Cannibal Elves and Midgets instead of Dwarves? Is re-imagining ever bad?

Of course I'm sure we know about those central elements, creatures, and races in a fantasy setting. I'm also sure some of you have also groaned when you see the Elven ranger petting rabbits and the Dwarf whose eternally a drunk viking. Of course these stereotypes became so do to being entertaining but rehashing can kill anything. Re-imagining is nothing like pure unadulterated creation but I feel it allows me to be both familiar and entertaining to a vast degree.

So I pose the question, do you think re-imagining can ever be bad?

Let me just throw some examples out there for some discussion.
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Take your normal Elves...

Now let's give them have a Victorian outlook on life, that it's the "Elven Burden" to bring civilization to the barbarians. Of course they believe this because their technology is based on stream-power while those filthy barbarians believe in their 'witchcraft' (It's an imperialistic thing, bud). Now let's say they also take slaves to support their hedonistic life-style, and even consume the flesh of these creatures. Now let's make those creatures human just to add a horror and Dark Fantasy element to this race that believes in their undeniable superiority. Plus it allows us to flip the stereotype where humans are the ones in power and elves are but a whimper of their former glory.

Now let's take them Human-loving drunks- I mean Dwarves.

Let's remove most of their D&D traits that have stayed with their concept for so long. These Dwarves are little more than stubborn midgets living in an xenophobic kingdom beneath the earth. They forsook the surface because they believed it was overrun by the same barbarians the Elves 'civilize'. But, where the Elves maintain their dominance the Dwarves have faltered. Their nullifying effect on magic prevents them harassing that power while their racism/stubbornness has resulted in a distaste for outside technology. Thus, the Dwarves have never evolved past the Bronze Age as a civilization. Their empire is collapsing as well, thus we will call it the Imperium to invoke the image of Rome's last day drunkenly declaring mastery over the world. And why make these Dwarves sober? Have you tried living in a backwards-ass empire where the barbarians are pounding at the gates and legions of soldiers vanish in the vast caverns you once thought were safe? Now Dwarves have a reason for their drinking problem, one I could endorse. Who wouldn't try to drink away the nearing drums of war?

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So what do you think? Should there be a limit to re-imagining when writing Fantasy or should the author only care to invoke the spirit of our genre when writing?

 

Nah, I never do that. The races have their appearances but I like to go my separate path. I use the stereotype as a "This came before I was born. Respect why it got there, but follow your own thread."

As for the examples are an amazing use of a special literary technique I call "pulling things out of my ass".

Regardless, I like the responses, they're reassuring.

 

To me, historical influences allow me to add weight, a human element to an inhuman group. Humans are imperfect. We are both compassionate and cruel. The thing about fantasy humanoids is that ultimately they have to share some human aspects to really have any weight to the observer. This one of the reasons I believe Dwarves and Elves are so beloved. No matter the interpretation, that most popular are the most 'human' yet 'unique'.

But I'm babbling now, ha.

To me, the 'Elven Burden' is the crime of society, not the Elf. To me, when an empire commits a crime of oppression, it is imperfect there is no argument. I think this adds weight to the Elven society, allowing for characters to show a very human side of themselves while being 'distant and alien'. This social status-quot gives me a sword of characterization. But in the name of fantasy, these guys can't just be pointed-eared humans, the road to uniqueness is quite easy to walk to me.

Vast differences can be obtained through, biology, lifespan, and cultural attitude. Considering as long as you keep with the message you want to get across, everything else is art. The past is the color, the societal attitude is the judgmental highlights, but I always think it is the individual that defines the race. Those who are the outcasts and those who defend this fictional banner to the end of days. Not a concise description filled with generalizations for racists to follow...

Did I mention I love racism in my fantasy? It's so much fun insulting fictional beasts.