Orcs: Difference between revisions

From Tolkien Gateway
No edit summary
(Please, revise everything is fine before saving your edit)
(313 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{cleanup}}
{{rewrite}}{{sources}}
{{race
{{race infobox
| image=[[Image:John Howe - In Mordor.jpg|250px]]
| name=Orcs
| name= Orcs
| image=[[File:John Howe - In Mordor.jpg|250px]]
| dominions= primarily [[Mordor]] and [[Angband]]
| caption="In Mordor" by [[John Howe]]
| languages= [[Black Speech]]
| pronun=
| height= probably just above 5'
| othernames=Goblins, [[Glamhoth]], [[Yrch]]
| length=
| origin=Obscure, but apparently bred from [[Elves]] <br />''See [[Orcs/Origin]]''
| skincolor= Sallow
| location=[[Utumno]], [[Angband]], [[Mordor]], [[Misty Mountains]],  [[Angmar]], [[Mount Gundabad]], [[High Pass]], [[Dol Guldur]], [[Isengard]]
| haircolor=
| affiliation=[[Morgoth]], [[Sauron]]
| feathers=
| rivalry=[[Elves]], [[Men]], [[Dwarves]]
| distinctions= Short, sallow, slightly Oriental look
| language=[[Black Speech]]; numerous [[Orkish]] languages; [[Westron]]
| lifespan=
| people=[[Uruk-hai]], [[Goblin-men]], [[Half-orcs]], [[Hobgoblins]], [[Orcs of the Misty Mountains|Mountain Orcs]], [[Eastern Orcs]], [[Orcs of Mordor|Mordor Orcs]], [[Orcs of Isengard|Isengard Orcs]]
| members= [[Gothmog, Lieutenant of Morgul|Gothmog]], [[Othrond]], [[Gorbag]]
| members=[[Othrod]], [[Azog]], [[Bolg]], [[Gorbag]], [[Great Goblin]], [[Grishnákh]]
|}}
| lifespan=Unknown
'''Orc''' or '''Ork''', an Old English word (''orc-néas'' 'orc-corpses' in Beowulf) for the zombie-like monsters of Grendel's race.
| distinctions=Evil footsoldiers of the [[Dark Lord|Enemy]]; preferred darkness
| height=Short<ref>{{FR|II5}} The "huge" orc-chieftain is described as "almost man high"</ref>
| hair=
| skin=Sallow, green, brown, grey, black, swarthy
| clothing=
| weapons=
}}
'''Orcs''' (also called '''[[Orcs#Orcs and goblins|Goblins]]''') were the footsoldiers of the two [[Dark Lord|Dark Lords]] - [[Morgoth]] and [[Sauron]].


In Tolkien's writing, Orcs are described as humanoid, roughly human-sized, ugly and filthy. In Tolkien's letters he gave a description as ''...sallow, squint eyed, and like (to the Europeans) the less-handsome Mongolians...'' (this part is often subject to the critisism of [[racism]])Although not dim-witted, they are portrayed as dull and miserable beings, who corrupt words (an insult to a philologist like Tolkien) and are only able to destroy, not to create. They have sour black blood.
==History==
Orcs are used as soldiers by both the greater and lesser villains of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' &mdash; [[Sauron]] and [[Saruman]].
===Origins and early years===
In Tolkien's [[Sindarin]] language, "Orc" is ''orch'', plural ''yrch''. In his late, post-''Lord of the Rings'' writings (published in ''[[The Peoples of Middle-earth]])'', he preferred the spelling "Ork", evidently mainly to avoid the form ''Orcish'', which would be naturally pronounced with the c as /s/ instead of /k/. (In [[Languages|Tolkien's languages]] the letter ''c'' was always pronounced /k/.) It is also possible that the word is a Common Tongue Version of 'orch', the [[Sindarin]] word for Orc. The original sense of the word seems to be "bogey", "bogeyman", that is, something that provokes fear, as seen in the Quenya cognate ''urko'', pl. ''urqui''.
{{Main|Orcs/Origin}}
[[File:Anna Kulisz - The vilest deed of Melkor.jpg|thumb|''The vilest deed of Melkor'' by [[:Category:Images by Anna Kulisz|Anna Kulisz]]]]
The Orcs were bred by [[Melkor]] in mockery of the [[Elves]], sometime during the [[The Darkness#The Great Darkness|Great Darkness]].<ref>{{S|3}}</ref><ref>{{TT|III4}}</ref> How this was done is unclear, as the Dark Lord did not possess the power to create life, only to corrupt it. It is unknown whether corrupted Elves, [[Men]] or other creatures were used to achieve this.
 
It is unclear exactly when Orcs were created, but it certainly happened before the [[Battle of the Powers]] in his stronghold of Utumno. Whether the Orcs were at this time a capable fighting force against the host of Valinor is not known. But some of them survived this war: a few stayed hidden in the deep vaults of [[Angband]], and multiplied, waiting for their master, while the many more stronger ones ventured into far eastern regions.
 
They first came out of Angband in {{YT|1330}}, passing over the mountains to [[Beleriand]] with other dark creatures.<ref>{{GA|26-27}}</ref>
 
When Melkor (now known as Morgoth) returned to Middle-earth, he fashioned himself new fresh hosts of Orcs and invaded [[Beleriand]], where the [[First Battle of Beleriand]] took place. These hordes also fought in [[Dagor-nuin-Giliath]]. However, the Eastern Orcs remained outside Morgoth's reach and self-ruling, though they ended up squabbling among themselves as much as they troubled Men.<ref name=Cuv>{{NM|P3xviii}}, p. 370</ref>
 
===First Age===
[[File:John Howe - Orc Swordsman.jpg|thumb|right|''Orc Swordsman'' by [[John Howe]]]]
Orcs appear in the [[First Age]] as the core force of Morgoth. Hundreds of thousands of Orcs were bred in [[Angband]] to participate in the [[Battles of Beleriand]], which lasted 587 years.
 
Orcs first appear in the [[First Age]] in the [[Battle of the Lammoth]], where they were defeated by [[Fingolfin]] and his [[Noldor]]. Orcs participated in battles such as the [[Dagor Aglareb]], [[Dagor Bragollach]], [[Nirnaeth Arnoediad]], [[Fall of the Falas]], and finally in the [[War of Wrath]], where they were almost extinguished. Those that survived the defeat fled eastwards and hid probably in the Mountains of [[Angmar]] and the [[Ered Mithrin]].
 
===Second Age===
Around the year {{SA|1000}} Sauron reappeared, took the land of [[Mordor]] as his realm and started the construction of [[Barad-dûr]]. His servants among Orc-kind were at this time of northern stock, who had escaped Morgoth's vanquishment, and it was not only until much later that he gathered all of their foul race under his command - as long as he went among the Elves in a fair visage, the Eastern Orcs resented him. <ref name=Cuv>{{NM|P3xviii}}, p. 370</ref>  Still for a long time Sauron's servants did not play an important role, for the Dark Lord had chosen a more subtle way to overthrow the free people by creating the [[Rings of Power]].
 
