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Full-Text Articles in Arts and Humanities
"Dwarves Are Not Heroes": Antisemitism And The Dwarves In J.R.R. Tolkien's Writing, Rebecca Brackmann
"Dwarves Are Not Heroes": Antisemitism And The Dwarves In J.R.R. Tolkien's Writing, Rebecca Brackmann
Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature
This challenging paper on mythology in Tolkien’s depiction of Dwarves brings some much-needed definition to the ongoing discussion of Tolkien and race. Quotes China Miéville’s observation that “racism is true” in Tolkien’s works, “in that people really are defined by their race,” but demonstrates how Tolkien’s conception of the racial characteristics of Dwarves changed over his lifetime. Yet we come back in the end to the inescapable fact, with all its implications, that the Dwarves continue to have a set of recognizable racial characteristics.
Rethinking Shylock's Tragedy: Radford's Critique Of Anti-Semetism In The Merchant Of Venice, Frank P. Riga
Rethinking Shylock's Tragedy: Radford's Critique Of Anti-Semetism In The Merchant Of Venice, Frank P. Riga
Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature
Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice is not usually thought of as one of his more mythically resonant plays (aside from the Belmont casket scene), yet it is ultimately based on prevailing contemporary Christian myths about Jews and the way these myths defined Christians’ beliefs about themselves. This paper examines film director Michael Radford’s masterful use of myths and symbolism in his production of this play. Includes a reproduction of a painting which Radford duplicates in the final scene of the film, resolving the multiple themes of the play.