The Monstrous Fantastic Conference Paper Abstracts - International ...

92. (F) Leaving the Demonized Other Behind MapleChair: Jude WrightUniversity of South FloridaRelativism and Fantasy: Ambiguous Morality in Erikson’s Gardens of the MoonAdrian BackmannUniversity of OttawaThis paper compares and contrasts Erikson’s narrative to the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche found in Beyond Good and Evil and how thatrelates to a greater literary tradition. I show how Erikson’s technique creates a realistic world that has deeply linked emotional value and apowerful artistic commentary on the nature of humanity’s flaws. By foregoing the classic structure of good versus evil, Erikson has set himselfapart from a fantasy community largely devoted to the preservation of cultural values and beliefs. Due in part to Erikson’s history as ananthropologist, as well as to the situations depicted in his novels, he seems to be in accordance with moral relativists such as FriedrichNietzsche who reject short cuts to morality set up by religion and philosophy. Erikson does not employ a dominant moral standpoint to drivethe story forward. Instead, the narrative creates sympathy for a large variety of characters, even from opposing factions. As a result, right andwrong only exist in an individual’s perspective. There are no romanticized notions of Good and Evil that transcend the day-to-day lives ofErikson’s characters. Also, since this is a fantasy set in a secondary world, there are no moral reference points for the reader. This moralambiguity forces the reader to decide for themselves what is right and what is wrong, a struggle they share with the characters in the novel.This way, Erikson’s novel participates in Nietzsche’s noble/slave morality as it encourages moral independence. Also, by taking place during awar, Erikson shows the ugliest sides of humanity and shows how even regular people can become murderers. Instead of focusing on ademonized Other, Erikson focuses on the monstrosity of human history. However, Gardens of the Moon goes beyond the violence to use thesame technique of perspective to affect sympathy and understanding rather than condemnation.Morphing Monsters: Orcs as Other in Fantasy FictionHelen YoungUniversity of SydneyOrcs, are the staple humanoid monster of fantasy fiction. The word ‘orc’ was used to denote goblin-like creatures as far back as the 1600s butin the modern era, and in fantasy fiction in particular, orcs owe their existence to the imagination of J. R. R. Tolkien. If Tolkien had the first wordon them, however, his was not the last. This paper investigates the development of the orc as monstrous Other and the ways that conventionsare used, reused, and adapted to explore issues of race and difference. How do images of monster and human, evil and good shift as the genredevelops in response to wider social and cultural changes around ethnicity, race, difference and diversity? The paper begins with a briefconsideration of some of the sources for Tolkien’s orc to illuminate the origin of the genre’s conventions and demonstrate their inextricable linkto the often monstrous Saracens in the western literature of the Middle Ages. It will then consider works which engage with those conventionsdirectly, including Stan Nicholls’ Orcs trilogy, and Terry Pratchett’s Unseen Academicals. The paper argues that orcs have represented a useful,but often problematic Other. Tolkien himself was troubled by his own creation: were they corrupted humanity? Could they ever be anythingother than ‘evil’? Where had they come from and what ought their fate be in a world of triumphant ‘good’? These types of questions are takenup in the later texts this paper explores; I argue that orcs are, in some cases at least, becoming less monstrous and more human.“Let’s hunt some Orc!”: Re-evaluating the Monstrosity of OrcsA. P. CanavanEdgehill UniversityWith the exception of Dragons, one of the most recognisable ‘monsters’ of genre fantasy is the humble Orc. Orcs, commonly found in hordes,are the disposable foot soldiers of every evil wizard’s army, and are useful opponents/victims for would-be heroes-in-training. They are evil,barbaric, ugly, brutal and, above all, monstrous. But given the trend of modern Genre Fantasy to move away from simplistic moral polarities tomore complicated moral relativistic positions, can we still treat and react to Orcs in the same way? With some notable exceptions, MaryGentle’s Grunts (1992) and Stan Nicholls’ Orcs (1999-present), the treatment of Orcs has remained fairly consistent ever since Tolkienpopularised them as the enemies of the hero. Using established critical techniques already associated with the fantastic, in particular themonstrous other, otherness, and the psychological readings of monstrosity, the position of the Orc will be established in the context of thegenre. Then, by examining how the Orc has been used in related fantasy media, such as the RPG, it will be shown how the function of the Orchas changed into a ‘disposable’ monster. Lastly, with the Orc as a cypher for almost every evil sentient monster deployed in Genre Fantasy, thispaper will examine how we ‘read’ Orcs and suggest that the true monstrosity is the reader’s casual acceptance of racial genocide rather thanthe Orc’s position as Monstrous Other.