During the [[War of the Elves and Sauron]], in {{SA|1700}}, Orcs formed the main power of Sauron's host. Despite the immeasurable number of Orcs, Sauron was defeated by the united hosts of Elves and [[Númenóreans]]. Still Sauron was powerful east of the [[Misty Mountains]] and the Orcs that inhabited the mountains and the eastern lands multiplied.
 
The [[Orcs of the Misty Mountains]] started a war against the [[Dwarves]], resulting in the [[First Sack of Gundabad]] and its occupation by the Orcs. Finally, Orcs were the core force of [[Sauron]] during the [[War of the Last Alliance]], and fought in great battles such as the [[Battle of Dagorlad]] and the [[Siege of Barad-dûr]].
 
===Third Age===
[[File:Richard Sullivan - Orc.jpg|thumb|left|''Orc'' by [[:Category:Images by Richard Sullivan|Richard Sullivan]]]]
During the [[Third Age]], Orcs were the standard troops of [[Sauron]] (both in [[Mordor]] and in [[Dol Guldur]]), and his great servants - such as the [[Witch-king]] and [[Saruman]].  
 
In [[Angmar]], Orcs fought for the Witch-king in the [[Angmar War]]. Years later, they invaded [[Eriador]] under the leadership of the [[Necromancer]].  
 
The [[Orcs of the Misty Mountains]], one of the few (more or less) independent Orcish societies, and their leader [[Azog]] started out the [[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]], and after their defeat they retreated in their caves. They appeared again in {{TA|2941}}, when the [[Battle of Five Armies]] took place, suffering yet another terrible loss.
 
To both carry out Sauron's war on Rohan and his own efforts to harry the [[Fellowship of the Ring]], Saruman began to assemble his [[Orcs of Isengard|own Orcs]] into an army in [[Isengard]] - these he gathered from the tribes of the Misty Mountains as well as Orcs he bred, some being crossed with Men. The Orcs of Isengard fought in the early-mid battles of the [[War of the Ring]], such as the [[First Battle of the Fords of Isen|First]] and [[Second Battle of the Fords of Isen|Second Battles of the Fords of Isen]], but were crushed or scattered at the [[Battle of the Hornburg]].  
 
The [[Orcs of Mordor]] fought in major battles during the War of the Ring, such as the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]], but the majority of [[Mordor]]'s forces were destroyed or scattered at the [[Battle of the Morannon]]. Sporadic fighting in the following weeks led to the Orcs finally being driven out of the western end of Mordor, though it is unclear how many Orcs Sauron had in his armies, and it is also unclear how many survived after his defeat.
 
The Orcs in [[Dol Guldur]] remained in [[Mirkwood]] until the [[Fall of Dol Guldur]], one of the last battles of the War of the Ring.
 
===Later history===
The fate of the Orcs after the Third Age is unknown. Though many of Sauron's Orcs fought on and were slain in the weeks following the Battle of the Morannon, the true number of Sauron's hosts is unclear, as are the numbers of Orcs not within Mordor that may still inhabit the rest of Middle-earth. It is at least known that the Orcs of Moria either fled or were slain by the Fourth Age, as it is mentioned that the Dwarves managed to retake Moria and the mines within it.
 
==Characteristics==
===Culture===
[[File:Jan Pospíšil - Orc Army.jpg|thumb|''Orc Army'' by [[:Category:Images by Jan Pospíšil|Jan Pospíšil]]]]
It is certain that most Orcs were dependent on the Dark Lords in various ways: after the War of Wrath, the Orcs were confused and dismayed without Morgoth, and were easily scattered by their enemies. In the millennia after his defeat and banishment from Arda, they were without a leader and degenerated into small, quarrelsome tribes hiding in wild places, such as the [[Misty Mountains]] and the [[Mountains of Angmar]]. Orcs remained a threat to travelers and isolated settlements, and when united could pose a great regional threat, but they could never amount to the force they were under Morgoth. Only when Sauron returned to power did they begin to reclaim their old power. The same happened after Sauron's defeat by the [[Last Alliance of Elves and Men]]: only under the Witch-King's command, and when Sauron returned as the Necromancer of [[Mirkwood]], did the Orcs become a real danger for all of Middle-earth again. Orcs were warlike and often cruel, fighting with reckless ferocity and delighting in the slaughter and torture of their foes; many had a cowardly nature however, and were often regarded as inferior, though far more expendable, than the soldiers of Men, Elves, and Dwarves. It is said that Sauron, at the height of his power, had greater control over his Orcs than Morgoth had had, though this was because he had not yet spent so much of himself in dominating others as well as due to a lesser threat posed by his adversaries than those of his predecessor. Orcs also proved themselves adept at taming and riding [[Wolves]] and even [[Wargs]], an abillity harnessed by the Dark Lords for their armies.
 
===Lifespan===
It is unknown if the Orcs were immortal like the Elves. There is, in any case, a hint for a long lifespan in the story of two of the most famous Orc-chieftains: [[Azog]] and [[Bolg]]. Bolg, being the son of Azog, was the chieftain of the Orcs who attacked Erebor in the Battle of Five Armies in {{TA|2941}}. Azog himself was killed in the Battle of Azanulbizar in {{TA|2799}}, so Bolg was at least 150 years old.


== The origin of Orcs ==
===Appearance===
Orcs were described as smaller in stature than Men on average, strong but crooked in frame and bow-legged. One "huge orc-chieftain" was described as "almost Man-high", but some must have been of a similar size to Hobbits (Frodo and Sam succeeded in disguising themselves as Orcs in Mordor). Their overall appearance varied: they had long arms and fanged mouths; Tolkien describes them as "swart" or "sallow", although one in Mordor is "black-skinned" and others are described generally as "black" (possibly not a reference to skin colour).


