The Symbolism of Modern Fantasy (Was "HM 10.4 NOW OUT!")

This stuff looks very interesting.  Also it may be of interest to note Peter Jackson's latest installment and film adaptation of the Lord of the Rings trilogy (The Two Towers). 

Near the beginning, Sauron the villian is discussing his plans with the renegade wizard Saruman.  He speaks of the world of Middle Earth falling under the "engine of war" and the "fires of industry."

Mordor itself (Sauron's realm) looks like a place that's been torn apart by capitalism run rampant and modernization gone bad.  Pits, smoke, fumes, streams of lava, and gashes in the earth - all of this, plus all the torches, the Dark Tower itself standing like a cross between an un-environmentally friendly factory of the worst kind and a skyscraper, the roads of Mordor (they resemble ugly highways), and the many similar features found in Saruman's hold at Isengard, points to the symbolization of the modern world where corporate capitalism shows its true face and its inevitable effects upon humankind and the environment in the worst way. 

Contrast this with Fangorn Forest of the tree-herding ents or the Shire where the hobbits reside.  Now, part of this I recognize is JRR Tolkien's folklorish way of distinguishing between the best of the old, pre-modern world and the worst of the modern industrialized world.  But look at Jackson's film, the imagery, and listen to the dialogue.  Peter Jackson has added some interesting features to the story, some elements that do not come out initially from reading Tolkien's books.

So has Peter Jackson made a statement against the modern, industrialized, capitalistic world in his production of LOTR? ... Take a look even at relevant scenes from The Fellowship of the Ring movie on video or DVD, and decide for yourself.

All the best!

Luke Rondinaro

 Sébastien Budgen <sebastien.budgen@wanadoo.fr> wrote:

> Historical Materialism: Research in Critical Marxist Theory
>
> Announcing issue 10.4, January 2003.
> .......
>
> A special symposium: MARXISM AND FANTASY

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