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'''Ogres''' were monstrous and destructive creatures of legend and folklore. In fact, it is doubtful whether Ogres ever existed in [[Middle-earth]]. [[Tolkien]] mentions them only once, in [[The Hobbit]], during [[Bilbo's Riddle-game]] with [[Gollum]]. In his attempt to solve Gollum's fifth riddle, Bilbo '...sat in the dark thinking of all the horrible names of all the giants and ogres he had ever heard told of in tales...' Since no ogre is ever again mentioned, it is entirely possible that they were a mythical race even to the inhabitants of Middle-earth.
[[File:Glangonn.jpg|thumb|A 'Jorthkyn' in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online|LOTRO]]'']]
'''Ogres''' were monstrous and destructive creatures of legend and folklore of [[Middle-earth]], although it can not be said if they indeed existed.


[[Category:Creatures]]
During the [[Riddle-game]] with [[Gollum]], [[Bilbo Baggins]] in his attempt to solve Gollum's fifth riddle, he sat thinking of all the horrible names of all the giants and ogres he had ever heard told of in tales.<Ref>{{H|Riddles}}</ref>.
 
No ogre is ever mentioned in the annals of the [[Elder Days]] and none played any role in the wars and battles. It is entirely possible that they were a mythical race.
 
It is also possible that Ogre were just another name for the [[Trolls]].<ref name=HMN/>
==Etymology==
''[[Wiktionary:ogre#English|Ogre]]'' derives, through French, from the Greco-Latin name Orcus. It is interesting to note that Orcus is supposedly the origin also for the [[Old English]] word ''[[Orc]]'', although [[Tolkien]] doubted that etymology.<ref>[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], "[[Letter to Gene Wolfe]]" (letter)</ref>
 
== Other versions of the legendarium ==
''Ogres'' were used by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] in early drafts of the [[legendarium]] as a name for one of the monsters bred by [[Morgoth|Melkor]] along with [[Gongs]] and the other [[úvanimo|Úvanimor]].<ref>{{HM|LT1}}</ref>
 
They are mentioned as cannibal [[giants]]. Those of the north were known as ''Hongwir'' while the southern ones were named ''Sarqindi''.<ref>{{PE|14}}, "The Creatures of the Earth", p. 9</ref> ''Sarqindi'' is glossed as "Cannibal-ogres",<ref>{{LT2|Appendix}}, p. 347</ref> and [[Patrick H. Wynne]] and [[Christopher Gilson]] have suggested that ''hongwir'' might be related to the [[Qenya]] word ''ongwe'' (meaning "pain").<ref>{{PE|14}}, p. 6</ref>
 
Tolkien mentioned again ogres out of context in analyses of the name ''[[Orcs|Orc]]'': "...the gloss ''Þyrs'' 'ogre'..." , and of the name ''[[Ettendales]]'': "This is meant to be a Common Speech (not Elvish) name, though it contains an obsolete element ''eten'' 'troll, ogre'."<ref name=HMN>{{HM|N}}, pp. 762, 770</ref>
 
==Inspiration==
In his childhood, Tolkien and his brother [[Hilary Tolkien|Hilary]] gave a miller and a farmer, who frightened the boys and lived near the [[Sarehole Mill]] in the Moseley area of [[Birmingham]], the nicknames "White Ogre" and "Black Ogre", respectively.<ref>[[Humphrey Carpenter]], ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography]]''</ref> These characters also appear in stories written by Hilary Tolkien.<ref>[[Hilary Tolkien]]; [[Angela Gardner]] (ed), ''[[Black & White Ogre Country|Black & White Ogre Country: The Lost Tales of Hilary Tolkien]]''</ref>
 
Tolkien enjoyed reading E.A. Wyke-Smith's ''[[The Marvellous Land of Snergs]]'' ([[1927]]) to his children. The book recounts the adventures of two children and a Snerg ("a race of people only slightly taller than the average table"), and their tale include meeting the vegetarian ogre Golithos.<ref>[[Douglas A. Anderson]] (ed.), ''[[Tales Before Tolkien|Tales Before Tolkien: The Roots of Modern Fantasy]]'', pp. 359-60</ref>
 