The origin of Orcs is an open question. In Tolkien's writings, evil is not capable of independent creation, making it unlikely that the [[Valar|Vala]] [[Morgoth|Melkor]] (later called Morgoth), who was obviously the first to produce them, could do that ''ex nihilo''.
===Kinds of Orcs===
According to the oldest "theory" proposed by Tolkien, Orcs were made of stone and slime through the sorcery of Morgoth. But, Tolkien later changed the legendarium so that Morgoth could no longer produce life on his own, and amended the origins to the "theory" that would eventually be published in ''[[The Silmarillion]]'': that the Orcs were transformed from Elves &mdash; the purest form of life on [[Arda]] (the Earth) &mdash; by means of torture and mutilation; and this "theory" would then become the most popular. Moreover, if Orcs were in fact Elves at their core, this could perhaps mean that they were also immortal &mdash; a fact which, if true, would seem inconsistent with Tolkien's treatment of Orcs, though the books do not openly confirm or deny it. If Orcs indeed were immortal, it holds no doubt that their [[Fëa and hröa|''fëar'']] would not be allowed reincarnation by [[Mandos]], if they even answered the calling. Most Orcs would probably fear the calling of Mandos, and therefore would see their ''fëar'' diminished to evil spirits. These may have been some of the evil spirits occasionally described in the books, such as the spirit which tempted [[Gorlim]] of [[Barahir]]'s company, or the [[Barrow-wights]]. There is some evidence for the immortality, or otherwise long life of Orcs in ''[[The Two Towers]]'': [[Gorbag]] and [[Shagrat]], during the conversation which Sam overheard, mention the "Great Siege" of the Last Alliance. It is possible to interpret from the sentence that they were actually there and remembered it themselves: an event which lay millennia in the past. Another interpretation of this conversation is that this "Great Siege" could have instead been merely the current siege ongoing at Minas Tirith.  This is consistent with a statement made in the "Myths Transformed" essay of ''[[Morgoth's Ring]]'' that the orcs had short lifespans in relation to the Numenoreans.
The Fellowship usually encountered the large soldier-Orcs bred for war, and sometimes the "snaga" variety which were more geared towards being labourers. Another type is referred to as "snufflers", smaller, black-skinned Orcs with wide nostrils, who excelled in tracking. Despite the smaller size, one snuffler was able to skillfully kill a soldier-orc when they got into a disagreement.<ref name="Cirith">{{RK|VI1}}</ref>


Another hint for a long livespan, respectively immortality, lies in the story of two of the most famous Orc-chieftains: [[Azog]] and [[Bolg]]. Bolg, being the son of Azog, was the chieftain of the Orcs who attacked [[Erebor]] in the [[Battle of Five Armies]] in [[Third Age 2941|T.A. 2941]]. Azog himself was killed in the [[Battle of Azanulbizar]] in [[Third Age 2799|T.A. 2799]], so Bolg was aproximately 150 years old.
*[[Snaga]]
*[[Snufflers]]
*[[Orcs of Mordor]]
*[[Orcs of the Misty Mountains]]
*[[Orcs of Isengard]]
*[[Half-orcs]] (and [[Goblin-men]])
*[[Uruk-hai]]
*[[Hobgoblins]]


There are hints in the ''[[The History of Middle-earth|History of Middle-earth]]'' series of books, (especially in ''[[Morgoth's Ring]]'' in the section "Myths Transformed"), that some Orc leaders, such as the First Age's [[Boldog]], or the [[Great Goblin]] encountered by [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]] and the Dwarves, may in fact have been fallen [[Maiar]] which had taken Orc form:
===Orcs and goblins===
[[File:Darek Zabrocki - Goblins.jpg|thumb|250px|''Goblins'' by [[:Category:Images by Darek Zabrocki|Darek Zabrocki]]]]
The term ''goblin'' was used primarily in ''[[The Hobbit]]'' but also in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' where it is used synonymously with "Orc".<ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. 24</ref> It is said to be a translation of ''Orc'' in a note on languages and runic letters in ''[[The Hobbit]]''.
{{blockquote|Orc is not an English word. It occurs in one or two places but is usually translated goblin|''[[The Hobbit]]''}}
{{blockquote|There were four goblin-soldiers of greater stature [...] Upon their shields they bore [...] a small white hand in the centre of the black field|''[[The Two Towers]]'', "[[The Departure of Boromir]]"}}


: ''Some of these things may have been delusions and phantoms but some were no doubt shapes taken by the servants of Melkor, mocking and degrading the very forms of the children. For Melkor had in his service great numbers of Maiar, who had the power, as their Master, of taking visible and tangible shape in Arda.'' (''Morgoth's Ring'', "Myths transformed", text X')
==Etymology==
{{quote|The word as far as I am concerned actually derived from [[Old English]] ''orc'', demon, but only because of its phonetic suitability.|[[J.R.R. Tolkien]] in [[Letter 144]]}}
===Orc===
The word '''''Orc''''' is said to be the "''form of the name that other races had for this foul people as it was in the [[Rohirric|language of Rohan]]''".<ref name=App|F1iv/>


: ''Boldog (&#8230;) is a name that occurs many times in the tales of the War. But it is possible that Boldog was not a personal name, and either a title, or else the name of a kind of creature: the Orc-formed Maiar, only less formidable than the Balrogs'' (Author's footnote to the text X)
In his late, post-''Lord of the Rings'' writings, Tolkien preferred the spelling '''''Ork'''''.<ref>{{HM|PM}}</ref>


: ''Melkor had corrupted many spirits - some great as Sauron, or less as Balrogs. The least could have been primitive Orcs.'' (Author's note to text)
It also is "supposed to be the CS[Common Speech] name of these creatures at that time".<ref name=Nomenclature>{{HM|N}}</ref>


Later under Morgoth's lieutenant, the necromancer Sauron, it has been suggested that Men were cross-bred with the Orcs. This process was later repeated during the [[War of the Ring]], creating the fierce Orcs known as [[Uruk-hai]].
The statement may be ambiguous due to Tolkien's use of the term Common Speech for both Westron and English. But Tolkien continued to say "It should therefore according to the system be translated into E[English]. or the LT[Language of Translation]. It was translated 'goblin' in The H.[Hobbit]"<ref name=Nomenclature></ref>. This may suggest it is a genuine Westron word, which Tolkien kept untranslated because he liked the sound of it: "In any case orc seemed to me, and seems, in sound a good name for these creatures. It should be retained."<ref name=Nomenclature></ref>


Yet other Orcs may have begun as animals of vaguely humanoid shapes, empowered by the will of the Dark Lord (first [[Morgoth]], later Sauron): this may explain the references to their "beaks and feathers" in Tolkien's writings.
Fictionally, it is then possibly derived from 'orch', the [[Sindarin]] word for Orc. The original sense of the word seems to be "bogey", "bogeyman", that is, something that provokes fear, as seen in the Quenya cognate ''urko'', pl. ''urqui''.<ref>{{HM|WJ}} Quendi and Eldar</ref>


: ''The Orcs were beasts of humanized shape (&#8230;).'' ('Morgoth's Ring', "Myths transformed", text VIII')
Tolkien derived the word ''orc'' from [[Old English]] believing it refers to a kind of evil spirits,<ref name=L144/> which in turn is thought to derive from Latin ''Orcus'' "Hades", although Tolkien doubted this etymology.<ref>[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], "[[Letter to Gene Wolfe]]" (letter)</ref> He also thought it survives in the modern language for sea-beasts,<ref>{{HM|N}}, p. 762</ref> such as the [[Wikipedia:Orca Whale|Orca Whale]].


