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Alexander Bain
Mrs. Jennifer Williams
ENG 101
25 JUN 2014
Dissecting the Elves
Metaphorically Speaking, Of Course
The wide world is all about you: you can fence yourself in, but you cannot forever fence
it out (Tolkien). With the diligent strokes of his pen, J.R.R. Tolkien illustrated the vast expanse
known as Middle-Earth. Immense detail and rich history floods the pages of Tolkiens classic,
which in turn overflowed and drenched the literary world. Tolkiens passing in 1973
(Biography) could not quell the waves of influence created by the Lord of the Rings; the
trilogy made its blockbuster debut with LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring in 2001 under the
direction of Peter Jackson. Standing the tests of time, J.R.R. Tolkien lives on through this classic
from the United Kingdom.
One of the most appealing features in The Fellowship of the Ring is the numerous
inhabitants of Middle-Earth encountered by viewers and readers alike: men, hobbits, and orcs, oh
my! Yet it is the elves, intricately painted and immortally infused into our imaginations, that
capture the hearts of and minds of the audience. In fact, the elves are far more than charming
faces. By analyzing elven relations with other races, interactions with the environment, and
sociopolitical structure we will discover why the elves intrigue viewers to such great extent.
Elves appear to live secluded lives, making no notable appearance or engaging in major
conflict since the defeat of Sauron. Against a sea of orcs, the war undoubtedly contributed to
extensive casualties to the alliance of men and elves. Additionally, since the elves bear the trait
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of immortality, it is very possible that reproduction is not a priority in their culture. They also do
not openly welcome visitors without just cause, as was depicted when elves welcomed The
Fellowship with bows drawn in Lothlorien. While the reason for their sequestered existence is
not investigated in the 2001 film, one deduction is the elven population is waning in comparison
to their human counterparts. However their seclusion is not all encompassing, as when they do
interact with visitors of different races, unique interactions are present for each.
Of the western races, elves appear to portray positive relations with hobbits and men,
while correspondence with dwarves comes across rough and resentful. Men and elves stood
together and fell together in the previous war against the Dark-Lord. Much like WWI allies, The
United Kingdom and France, bonds forged in blood remain diligent against the waves of time.
Relationships between men and elves are also apparent, as displayed by the struggling love of
Arwen and Aragorn. Arwen also displayed compassion and care for Frodo upon their meeting
even though the young Baggins was a stranger to elves. Upon Frodos recovery in the elven
refuge Rivendell, onlookers greet the return of Bilbo Baggins to the stage. The addition of Sam,
Merry, and Pippin among equates to five hobbits residing in the Elven city. Once again
referencing the immortality of elves, knowledge of the peaceful lives of hobbits is quite viable.
This fact coupled with the timid stature of hobbits result in the immediate welcoming of the five
halflings. Dwarf-elf compatibility is battered in comparison. Within the first on screen
appearance of the bearded race, an outspoken Gimli states I will be dead before I see the ring in
the hands of an elf! Never trust an elf! Obvious distrust and distaste between dwarves and elves
mirror racism in modern society, allowing viewers who have experienced discrimination to relate
to the uphill battle posed by racism. Yet even the rocky connection with dwarves dwindles in
comparison with the much closer elven relative of eastern Middle-Earth.
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Depicting a living example of Yin and Yang, orcs are fallen elves of ages long past.
When Saruman has created the first Uruk-hai he asks, Do you know how the Orcs first came
into being? They were elves once, taken by the dark powers, tortured and mutilated. A ruined
and terrible form of life. Tolkiens The Simarillion further supports the speculation that orcs are
elves twisted and corrupted by dark powers and influential evil. There is no evidence in the film
that displays non-violent or peaceful interaction with the orcs by any of the other primary races:
men, hobbits, dwarves and elves. Since Tolkien was a Catholic, the metaphorical relationship
between elves and orcs may possess religious implications. Isaac and Ishmael, sons of Abraham
and heralds of Judaism and Islam respectively, might represent the relationship between the
western races and orcs. Bloody crusades between the two growing religions mirror the struggle
of Middle-Earth, with Tolkien representing Islam as the enemy of Judeo-Christian culture.
Additionally, Tolkiens service as a lieutenant in WWI (Biography) also mimics the bloodshed
between Mordor in the East and the other races in the West. Elves, in their seclusion could easily
represent the United Kingdom, an isolated island nation.
