The Mythological Origins of Some Classical Fantasy Peoples (Shawn)
Elves, dwarves, and gnomes are fixtures of modern-day fantasy storytelling in all types of mediums, from table-top role-playing games to novels and even TV shows and movies. They often figure as flat, background characters that interact with a human protagonist (for the sake of relatability.) Each of these peoples has their own basic characterization. Elves are portrayed as haughty, reclusive, and mystical, dwarves are gruff miners, and gnomes are mischevious and playful. These characterizations were solidified by J.R.R. Tolkien in The Hobbit and his Lord of the Rings series, but what are their ultimate origins?
Dwarves - Dwarves, rather meanly, were based on real-life people in medieval times with the condition dwarfism. However, they have been transformed into a supernatural people by Germanic mythology. They are portrayed as old, hunchbacked, and short, and are distinguished by their long beards. Dwarves lived in underground chambers in mountains or mines and were divided into various clans, kingdoms, and tribes. Their skill in metalwork and blacksmithing was notable, and in Norse mythology, they often made jewelry for gods and goddesses. They were often guardians of precious metals, and had an air of wisdom about them, occasionally performing supernatural feats. Dwarves interacted with humans in a variety of ways, stealing children, serving as advisors, or giving away their treasure.
Gnomes - The origins of gnomes are more modern than those of elves and dwarves. They were first mentioned by the Swedish alchemist Paracelsus. He described them as subterranean creatures two spans tall who disdain human interaction and are capable of moving through earth. In other sources, they guard treasure and are ruled by a king named Gob, who is said to possess a magic sword. Like dwarves, their appearance is hoary, hunchbacked, and wrinkly. They first figure in English literature in the 17th century and are also described in modern German fairy tales. Both of these were sources for their appearance in modern-day fantasy.
As for orcs, they were created by Tolkien himself. What mythical creatures do you find interesting? Would you like to see them in any fantasy works? Answer in the comments below.
Sources:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/elf-mythology
https://norse-mythology.org/gods-and-creatures/elves/
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/10/why-so-many-icelanders-still-believe-in-invisible-elves/280783/
https://ericwedwards.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/poor_little_birdie_teased_by_richard_doyle.jpg
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSnbeDl34pIgmBbPCWfcDtx7VJ-4xKEdHJDqw&usqp=CAU
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/Heinrich_Schlitt_Gnom_mit_Zeitung_und_Tabakspfeife.jpg
http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Dr-Fi/Dwarfs-and-Elves.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orc
https://www.britannica.com/topic/dwarf-mythology
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnome
https://www.britannica.com/art/gnome
This post was very informative! I didn't know how most of these common staples in fantasy originated.
ReplyDeleteI've never really known anything about the origin of these peoples and I'm surprised the germans, though they aren't modern day germans, came up with half of the ones listed here.
ReplyDeleteThe history behind a lot of these mythical creatures are really interesting to see where the mythical creatures that we can picture easily in our heads originated from. I think pheonixes are really interesting because they are pretty broad based off of the culture that they're from and represent. It would be interesting to see how someone could show the unique representations pheonixes have in different cultures.
ReplyDeleteWaittt this post was really cool! It was definitely unique, and I've never even thought about what their origins are. I specifically thought that the description of dwarves was interesting, because I've only ever really thought of dwarves as the Snow White dwarves. It's interesting how they were originally based off of real people with dwarfism but they later turned into more of a supernatural being. Great post!
ReplyDeleteAs many others have mentioned above, this post was extremely informative - as an avid reader and aspiring writer of fantasy, this was a much-appreciated refresher on basic fantasy races and their literary origins. Amazing work!
ReplyDeleteYour post was really interesting and informative because I was unaware that these mythical creatures had origins. I just thought they were made up by famous authors throughout history. Nice job!
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