It is certain all Orcs were dependent on the Dark Lord in various ways: after their leader was defeated, the Orcs were confused and dismayed, and easily scattered by their enemies. In the millennia after Morgoth's defeat and banishment from Arda, they were without a leader they degenerated to small, quarrelsome tribes hiding in the [[Misty Mountains]]. Only when Sauron returned to power did they begin to reclaim some of their old power. The same happened after Sauron's defeat by the [[Last Alliance of Elves and Men]]: only when Sauron returned as the Necromancer of [[Mirkwood]] did the Orcs become a real danger for Middle-earth again.
''Orc'' is an [[Old English]] word that refers mainly to a kind of metal cup (from Latin ''Urceus'').<ref group="note">The word ''Orc'' occurs twice in ''[[Beowulf (poem)|Beowulf]]''.</ref> However, in an 11th century glossary, this entry was conflated with another entry which refers to evil giants such as ''[[Wikipedia:Jötunn|þyrs]]'' and other monsters, also glossed in Latin as ''Orcus''. This merge of the two entries made many philologists of the previous centuries, like Tolkien, to believe that ''Orc'' was an actual Old English word that refers to any kind of evil creature from the underworld.<ref>Bosworth and Toller's ''An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary'' (1898), corrected in later editions</ref>


While Tolkien originally saw all Orcs as descended from tortured Elves, later comments of his indicate, according to [[Christopher Tolkien]] in ''Morgoth's Ring'' ("Myths Transformed, text X"), that he began to feel uncomfortable with this theory. At about the same time he removed the references to the [[Thrall-Noldorin|Thrall-Ñoldorin]], he also began searching for a new origin for the Orcs. The Orc origin question may have been one of the problems Tolkien tried to solve by completely changing the cosmology and prehistory of Arda. By setting the origin of Men back to almost the same time as the Elves, he possibly allowed for Men to be the origin of Orcs all along. However, Tolkien died before he could complete this upheaval of the cosmology, and in the published version of ''The Silmarillion'', the Elf origin of Orcs was adopted.
The word ''Orcnéas'' is once found only in ''[[Beowulf (poem)|Beowulf]]'' (lines 112-113) and is cited as an example of the word "Orc" in Old English text. Actually its meaning is not clear, and it is thought to refer to corpses (''néas'') from the Underworld.


It is interesting to note that to an extent, Tolkien did not regard Orcs as evil in their own right, but only as tools of Melkor and Sauron.
==="Orcs" in Tolkien's languages===
He wrote once that "we were all orcs in the [[World War I|Great War]]", indicating perhaps that an orc for him was not an inherent build-up of personality, but rather a state of mind bound upon destruction.
Tolkien said that one of the reason of choosing "Orc" over "Goblin" was the similarity with his fictional languages.<ref name=WJAC>{{WJ|AC}}, pp. 389-91</ref> Indeed most [[Elvish]], [[Mannish]] and other words for Orc, are similar to the English word.  


--------
The basic [[Primitive Quendian]] [[Sundocarme|root]], from which the words for Orc derive, is [[RUKU]] (said to refer to any "bogey" that scared the Elves)<ref name=WJAC/>:
The more detailed and 'technical' approach to a problem of the origin of the Orcs can be found under following links


[http://m3ntos.ath.cx/The%20origin%20of%20the%20orcs%20v.2.htm The Origin of the Orcs] (htm version)
*[[Quenya]] '''''orco'''''<ref name=PE17_47/> (pl. '''''Orkor'''''<ref>{{GA|27}}, p. 12</ref><ref>{{HM|MR}}, pp. 74, 194</ref>); [[Exilic Quenya]] '''''urko''''' (pl. '''''orkor''''' and '''''orqui''''')<ref name=WJAC/>
*[[Sindarin]]: '''''orch'''''/'''''Orch''''' (pl. '''''yrch'''''/'''''Yrch''''', class pl. '''''Orchoth'''''/'''''orchoth'''''<ref group="note">''Orchoth'' is likely a compound of ''orch'' + ''[[hoth]]''.</ref>)<ref name=WJAC/><ref name=L144/><ref name=PE17_52-4/><ref name=PE17_47/><ref name=App|F1iv/>; '''''[[glamhoth]]'''''
*[[Nandorin]]: '''''ūriʃ'''''<ref name=PE17_52-4>{{PE|17}}, pp. 52-4</ref>


[http://m3ntos.ath.cx/The%20origin%20of%20the%20orcs%20v.2.doc The Origin of the Orcs] (doc version)
*[[Adûnaic]]: '''''urku''''', '''''urkhu'''''<ref name=WJAC/>
*[[Westron]]: '''''orka'''''<ref name=PE17_47>{{PE|17}}, p. 47</ref>, possibly '''orc''' <ref name=Nomenclature></ref>
*[[Black Speech]]: '''''[[Uruk-hai#Etymology|uruk]]'''''<ref name=App|F1iv>{{App|F1iv}}</ref><ref name=WJAC/><ref name=L144>{{L|144}}</ref><ref name=PE17_47/>
*[[Khuzdul]]: '''''Rukhs''''' (pl. '''''Rakhās'''''), possibly derived from an unknown [[Avarin]] word of the same meaning<ref name=WJAC/><ref group="note">''Rukhs'' appears to contain the radical R-Kh-S.<!-- this note needs to be clarified: what is a radical? add internal link to something? --></ref>
*[[Drúadan language]]: '''''gorgûn''''' ("orc-folk"; the form ''gorgûn'' is perhaps plural of an unknown singular form)<ref name=PE17_99>{{PE|17}}, p. 99</ref><ref>{{RK|V5}}</ref><ref name=WJAC/>


[http://m3ntos.ath.cx/The%20origin%20of%20the%20orcs%20v.2.pdf The Origin of the Orcs] (pdf version)
In the earliest versions of [[Qenya]], Tolkien had words such as "'''Ork (orq-)''' pl. '''Orqi''' and fem. "'''orqindi'''".{{fact}}


The essay puts emphasis to different theories of the origin of the Orcs and their validity in the light of Professor's writings.
In [[Noldorin]], the earlier version of Sindarin, the word for Orc is the same: ''orch'' (pl ''yrch'').<ref name=LR379>{{LR|Etymologies}}, p. 379 (entry for ÓROK)</ref><ref>{{MR|P3I7}}, p. 195</ref><ref>{{MC|Secret}}, p. 217</ref> The [[Gnomish]] word for "one of a tribe of the orcs. a goblin" is said to be '''''Gong'''''.<ref>{{PE|11}}, p. 41</ref>


==Orcs and goblins==
*''See also: [[Entish]] ''[[burárum]]''
[[Image:Roger Thomasson - Orc.jpg|thumb|''Orc'' by [[Roger Thomasson]].]]
In ''[[The Hobbit]]'', Tolkien used the word "[[Goblins|goblin]]" for Orcs, because he had not yet identified the world of ''The Hobbit'' with Middle-earth (which predated ''The Hobbit'' by several decades, in early writings which would later become ''The Silmarillion''). Fortunately Tolkien did include some references to his mythology in the ''Hobbit'', which later allowed him to identify the lands of the Hobbit with his Middle-earth.
In ''The Lord of the Rings'', "Orc" is used predominantly, and "goblin" mostly in the [[Hobbits]]' speech.
This change can be seen either as a part of the shift towards the use of Elvish words that occurred during the period between the writing of ''The Hobbit'' and the writing of ''The Lord of the Rings'', or a translation of the Hobbits' more colloquial manner (if we "accept" the books' authenticity and regard Tolkien merely as a translator).  So essentially the race is correctly named "Orc", and "Goblin" is a colloquial "slang term" for Orcs used by Hobbits and sometimes picked up by Men and Elves. It is possible that "goblin" refers to the those of the orcish race who are not under the control of Sauron (or Morgoth), whereas using "orc" directly would refer to servants of (whichever) Dark Lord. Tolkien did mention several times that orcs were not inherently evil, something this theory would partly emphasize.


