Dwarves. They’re everywhere. Just about any fantasy story has a dwarf or two. And if not, we can clearly define what said dwarf looks like. Short, sturdy, and mean.
Writers are challenged to avoid cliches, but also obey certain tropes. I’m a bit of a rulebreaker because I like to push different personalities and cultures to their unknown limits. You can’t know the tropes without studying though, hence why today’s culture study is a look at dwarves, how writers have put their own spin on them, and how they relate to our reality.
The Common Tropes
A Norse myth, dwarves have woven themselves into fantasy, fairytales, roleplay games, videogames, movies, and more. Their propensity for mining, metallurgy, and living in caves was part of the original myth. Myths also say their greedy and selfish, but many think of J.R.R. Tolkien’s brave and stubborn trope.
I played DnD once and potentially never again, but I still have a copy of the starter guide simply because it has a wealth of lore. Lore that’s commonly seen today as fantasy fact. Dwarves, according to DnD, are short but mighty. They’re a proud race, men especially taking pride in their long beards. Where humans and halflings see the world within a 80-year lens, dwarves have witnessed generations of empires falling and rising. So they take pride in their clans and let few other races into their lives, knowing that they will live well beyond anyone in the present.
Fantasy Variations
Sifting through the endless internet, I stumbled upon Fantasy-Faction’s extensive post on dwarves. I can only read so many books, and it seems I missed some fairly interesting takes on dwarves. For example, Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman crafted a dwarf class that’s utilized solely for their craftsmanship in The Death Gate Cycle. Worshippers of a machine (potentially of their own making), they don’t question the ways of their ancestors and carry on working at the whim of elves.
Something that’s in question depending on the writer is how females and males differentiate themselves. If at all. Some cases have a heavy sense of community over individuality, women dressing and even growing beards like the men. A writer would then toy with divergents in the clans, women presenting as more feminine rather than blending into the mass.
Fantasy-Faction mentions some other ground to cover with dwarves like necro-mancers, seasonal, wizards, and so on. I personally clung to the “beautiful dwarf” idea explored in the Hobbit movies with Kili. As mentioned before, dwarves are usually considered ugly, long-bearded, and stern. A trim, handsome-faced dwarf would redefine what the race takes pride in, and perhaps ask questions as to why such dwarves add value to outward appearance. Something a short-lived human takes pride in.
Insightful Rambling on Impacting Culture
If you haven’t noticed yet, I look at the why behind every story decision. I don’t throw in a magic-wielding dwarf with gorgeous skin for no reason.
When I craft characters and landscapes, I think about how it can apply to the real world and how we interact with other people. What would a dwarf character in a novel teach us? Obviously people have different styles of dwarves in their stories, but the interesting element, and perhaps most important to their general culture, is their longevity.
Imagine you were betrayed by a friend. In the real world, that problem won’t necessarily affect your kids. But imagine you live three lifetimes beyond the normal expectancy, and you still remember that day as if it was yesterday. A splitting of clans and devastating family feud might ensue if things aren’t mended. But this extended memory has other features. The life of a dwarf is practically a history book, their perspective morphed by the decisions, good and bad, that other people have made. They can reveal truths that many don’t want to hear about their past.
On top of this, dwarves have a different perspective on life itself. They could take it for granted since they have so much time, only to realize not everyone has that luxury. Watching friends die while you live on creates the isolation so described above out of necessity. The desire to not be weighed down by hundreds of memories of people not coming back. Tolkien sort of explored that with his dwarf Gimli when they traveled into the forge and found death.
Dwarves like Gimli peak my interest because their depicted with a depth that’s close to what you would expect from someone with such a long life. An individual hardened by many experiences, unwilling to connect deeply with anyone that lives less than 300 years. They’re surprised by little because they’ve seen a lot, and they take pride in their people because they’ve stood the test of time. Clans of craftsmen irked by anyone who thinks they’re somehow better.
Quick Wrap-Up
Sorry if you got lost in my thoughts. A commentary on any of my stories would probably be longer than the book itself.
Here’s the gist: dwarves have been around for a while, playing the hardened personality that refuses to connect to anyone. When looking at their lives and general culture, it makes sense. Connect within your clan because they’ll live for an eternity with you, whereas everyone else will die and leave you hurt. Pride in tradition and they’re family is huge, and straying from such traditions could be an interesting plot point. One explored often be it in steampunk or beautiful dwarves.
In the end, the common denominator is time and memory. Dwarves can either hold grudges or forgive, and that decision will affect them in the long run regarding how they interact with other people.