!?
Apr '12
Re: The Problem of Female Characters in Tolkien
He wrote ladies, not men with boobs. Of course they find him "unrealistic."
Aug '12
Re: The Problem of Female Characters in Tolkien
There are admitted very *few* women characters in Tolkien, and of these even fewer are even half fleshed out and three dimensional (Eowyn comes closest, Go!ShieldmaindensofRohan!) rather than objects/symbols (that Elf queen in Lothlorien, Mrs Bombadil, Rosie-in-the-Shire) - but let's not forget that the story (the books) is a product of its time and place (written 1930s-1940s?) and is constrained by its genre (boys' own adventure).
Nov '12
Re: The Problem of Female Characters in Tolkien
There are not many female characters in Patrick O'Brian's long series of novels about Napoleonic naval warfare either. He must be a misogynist.
Apr '12
Re: The Problem of Female Characters in Tolkien
No, Tolkien doesn't do much with women. Apart from Eowyn and a little bit Galadriel, the few that there are are basically placeholders. Arwen is Aragorn's Awesome Lady, but receives almost no character development. Rosie's Sam's Simple But Good Sweetheart, but again, that's about all weget. So, not the richest source of material about femininity. But hey, a series doesn't have to do everything in order to be good. Is Jane Austen worthless because her male characters are mostly pretty flat? Women aren't Tolkien's subject.
Mar '11
Re: The Problem of Female Characters in Tolkien
There are no Jews in Tolkein either. Guess I need to stop enjoying his works.
Re: The Problem of Female Characters in Tolkien
I read Tolkien over and over again beginning in 5th grade, absolutely captivated by the story and all the characters. I even tried to learn elvish and dreamed of having my own cloak with a brooch from Lothlorian (those were the days prior to mass production of such things). I'd imagine wearing it to school and everyone thinking I was all dark and mysterious. If I could have carried a sword, I would have. If my parents would have let me go out "into the wild," I'd have been gone in an instant--carrying only lembas bread to eat. More than anything, I wanted to be Aragorn. I never thought once that the books failed me because they didn't have enough female characters. Once again, in Konigsberg article, feminists show what they really are--narcissists. If they don't see themselves in the pages of literature or on the movie screen or in the board room, then something must be wrong with the book or the film or the company. No, honey, something's wrong with YOU. Stop being so self-referenced and you might actually enjoy something as fun as The Lord of the Rings!!
Jun '10
Re: The Problem of Female Characters in Tolkien
This bears repeating. From Huckleberry Finn to Penrod and Sam to Winnie the Pooh, they are all a products of their time.
Dec '12
Re: The Problem of Female Characters in Tolkien
I guess multicultural historical revisionism has come to Middle Earth at last. Looking forward to the Womyn in Orc history addendum.
May '10
Re: The Problem of Female Characters in Tolkien
I think she's on to something.
I've never been able to get into the books. I think I read them through once, but didn't love them. I think this partly explains it.
I have nothing against other people loving them, though. And I certainly don't think the books worthless because they have a weakness. But I do think it's a weakness.
He's not just telling an adventure story, he's creating a whole world. And it's a world too bereft of the feminine to be wholly convincing, at least for me.
I didn't feel that way at all about Patrick O'Brian's series.
About Jane Austen's world, I do think it somewhat lacking in due appreciation for the masculine. A weakness. Doesn't mean I don't love her novels, and highly appreciate their great strengths.
Dec '10
Re: The Problem of Female Characters in Tolkien
Did anybody else notice that the good guys tend to be fair-skinned and the villians... um swarthy?
Mar '12
Re: The Problem of Female Characters in Tolkien
Having read The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy, I would note that I did not miss women per se. I saw a few in particular settings that fit but other than that, no. I believe that, given the story line, they would have been superfluous, other than the few female characters he did introduce into those stories.
Edited on January 4, 2013 at 2:34pmJul '11
Re: The Problem of Female Characters in Tolkien
Odd, I have read a lot of books in my life. Some have the predominately male characters, some have predominately female characters, but I have never thought to judge a literary work based on its male to female ratio.
Does Ms Konigsberg actually believe that Tolkien's work would be improved if he included more about camp followers, fornication and birthing babies? I have my doubts. On the other hand I read for entertainment and do not look for historical / biological accuracy of fictional characters in fantasy worlds.
Oct '12
Re: The Problem of Female Characters in Tolkien
When art is appreciated only through your 'prism' such as feminism, you've missed the point of the art, regardless of the medium.
May '10
Re: The Problem of Female Characters in Tolkien
I agree with your general point. But it doesn't seem to me apropos in this case—unless you would want to argue that there's no difference between femininity and feminism.
Further, can't we all grant the value and necessity of criticism, even of great works of art?
She's not calling for Tolkien to be banned from school curricula because LoTR doesn't have a sufficient number of female characters. She's taking note of a deficit.
Jul '10
Re: The Problem of Female Characters in Tolkien
"Biological accuracy"? Please! If something doesn't appeal to your particular taste, just say so.
Biological accuracy: ever see a toilet on the Enterprise?
Biological accuracy: James Bond is, what, 110 now?
Biological accuracy: Sparkling vampires and sullen werewolves. Need I say more?
Tolkien's worldview was far deeper and richer than Ms. Konigsberg gives credit. In the full scale of Middle Earth, LOTR was a coda, a tying up of loose ends. Female characters? Read the story of Beren and Luthien, or the full history of Galadriel, in The Silmarillion.
May '10
Re: The Problem of Female Characters in Tolkien
I look for truth and reality, especially in the spiritual realm. That the plenitude of personal existence is expressed in the union of male and female is so prime a fact of our experience that where one or the other principle is missing, it jars.
I think Tolkien's greatness has a lot to do with the fact that he gets other prime things, such as the reality of evil, personal responsibility, the value of suffering, etc., exactly right.
May '10
Re: The Problem of Female Characters in Tolkien
I think her point is deeper than that. Also truer.
Dec '12
Re: The Problem of Female Characters in Tolkien
katievs, are you stating that you view Tolkien's treatment of femininity (as opposed to feminism) as a weakness?