Enemies

[davem]

So, I'm reading a collection of Kipling's short stories (I'd only been familiar with this writer through his children's 'Fairy' novels, Puck of Pook's Hill & Rewards & Fairies up till now, so I was unfamiliar with his reputation of 'right wing, proto-Fascist celebrator of the British Empire'). Being very impressed with the stories I today picked up a volume of his Collected Poems, & in the Introduction came across an interesting passage about one of the Barrack Room Ballads:

’E rushes at the smoke when we let drive,
An’, before we know, ’e’s ’ackin’ at our ’ead;
’E’s all ’ot sand an’ ginger when alive,
An’ ’e’s generally shammin’ when ’e’s dead.
’E’s a daisy, ’e’s a ducky, ’e’s a lamb!
’E’s a injia-rubber idiot on the spree,
’E’s the on’y thing that doesn’t give a d**n
For a Regiment o’ British Infantree!

The marks of non-standard diction would suggest some kind of realism. It is true that a certain appreciation of a worthy opponent can be found, in favourable circumstances, among British & other soldiers, & there is a respectable tradition behind the speaker's sense of proffessional duty to give praise where praise is duue - especially tp opponents whose own military organisations do not adequately provide for public recognition & commemoration of exceptional valour.

’E ’asn’t got no papers of ’is own,
’E ’asn’t got no medals nor rewards,
So we must certify the skill ’e’s shown
In usin’ of ’is long two-’anded swords (RT Jones: Collected Poems of Rudyard Kipling)

Now, the poem itself is difficult reading in some ways - (you can read it here - but the poem is not the point of this thread. It was the point the writer made about the respect shown for the enemy - he may be an 'eathen, but by his reckless courage he broke the British Square (infantry formation in battle) & his courage was therefore deserving of both respect & commemoration.

It struck me very forcibly that the enemies encountered by the heroes in Tolkien's work are never shown as deserving of respect - the heroes never face a brave, heroic enemy who is deserving of respect for his courage & resourcefulness & self sacrifice. The enemies are cowardly, win by cheating (either overwhelming numbers or magic or trickery).

Ok, you say, the enemies are in the service of absolute evil & we shouldn't expect them to be portrayed as in any way heroic. Yet, the reality of our world is different. In wartime there are heroes & villains on both sides. I note that when Tolkien first began writing his tales & developing his languages during WWI the Germans were associated with words in Qenya (sic) for monsters & demons, but soon, even during the conflict, this changed.

So, Tolkien's heroes never face an enemy they can respect as a 'worthy opponent'. This , of course, plays up the 'good' vs 'evil' dimension, but what does effect does it have on the heroes themselves - does this constant battle against oppenents who are cruel, vicious, vindictive & evil affect the way they think of themselves? If the enemy they faced was a worthy opponent, with right (to some degree) on their own side, would this make the fight they fought both more 'honourable' & more tragic?

All through the ages of Arda the enemy the heroes face is literally 'vermin' to be eradicated.

Actually, thinking about it, the closest we come is Sam's speculation about the Southron - yet we are never told that Sam is right in his speculation.

So, enemies, & the effect the type of enemy he faces has on the hero. Would the story affect us in the same way if it was a case of two sides, both of whom are to some degree in the right, & would such a war affect the heroes - make them more doubtful of the morality of their actions?

We're told often that the Legendarium is a War Story - yet to what extent does it truly reflect war in our world - & more personally, how does it affect our perception of war generally? Are we lead down the dangerous road of thinking (even subconsciously) of our 'enemies' as Orcs, rather than as (whatever the rights & wrongs of their cause) 'heroes' in their own way, whose reckless courage may 'break the British Square' & is deserving of acknowledgement for that (if for that alone).

So, lots of questions there. Any thoughts?