Michael Moorcock vs Tolkein

[Zzzptm]

Michael Moorcock is an interesting literary critic, particularly for the way he paints Tolkein, CS Lewis, Asimov, and others as crypto-fascists with their views of the world expressed in their literature. Moorcock makes his statement because of the way problems are resolved in these works through military force, state planning, things like that. Whereas, in his works or those of authors like Philip K. Dick or Ursula K. LeGuin, problems either aren't resolved, the state planning goes horribly wrong, or the problem is solved through a rejection of force/state/capitalism.

It's interesting in which bands are drawn to what Moorcock criticizes and which ones are drawn to what he praises. Led Zeppelin does seem to lean towards a kind of "heavy" view of the world, with men pretty much in charge and able to do as they choose. Whereas, Blue Oyster Cult and Hawkwind not only worked with Moorcock on some songs, they reflect a bizarre, chaotic world in the rest of their musical works.

And while Moorcock would disparage the crypto-fascist stuff, I see it as no less compelling a work, even if it's one that would appeal to the Hitlers of the world. Think of it - Hitler would see the Communists as Orcs, led by a Stalinist Sauron, with a wayward Gondor equal to Western Europe, with the Stewards of Gondor and Saruman as metaphors for his targets in Mein Kampf. All Middle-Earth needs is a savior to topple those Stewards and Sarumans and then lead the armies to get some eastern elbow-room...

I can still enjoy LotR, but I can now also read it on a different level... same with Star Trek and other militarized future worlds of sci-fi.

[Billy Underdog]

^^^ Funny enough, then, that TolkIEn used WWII as an inspiration, but then ofcourse with Hitler as Sauron. Him being a Brit with a son out fighting, that's pretty understandable.

[Vyn]

^^^ Funny enough, then, that TolkIEn used WWII as an inspiration, but then ofcourse with Hitler as Sauron. Him being a Brit with a son out fighting, that's pretty understandable.

He also fought in WWI.

I disagree with Moorcock's use of the label "crypto-fascist" in regard to Asimov especially; Red Dwarf's use of the label was always on point

[Zzzptm]

Moorcock goes too far, I think, but I take his point about authors that find solutions in having faith in governments and paternalistic guidance.

And while Tolkien (damn! spelling error!) pretty much saw the Germans as the baddies - and rightly so - it's not like the British Empire itself was innocent. To a lot of people in Asia and Africa, there is a very large amount of animosity towards what the British did to them. I think Moorcock's awareness of that imperialism led him to equate crypto-fascism with LotR.

To be sure, interesting how the Hobbits did a great deal of the work, but the royal human's the one that got the crown. Are the Hobbits a metaphor for coolie labor?

[Billy Underdog]

it's not like the British Empire itself was innocent

Ohh, not in any way. Anyone with more than two hours of history lessions should know that.
Funny, really, one (of VERY many) reason(s) for "the great war pt. 1" kicking off was that Germany was jealous and wanted their piece of the empire pie (even going back to the 1870-wars), and during that war and the extension "the great war pt. 2" what really happened was by and large the downfall of the British and French empires instead. Go Wilhelm II!

Good point about the Hobbits. If not coolie labor as such, then atleast the "common soldier" being the real heroes.

[Zzzptm]

... but still a common soldier doing his bit for King and Country. Moorcock wanted to see more people doing their bits for themselves, screw king and/or country.

[Billy Underdog]

Well, that's what a common soldier does, isn't it? That being said, i agree wholeheartedly with Moorcock. Socialism, it's called...

To be clear about the previous post; yeah, one can argue that the German Empire was an empire already , so to be spesific, it was more the colonial side of imprealism i was talking about...

[Zzzptm]

As it happens, I find myself drawn to Philip K. Dick's fiction very much, as I appreciate how his characters are trying to deal with how they're cogs in the machine. Even his characters in positions of power are still cogs in a much larger machine. He asks questions about solutions and they don't come from a government or army, but from realizing an inner humanity and/or spirituality. The great battles are not between nations, but within our souls.

[AnnoMundi]

He was involved with Hawkwind, which is kind of weird.

[Zzzptm]

He was involved with Hawkwind, which is kind of weird.

Not all that weird, Moorcock also did work with Blue Oyster Cult. Definitely an edgy, anarchic kind of guy.