The original edition of the Hobbit and early drafts of ''The Lord of the Rings'' first used 'goblin' everywhere and used '[[Hobgoblins|hobgoblin]]' for larger, more evil goblins: when goblins were replaced with Orcs Tolkien invented the term [[Uruk-hai]] for his more evil Orcs.
===Goblin===
''[[Wiktionary:goblin|Goblin]]'' is a folk word which according to ''The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Current English'' is probably derived from the Anglo-French ''[[Wiktionary:gobelin|gobelin]]'' a diminutive of ''gobel'' (cf. ''[[Wiktionary:kobold|kobold]]''). William D.B. Loos notes that ''goblin'' is a Romance-derived word, unlike other Germanic words preferred by [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]].<ref>William D.B. Loos, [http://tolkien.slimy.com/tfaq/EnemyMisc.html#Orcs Enemies and Miscellaneous: What was the relationship between Orcs and Goblins?] at [http://tolkien.slimy.com/tfaq/ The Tolkien Frequently Asked Questions List] (accessed 3 July 2011)</ref>


==="Goblin" in Tolkien's languages===
In the [[The Etymologies|''Etymologies'']], the Elvish names used to translate "goblin" derive from root [[RUKU#Other versions|ÓROK]] and are:<ref name=LR379>{{LR|Etymologies}}, p. 379 (entry for ÓROK)</ref>


==History==
*[[Quenya]]: '''''orko''''' (pl. '''''orqi''''')
* 1000? '''Beowulf''' - Grendel is described as being "orcneas" which roughly translates into monster. It's derived from Orcus, another name for Pluto, the Greek god of the dead.
*[[Noldorin]]: ''orch'' (pl ''yrch'', archaic ''yrchy''<ref>{{VT|46a}}, p. 7</ref>)
* 1516 '''Orlando furioso''' - In this poem by Ludovico Ariosto, the hero, Rogero, slays an orc while riding a hippogriff. Ariosto's orcs have pig eyes and tusks, like the Gamorrean[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Gamorrean|Gamorrean] in Jabba's palace in Return of the Jedi.
*[[Nandorin|Danian]]: '''''urc''''' (pl. '''''yrc''''')
* 1793 '''America: A Prophecy''' - One of William Blake's characters is a young hero named Orc, a "Lover of Wild Rebellion."
*[[Doriathrin]]: '''''urch''''' (pl. '''''urchin''''')
 
In an early linguistic writing, Tolkien translated the [[Gnomish]] word ''Gong'' as "one of a tribe of the orcs. a goblin."<ref>{{PE|11}}, p. 41</ref>
 
==Other versions of the legendarium==
{{Main|Orcs/Origin}}
 
==Controversy==
Tolkien's Orcs have been a subject of criticism of [[racism]]. Tolkien described Orcs as "squat, broad, flat-nosed, sallow-skinned, with wide mouths and slant eyes: in fact degraded and repulsive versions of the (to Europeans) least lovely Mongol-types".<ref>{{L|210}}</ref>
 
==Other writings==
In ''[[The Father Christmas Letters]]'', goblins appear as the enemies of [[Father Christmas]] and the [[Red Elves]].
 
==Portrayal in adaptations==
===Orcs===
{{stub}}<gallery>File: The Lord of the Rings (1978 film) - Orcs.jpg|Orcs in [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]
File:The Return of the King (1980 film) - Orcs.jpg|Orcs in [[The Return of the King (1980 film)|''The Return of the King'' (1980 film)]]
File:The Lord of the Rings- The Treason of Isengard - Ork.jpg|Concept art of an orc in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Treason of Isengard]]''
File:The Lord of the Rings War in the North - Orc3.jpg|An Orc in [[Fornost]] in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]]''.</gallery>
 
'''2001-2003: [[Pán prsteňov (2001-2003 Slovak radio series)|''Pán prsteňov'' (2001-2003 Slovak radio series)]]:'''
:Due to timing and certain legal issues, the radio series uses the term ''skirt'' (pron. "skeert") and ''skirti'' for an "orc" and "orcs" (a neologism derived from the Czech translation's ''skrět'', ''skrěti'', "goblins"). Some of the orc characters are credited, e.g. [[Grishnakh]] in ''The Two Towers'' is portrayed by Eduard Vitek, and in ''The Return of the King'', a Mordor orc commander whipping a disguised Frodo and Sam into shape is played by Jozef Šimonovič.
 
'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Orc-kind is a genus that includes the species of Orcs, Goblins, [[Hobgoblins]], [[Half-orcs]], [[Boggarts]], [[Bugans]] and [[Uruk-hai]].
 
:Orcs are very common in Middle-earth. They are about the size of a man with a hunchback, though some of the sub-races are of larger or smaller stature.
 
'''2011: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]]'':'''
:Orcs are first seen in [[Fornost]], where they immediately attack [[Eradan (video game character)|Eradan]], [[Andriel]] and [[Farin (video game character)|Farin]] as they near the citadel.<ref name=Main>[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]], Chapter 1: Fornost, ''Main Gate''</ref> ''Orc warriors'' are stronger then normal Orcs. Some Orcs have been taught [[Magic|sorcery]] by [[Agandaûr]], these are known as ''Orc Sorcerers'
 
===Goblins==='.
<gallery>File:The Hobbit (1977 film) - Goblins.jpg|Goblins in [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|''The Hobbit'' (1977 film)]]
File:The Lord of the Rings War in the North - Goblins1.jpg|Goblins in the pits of [[Fornost]] in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]]''
File:The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey - Goblins.jpg|Goblins in ''[[The Hobbit (film series)|''The Hobbit'' (film series)]]''</gallery>
 
'''2003: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring]]'':'''
:Goblins have been made clearly distinct from Orcs.
 
'''2006: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'':'''
:Goblins have been made clearly distinct from Orcs.
 
'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Goblins are a separate race and can be found in [[Evendim]], [[the Shire]], [[Ered Luin]], [[Bree-land]], [[Lone-lands]], [[North Downs]], [[Misty Mountains]], [[Angmar]] and [[Moria]]. They are small in stature; a little shorter than [[Hobbits]]. In contrast, Orcs are about the size of [[Men]]. Goblins are also weaker than the orcs.
 