==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''2007-: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
: Ogres, also known as the Jorthkyn, are unfriendly Earth-kin, related to Giants. They are predominantly found in Nan Amlug East in the North Downs.<ref>[http://lotro-wiki.com/index.php/Ogres Ogres] at [http://lotro-wiki.com Lotro-wiki.com] (accessed 20 November 2010)</ref>
 
[[File:The Hobbit - The Battle of the Five Armies - Ogre.jpg|An Ogre in ''[[The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies]]''|right|thumb|200px]]
'''2014: ''[[The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies]]'':'''
:Ogres served in [[Azog]]'s Army as both shock troops and [[Trolls|Troll]] commanders. One commanded a team of catapult Trolls. Several Ogres fought in [[Dale]], and two are killed by [[Bard]].<ref>''[[The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies: Visual Companion]]''</ref>
 
==External links==
*{{WP|Ogre}}
{{references}}
{{Legend}}
[[Category:Other races]]
[[fi:Hirvitykset]]

Revision as of 22:46, 13 September 2017

A 'Jorthkyn' in LOTRO

Ogres were monstrous and destructive creatures of legend and folklore of Middle-earth, although it can not be said if they indeed existed.

During the Riddle-game with Gollum, Bilbo Baggins in his attempt to solve Gollum's fifth riddle, he sat thinking of all the horrible names of all the giants and ogres he had ever heard told of in tales.[1].

No ogre is ever mentioned in the annals of the Elder Days and none played any role in the wars and battles. It is entirely possible that they were a mythical race.

It is also possible that Ogre were just another name for the Trolls.[2]

Etymology

Ogre derives, through French, from the Greco-Latin name Orcus. It is interesting to note that Orcus is supposedly the origin also for the Old English word Orc, although Tolkien doubted that etymology.[3]

Other versions of the legendarium

Ogres were used by J.R.R. Tolkien in early drafts of the legendarium as a name for one of the monsters bred by Melkor along with Gongs and the other Úvanimor.[4]

They are mentioned as cannibal giants. Those of the north were known as Hongwir while the southern ones were named Sarqindi.[5] Sarqindi is glossed as "Cannibal-ogres",[6] and Patrick H. Wynne and Christopher Gilson have suggested that hongwir might be related to the Qenya word ongwe (meaning "pain").[7]

Tolkien mentioned again ogres out of context in analyses of the name Orc: "...the gloss Þyrs 'ogre'..." , and of the name Ettendales: "This is meant to be a Common Speech (not Elvish) name, though it contains an obsolete element eten 'troll, ogre'."[2]

Inspiration

In his childhood, Tolkien and his brother Hilary gave a miller and a farmer, who frightened the boys and lived near the Sarehole Mill in the Moseley area of Birmingham, the nicknames "White Ogre" and "Black Ogre", respectively.[8] These characters also appear in stories written by Hilary Tolkien.[9]

Tolkien enjoyed reading E.A. Wyke-Smith's The Marvellous Land of Snergs (1927) to his children. The book recounts the adventures of two children and a Snerg ("a race of people only slightly taller than the average table"), and their tale include meeting the vegetarian ogre Golithos.[10]

Portrayal in adaptations

2007-: The Lord of the Rings Online:

Ogres, also known as the Jorthkyn, are unfriendly Earth-kin, related to Giants. They are predominantly found in Nan Amlug East in the North Downs.[11]

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

Ogres served in Azog's Army as both shock troops and Troll commanders. One commanded a team of catapult Trolls. Several Ogres fought in Dale, and two are killed by Bard.[12]

External links

References

Legendary races of Arda
 Animals:  Dumbledors · Gorcrows · Hummerhorns · Pards · Swans of Gorbelgod · Turtle-fish
Dragon-kind:  Sea-serpents · Spark-dragons · Were-worms
Evil Races:  Ettens · Giants · Half-trolls · Hobgoblins · Ogres · Snow-trolls · Two-headed Trolls
Other:  Badger-folk · Great beasts · Lintips · Mewlips · Nameless things · Spectres
Individuals:  Talking Gurthang · Talking purse · The Hunter · Lady of the Sun · Lonely Troll · Man in the Moon · The Rider · River-woman · Tarlang · Tim · Tom · White cow