Editing Robert E. Howard (section)

===Attitudes===
Howard's attitude towards race and racism is debated.<ref>{{Harvtxt|Finn|2006|pp=80–85}}</ref><ref name="Romeo">[[#CITEREFRomeo|Romeo]]</ref> Howard used race as shorthand for physical characteristics and motivation.  He would also employ some racial stereotypes, possibly for the sake of simplification.<ref>{{Harvtxt|Finn|2006|p=84}}</ref>  He was also of the belief that, no matter who won the subsequent conflicts, it would only ever be a temporary victory. In "Wings in the Night", for instance, Howard writes that:

{{blockquote|The ancient empires fall, the dark-skinned peoples fade and even the demons of antiquity gasp their last, but over all stands the Aryan barbarian, white-skinned, cold-eyed, dominant, the supreme fighting man of the earth.<ref>{{Harvtxt|Howard|2005|p=240}}</ref><ref>{{Harvtxt|Finn|2006|pp=81–82}}</ref>}}

Howard became less racist as he grew older, due to several influences. Later works include more sympathetic black characters, as well as other minority groups, such as Jews.<ref>{{Harvtxt|Finn|2006|pp=80–81}}</ref> Significant works in terms of Howard's views on race are "[[Black Canaan]]" and "The Last White Man", which depict white protagonists at war with black characters defined by barbarity.<ref name="Romeo" /><ref>{{Harvtxt|Finn|2006|pp=84–85}}</ref>

Howard had feminist views, despite his era and location, which he espoused in both personal and professional life. Howard wrote to his friends and associates defending the achievements and capabilities of women.<ref>{{Harvtxt|Finn|2006|p=141}}</ref><ref name="Burke ¶ 44">[[#CITEREFBurke|Burke]] (paragraph 44)</ref> Strong female characters in Howard's works of fiction include the protofeminist [[Dark Agnes de Chastillon]] (first appearing in "Sword Woman", circa 1932–1934); the early modern pirate Helen Tavrel ("The Isle of Pirates' Doom", 1928), two pirates and Conan supporting characters, [[Bêlit (Robert E. Howard)|Bêlit]] ("[[Queen of the Black Coast]]", 1934) and [[Valeria (Conan the Barbarian)|Valeria of the Red Brotherhood]] ("[[Red Nails]]", 1936); as well as the Ukrainian mercenary Red Sonya of Rogatino ("[[The Shadow of the Vulture]]", 1934).<ref>{{Harvtxt|Finn|2006|pp=186–187}}</ref><ref>[[#CITEREFBurke|Burke]] (paragraphs 43–44)</ref>