'''2011: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]]'':'''
:Goblins first appear in [[Fornost Erain]], where they attack [[Eradan (video game character)|Eradan]], [[Andriel]] and [[Farin (video game character)|Farin]] immediately when they reach the city.<ref name=Main></ref> Goblins are weaker than Orcs.


==Inspirations==
'''2012: ''[[The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey]]'':'''
It is possible that the Orcs at [[Helm's Deep]] were inspired by apes in Tolkien's childhood years.
:Goblins are again made clearly distinct from Orcs in the film series. They are lesser relatives of Orcs; they are smaller (the very large Great Goblin notwithstanding), less powerful, and generally have pale, diseased skin, riddled with warts.
{{quote|and Orcs sprang up them [walls] like apes in the dark forests of the South|[[Helm's Deep]], [[The Lord of the Rings]]}}
{{quote|One day a neighbour’s pet monkeys climbed over the wall and chewed up three of the baby’s [Tolkien’s] pinafores.|[[J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography]]}}


'''2014: ''[[The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies]]'':'''
:A band of "Goblin mercenaries" appear on [[Ravenhill]] during the [[Battle of Five Armies]], but are taken care of by the Dwarves without much troub


==See also==le.
*[[Gongs]]
*[[:Category:Images of Goblins|Images of Goblins]]


{{references|note}}
[[Category:Orcs| ]]
[[Category:Races]]
[[Category:Races]]
[[Category:Inspirations]]
[[Category:Servants of Melkor]]
 
[[Category:Servants of Saruman]]
[[Category:Servants of Sauron]]
[[de:Orks]]
[[de:Orks]]
[[fr:encyclo/peuples/orques/orques]]
[[fi:Örkit]]

Revision as of 13:13, 19 October 2021

"The wise will stay here and hope to rebuild our town..." — Master of Lake-town
This article or section needs to be rewritten to comply with Tolkien Gateway's higher standards...
"Who told you, and who sent you?" — Gandalf
This article or section needs more/new/more-detailed sources to conform to a higher standard and to provide proof for claims made.
Orcs
Race
John Howe - In Mordor.jpg
"In Mordor" by John Howe
General Information
Other namesGoblins, Glamhoth, Yrch
OriginsObscure, but apparently bred from Elves
See Orcs/Origin
LocationsUtumno, Angband, Mordor, Misty Mountains, Angmar, Mount Gundabad, High Pass, Dol Guldur, Isengard
AffiliationMorgoth, Sauron
RivalriesElves, Men, Dwarves
LanguagesBlack Speech; numerous Orkish languages; Westron
PeopleUruk-hai, Goblin-men, Half-orcs, Hobgoblins, Mountain Orcs, Eastern Orcs, Mordor Orcs, Isengard Orcs
MembersOthrod, Azog, Bolg, Gorbag, Great Goblin, Grishnákh
Physical Description
LifespanUnknown
DistinctionsEvil footsoldiers of the Enemy; preferred darkness
Average heightShort[1]
Skin colorSallow, green, brown, grey, black, swarthy
GalleryImages of Orcs

Orcs (also called Goblins) were the footsoldiers of the two Dark Lords - Morgoth and Sauron.

History

Origins and early years

Main article: Orcs/Origin
The vilest deed of Melkor by Anna Kulisz

The Orcs were bred by Melkor in mockery of the Elves, sometime during the Great Darkness.[2][3] How this was done is unclear, as the Dark Lord did not possess the power to create life, only to corrupt it. It is unknown whether corrupted Elves, Men or other creatures were used to achieve this.

It is unclear exactly when Orcs were created, but it certainly happened before the Battle of the Powers in his stronghold of Utumno. Whether the Orcs were at this time a capable fighting force against the host of Valinor is not known. But some of them survived this war: a few stayed hidden in the deep vaults of Angband, and multiplied, waiting for their master, while the many more stronger ones ventured into far eastern regions.

They first came out of Angband in Y.T. 1330, passing over the mountains to Beleriand with other dark creatures.[4]

When Melkor (now known as Morgoth) returned to Middle-earth, he fashioned himself new fresh hosts of Orcs and invaded Beleriand, where the First Battle of Beleriand took place. These hordes also fought in Dagor-nuin-Giliath. However, the Eastern Orcs remained outside Morgoth's reach and self-ruling, though they ended up squabbling among themselves as much as they troubled Men.[5]

First Age

Orc Swordsman by John Howe

Orcs appear in the First Age as the core force of Morgoth. Hundreds of thousands of Orcs were bred in Angband to participate in the Battles of Beleriand, which lasted 587 years.

Orcs first appear in the First Age in the Battle of the Lammoth, where they were defeated by Fingolfin and his Noldor. Orcs participated in battles such as the Dagor Aglareb, Dagor Bragollach, Nirnaeth Arnoediad, Fall of the Falas, and finally in the War of Wrath, where they were almost extinguished. Those that survived the defeat fled eastwards and hid probably in the Mountains of Angmar and the Ered Mithrin.

Second Age

Around the year S.A. 1000 Sauron reappeared, took the land of Mordor as his realm and started the construction of Barad-dûr. His servants among Orc-kind were at this time of northern stock, who had escaped Morgoth's vanquishment, and it was not only until much later that he gathered all of their foul race under his command - as long as he went among the Elves in a fair visage, the Eastern Orcs resented him. [5] Still for a long time Sauron's servants did not play an important role, for the Dark Lord had chosen a more subtle way to overthrow the free people by creating the Rings of Power.

During the War of the Elves and Sauron, in S.A. 1700, Orcs formed the main power of Sauron's host. Despite the immeasurable number of Orcs, Sauron was defeated by the united hosts of Elves and Númenóreans. Still Sauron was powerful east of the Misty Mountains and the Orcs that inhabited the mountains and the eastern lands multiplied.

The Orcs of the Misty Mountains started a war against the Dwarves, resulting in the First Sack of Gundabad and its occupation by the Orcs. Finally, Orcs were the core force of Sauron during the War of the Last Alliance, and fought in great battles such as the Battle of Dagorlad and the Siege of Barad-dûr.

Third Age

During the Third Age, Orcs were the standard troops of Sauron (both in Mordor and in Dol Guldur), and his great servants - such as the Witch-king and Saruman.

In Angmar, Orcs fought for the Witch-king in the Angmar War. Years later, they invaded Eriador under the leadership of the Necromancer.

The Orcs of the Misty Mountains, one of the few (more or less) independent Orcish societies, and their leader Azog started out the War of the Dwarves and Orcs, and after their defeat they retreated in their caves. They appeared again in T.A. 2941, when the Battle of Five Armies took place, suffering yet another terrible loss.