While generally independent from the other major races, the elves do welcome one
roommate: Mother Nature. A babbling brook borders Rivendell, while delightfully green
vegetation frequents the stony walkways. Elven connection with nature is more apparent in the
residence of Lothlorien, where towering trees embody infrastructure of the elven populace.
Decidedly, the pointy-eared citizens represent stout environmentalist, preferring to live among
the wildlife rather than a town of city. Their extreme stance on the environment is expressed
further by the other races. Hobbits farm the land for produce and maintain perfectly trimmed
yards. Men have erected humble towns and massive cities such as Bree and Gondor. Dwarves
mine deep into the mountain, harvesting the precious stone and creating their underground
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kingdom. Coincidentally, their philosophical opposites possess the most extreme stance on the
environment.
Orcs represent the change towards industrialism. Under the command of Saruman, orcs
rip trees from the ground, putting the wood to use building and fueling the fires of industry. They
mass-produce armor as if Henry Ford lead them, and even create life in the form of the Uruk-hai
with earth and magic. An industrial revolution is at hand within the pits of Isengard. The staunch
contrast depicted in Peter Jackson big screen epic between elven environmentalist and orcish
industries could further peek into Tolkiens wartime experience. WWI gave rise to armored
vehicles, indirect artillery fire, and chemical warfare. For Tolkien, this race for more efficient
weaponry led to greater bloodshed and suffering, a trait easily applicable to the carnal
personalities of the orcs. The all-male populace of orcs also depicts the unisex soldiers attacking
the citizens of France and the United Kingdom. Unquestionably, Middle-Earth and Europe share
a parallel history of wars and battles for territory.
In fact, the people of Middle-Earth also show similarities with the sociopolitical climate
of a historical Europe. Elves exhibit a feudal system of government with individuals such as
Lord Elrond ruling Rivendell, and Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel ruling Lothlorien.
Additionally, while Lady Galadriel fought the seduction of the One Ring, she revealed inner
desires of queenship. The political climate does not indicate the presence of dictators, or those
who would rule by force. Elven immortality also means that those in political positions have held
them for hundreds of years, just as lineages of kings and queens inherit the throne. This is yet
another implication of the United Kingdom by Tolkien. However, political construction is not
the only social similarity between elves and medieval Europe.
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All elves in The Lord of the Rings are fair-skinned and possess long, fine hair. They
appear almost Nordic is physical appearance (Nordic Race). Caucasian representation of elves
is further exemplified when compared with their counterparts, the orcs. While orcs display
different shades of brown, it implicates a visual metaphor of Middle-Eastern inhabitants
compared to the light skinned Europeans. Tolkiens selection of skin-color for the elves may be a
further depiction of Roman-Catholics during The Crusades. In addition to the connection of
light-skinned feudalism by the elves, there is also the presentation of unique gender roles in the
elven community.
All elves in position of power are either male or accompanied by a male. While Lady
Galadriel is a very influential figure in the elven community, she rules Lothlorien alongside her
husband Celeborn. Yet other than the ruling power, elves of both genders are portrayed on an
equal playing field. Arwen supports the notion elven men and women maintain equal ability by
not only catching Aragorn unaware, but also outrunning nine Ringwraiths. Her valiant effort
paints her the hero of the day and Frodo the classic damsel in distress. Furthermore, when the
Fellowship is ambushed by Lothlorien elves, viewers observe female archers. This implies that
Arwen is not an outlier, but female elves are common among hunting parties and guards.
In conclusion of the analysis, it is clear that Peter Jackson excellently portrays ideas of
Tolkien in the short time span of the movie. However, most of this analysis included information
from the book LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring as well as The Simarillion. To fully grasp the
depth of cultural representations, political allusions, and racial references, it is imperative that
inquisitive minds seek more information from literary elements. While Jacksons films are
extravagant and highly praised, they are limited to the imagination of Jackson. The ultimate
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recommendation would be to read trilogy, and let reader dive into the vast expanse of fantasy,
swim through their own imagination, and enjoy the beauty of The Lord of the Rings.





















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Works Cited
"Biography." The Tolkien Society. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 June 2014.
King James Bible. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible, 1973. Print.
"Nordic Race." Nordic Race. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 June 2014.
Tolkien, J. R. R. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. London: HarperCollins,
1974. Print.
Tolkien, J. R. R. The Silmarillion. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1977. Print.