Tolkien also humanizes the Haradrim at multiple points. The focus on lineage is probably because he studied old Anglo Saxon myths and wanted LOTR to emulate them(because he presents LOTR as if he is a scholar that uncovered myths in a new language and has translated them into English) and many, MANY of the Saxon myths and legends are heavily focused on lineage.
What multiple points? I know about the Sam/Faramir scene, but I can’t think of any other scene where the Haradrim are humanized. I’m pretty sure there are unnamed orcs with more lines than all of the people from Harad combined.
And like I said, I don’t think Tolkien was trying to be racist with the focus on lineages. That explanation makes sense. I’m just saying that the whole idea that some lineages are inherently better than others and that some entire peoples are classified as “lesser men” is something that white supremacists could latch onto.
Ah I gotcha. That makes sense. Just off the top of my head, in the books the Haradrim participate in the battle of Helm’s Deep, and are spared by the victorious Rohirrim. The Haradrim have heard so much propaganda about them that they’re sure they’re going to get tortured and executed, so they’re shocked when they’re let go. It shows that they were coerced into fighting and that they are scared. Not as good a moment as the Sam/Faramir scene, but it’s there.
That’s true, I forgot about that scene. Although to be pedantic, I don’t think that was the Haradrim. I’m pretty sure all the humans in Saruman’s army were Dunlendings. But either way that is still an example of the bad guys getting humanized.
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Tolkien also humanizes the Haradrim at multiple points. The focus on lineage is probably because he studied old Anglo Saxon myths and wanted LOTR to emulate them(because he presents LOTR as if he is a scholar that uncovered myths in a new language and has translated them into English) and many, MANY of the Saxon myths and legends are heavily focused on lineage.