To both carry out Sauron's war on Rohan and his own efforts to harry the Fellowship of the Ring, Saruman began to assemble his own Orcs into an army in Isengard - these he gathered from the tribes of the Misty Mountains as well as Orcs he bred, some being crossed with Men. The Orcs of Isengard fought in the early-mid battles of the War of the Ring, such as the First and Second Battles of the Fords of Isen, but were crushed or scattered at the Battle of the Hornburg.

The Orcs of Mordor fought in major battles during the War of the Ring, such as the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, but the majority of Mordor's forces were destroyed or scattered at the Battle of the Morannon. Sporadic fighting in the following weeks led to the Orcs finally being driven out of the western end of Mordor, though it is unclear how many Orcs Sauron had in his armies, and it is also unclear how many survived after his defeat.

The Orcs in Dol Guldur remained in Mirkwood until the Fall of Dol Guldur, one of the last battles of the War of the Ring.

Later history

The fate of the Orcs after the Third Age is unknown. Though many of Sauron's Orcs fought on and were slain in the weeks following the Battle of the Morannon, the true number of Sauron's hosts is unclear, as are the numbers of Orcs not within Mordor that may still inhabit the rest of Middle-earth. It is at least known that the Orcs of Moria either fled or were slain by the Fourth Age, as it is mentioned that the Dwarves managed to retake Moria and the mines within it.

Characteristics

Culture

Orc Army by Jan Pospíšil

It is certain that most Orcs were dependent on the Dark Lords in various ways: after the War of Wrath, the Orcs were confused and dismayed without Morgoth, and were easily scattered by their enemies. In the millennia after his defeat and banishment from Arda, they were without a leader and degenerated into small, quarrelsome tribes hiding in wild places, such as the Misty Mountains and the Mountains of Angmar. Orcs remained a threat to travelers and isolated settlements, and when united could pose a great regional threat, but they could never amount to the force they were under Morgoth. Only when Sauron returned to power did they begin to reclaim their old power. The same happened after Sauron's defeat by the Last Alliance of Elves and Men: only under the Witch-King's command, and when Sauron returned as the Necromancer of Mirkwood, did the Orcs become a real danger for all of Middle-earth again. Orcs were warlike and often cruel, fighting with reckless ferocity and delighting in the slaughter and torture of their foes; many had a cowardly nature however, and were often regarded as inferior, though far more expendable, than the soldiers of Men, Elves, and Dwarves. It is said that Sauron, at the height of his power, had greater control over his Orcs than Morgoth had had, though this was because he had not yet spent so much of himself in dominating others as well as due to a lesser threat posed by his adversaries than those of his predecessor. Orcs also proved themselves adept at taming and riding Wolves and even Wargs, an abillity harnessed by the Dark Lords for their armies.

Lifespan

It is unknown if the Orcs were immortal like the Elves. There is, in any case, a hint for a long lifespan in the story of two of the most famous Orc-chieftains: Azog and Bolg. Bolg, being the son of Azog, was the chieftain of the Orcs who attacked Erebor in the Battle of Five Armies in T.A. 2941. Azog himself was killed in the Battle of Azanulbizar in T.A. 2799, so Bolg was at least 150 years old.

Appearance

Orcs were described as smaller in stature than Men on average, strong but crooked in frame and bow-legged. One "huge orc-chieftain" was described as "almost Man-high", but some must have been of a similar size to Hobbits (Frodo and Sam succeeded in disguising themselves as Orcs in Mordor). Their overall appearance varied: they had long arms and fanged mouths; Tolkien describes them as "swart" or "sallow", although one in Mordor is "black-skinned" and others are described generally as "black" (possibly not a reference to skin colour).

Kinds of Orcs

The Fellowship usually encountered the large soldier-Orcs bred for war, and sometimes the "snaga" variety which were more geared towards being labourers. Another type is referred to as "snufflers", smaller, black-skinned Orcs with wide nostrils, who excelled in tracking. Despite the smaller size, one snuffler was able to skillfully kill a soldier-orc when they got into a disagreement.[6]

Orcs and goblins

Goblins by Darek Zabrocki

The term goblin was used primarily in The Hobbit but also in The Lord of the Rings where it is used synonymously with "Orc".[7] It is said to be a translation of Orc in a note on languages and runic letters in The Hobbit.

Orc is not an English word. It occurs in one or two places but is usually translated goblin
The Hobbit

There were four goblin-soldiers of greater stature [...] Upon their shields they bore [...] a small white hand in the centre of the black field
The Two Towers, "The Departure of Boromir"

Etymology

"The word as far as I am concerned actually derived from Old English orc, demon, but only because of its phonetic suitability."
J.R.R. Tolkien in Letter 144

Orc

The word Orc is said to be the "form of the name that other races had for this foul people as it was in the language of Rohan".[8]

In his late, post-Lord of the Rings writings, Tolkien preferred the spelling Ork.[9]

It also is "supposed to be the CS[Common Speech] name of these creatures at that time".[10]

The statement may be ambiguous due to Tolkien's use of the term Common Speech for both Westron and English. But Tolkien continued to say "It should therefore according to the system be translated into E[English]. or the LT[Language of Translation]. It was translated 'goblin' in The H.[Hobbit]"[10]. This may suggest it is a genuine Westron word, which Tolkien kept untranslated because he liked the sound of it: "In any case orc seemed to me, and seems, in sound a good name for these creatures. It should be retained."[10]

Fictionally, it is then possibly derived from 'orch', the Sindarin word for Orc. The original sense of the word seems to be "bogey", "bogeyman", that is, something that provokes fear, as seen in the Quenya cognate urko, pl. urqui.[11]

Tolkien derived the word orc from Old English believing it refers to a kind of evil spirits,[12] which in turn is thought to derive from Latin Orcus "Hades", although Tolkien doubted this etymology.[13] He also thought it survives in the modern language for sea-beasts,[14] such as the Orca Whale.

Orc is an Old English word that refers mainly to a kind of metal cup (from Latin Urceus).[note 1] However, in an 11th century glossary, this entry was conflated with another entry which refers to evil giants such as þyrs and other monsters, also glossed in Latin as Orcus. This merge of the two entries made many philologists of the previous centuries, like Tolkien, to believe that Orc was an actual Old English word that refers to any kind of evil creature from the underworld.[15]

The word Orcnéas is once found only in Beowulf (lines 112-113) and is cited as an example of the word "Orc" in Old English text. Actually its meaning is not clear, and it is thought to refer to corpses (néas) from the Underworld.

"Orcs" in Tolkien's languages

Tolkien said that one of the reason of choosing "Orc" over "Goblin" was the similarity with his fictional languages.[16] Indeed most Elvish, Mannish and other words for Orc, are similar to the English word.

The basic Primitive Quendian root, from which the words for Orc derive, is RUKU (said to refer to any "bogey" that scared the Elves)[16]:

In the earliest versions of Qenya, Tolkien had words such as "Ork (orq-) pl. Orqi and fem. "orqindi".[source?]

In Noldorin, the earlier version of Sindarin, the word for Orc is the same: orch (pl yrch).[23][24][25] The Gnomish word for "one of a tribe of the orcs. a goblin" is said to be Gong.[26]

Goblin

Goblin is a folk word which according to The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Current English is probably derived from the Anglo-French gobelin a diminutive of gobel (cf. kobold). William D.B. Loos notes that goblin is a Romance-derived word, unlike other Germanic words preferred by Tolkien.[27]

"Goblin" in Tolkien's languages

In the Etymologies, the Elvish names used to translate "goblin" derive from root ÓROK and are:[23]

In an early linguistic writing, Tolkien translated the Gnomish word Gong as "one of a tribe of the orcs. a goblin."[29]

Other versions of the legendarium

Main article: Orcs/Origin

Controversy

Tolkien's Orcs have been a subject of criticism of racism. Tolkien described Orcs as "squat, broad, flat-nosed, sallow-skinned, with wide mouths and slant eyes: in fact degraded and repulsive versions of the (to Europeans) least lovely Mongol-types".[30]

Other writings

In The Father Christmas Letters, goblins appear as the enemies of Father Christmas and the Red Elves.

Portrayal in adaptations

Orcs

"...there is much else that may be told." — Glóin
This article or section is a stub. Please help Tolkien Gateway by expanding it.

2001-2003: Pán prsteňov (2001-2003 Slovak radio series):

Due to timing and certain legal issues, the radio series uses the term skirt (pron. "skeert") and skirti for an "orc" and "orcs" (a neologism derived from the Czech translation's skrět, skrěti, "goblins"). Some of the orc characters are credited, e.g. Grishnakh in The Two Towers is portrayed by Eduard Vitek, and in The Return of the King, a Mordor orc commander whipping a disguised Frodo and Sam into shape is played by Jozef Šimonovič.

2007: The Lord of the Rings Online:

Orc-kind is a genus that includes the species of Orcs, Goblins, Hobgoblins, Half-orcs, Boggarts, Bugans and Uruk-hai.
Orcs are very common in Middle-earth. They are about the size of a man with a hunchback, though some of the sub-races are of larger or smaller stature.

2011: The Lord of the Rings: War in the North:

Orcs are first seen in Fornost, where they immediately attack Eradan, Andriel and Farin as they near the citadel.[31] Orc warriors are stronger then normal Orcs. Some Orcs have been taught sorcery by Agandaûr, these are known as Orc Sorcerers'

===Goblins==='.

2003: The Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring:

Goblins have been made clearly distinct from Orcs.

2006: The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II:

Goblins have been made clearly distinct from Orcs.

2007: The Lord of the Rings Online:

Goblins are a separate race and can be found in Evendim, the Shire, Ered Luin, Bree-land, Lone-lands, North Downs, Misty Mountains, Angmar and Moria. They are small in stature; a little shorter than Hobbits. In contrast, Orcs are about the size of Men. Goblins are also weaker than the orcs.

2011: The Lord of the Rings: War in the North:

Goblins first appear in Fornost Erain, where they attack Eradan, Andriel and Farin immediately when they reach the city.[31] Goblins are weaker than Orcs.

2012: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey:

Goblins are again made clearly distinct from Orcs in the film series. They are lesser relatives of Orcs; they are smaller (the very large Great Goblin notwithstanding), less powerful, and generally have pale, diseased skin, riddled with warts.

2014: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies:

A band of "Goblin mercenaries" appear on Ravenhill during the Battle of Five Armies, but are taken care of by the Dwarves without much troub

==See also==le.

Notes

  1. The word Orc occurs twice in Beowulf.
  2. Orchoth is likely a compound of orch + hoth.
  3. Rukhs appears to contain the radical R-Kh-S.

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "The Bridge of Khazad-dûm" The "huge" orc-chieftain is described as "almost man high"
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor"
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "Treebeard"
  4. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "The Grey Annals": §26-27
  5. 5.0 5.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Carl F. Hostetter (ed.), The Nature of Middle-earth, "Part Three. The World, its Lands, and its Inhabitants: XVIII. Note on the Delay of Gil-galad and the Númenóreans", p. 370
  6. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Tower of Cirith Ungol"
  7. Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, p. 24
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix F, "The Languages and Peoples of the Third Age", "Of Other Races"
  9. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, "Nomenclature of The Lord of the Rings" in Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion
  11. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels Quendi and Eldar
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 J.R.R. Tolkien; Humphrey Carpenter, Christopher Tolkien (eds.), The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, Letter 144, (dated 25 April 1954)
  13. J.R.R. Tolkien, "Letter to Gene Wolfe" (letter)
  14. J.R.R. Tolkien, "Nomenclature of The Lord of the Rings" in Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, p. 762
  15. Bosworth and Toller's An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary (1898), corrected in later editions
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 16.7 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Four. Quendi and Eldar: Appendix C. Elvish names for the Orcs", pp. 389-91
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, "Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings", in Parma Eldalamberon XVII (edited by Christopher Gilson), p. 47
  18. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "The Grey Annals": §27, p. 12
  19. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Morgoth's Ring, pp. 74, 194
  20. 20.0 20.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, "Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings", in Parma Eldalamberon XVII (edited by Christopher Gilson), pp. 52-4
  21. J.R.R. Tolkien, "Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings", in Parma Eldalamberon XVII (edited by Christopher Gilson), p. 99
  22. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Ride of the Rohirrim"
  23. 23.0 23.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies", p. 379 (entry for ÓROK)
  24. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Morgoth's Ring, "Part Three. The Later Quenta Silmarillion: (I) The First Phase: 7. Of the Flight of the Noldor", p. 195
  25. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Monsters and the Critics and Other Essays, "A Secret Vice", p. 217
  26. J.R.R. Tolkien, "I-Lam na-Ngoldathon: The Grammar and Lexicon of the Gnomish Tongue", in Parma Eldalamberon XI (edited by Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, and Patrick H. Wynne), p. 41
  27. William D.B. Loos, Enemies and Miscellaneous: What was the relationship between Orcs and Goblins? at The Tolkien Frequently Asked Questions List (accessed 3 July 2011)
  28. J.R.R. Tolkien, "Addenda and Corrigenda to the Etymologies — Part Two" (edited by Carl F. Hostetter and Patrick H. Wynne), in Vinyar Tengwar, Number 46, July 2004, p. 7
  29. J.R.R. Tolkien, "I-Lam na-Ngoldathon: The Grammar and Lexicon of the Gnomish Tongue", in Parma Eldalamberon XI (edited by Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, and Patrick H. Wynne), p. 41
  30. J.R.R. Tolkien; Humphrey Carpenter, Christopher Tolkien (eds.), The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, Letter 210, (undated, written June 1958)
  31. 31.0 31.1 The Lord of the Rings: War in the North, Chapter 1: Fornost, Main Gate