Orcs

2011-10-08T03:15:42Z

2.100.16.77: /* Origin */

{{rewrite}}
{{race
| image=[[Image:John Howe - In Mordor.jpg|250px]]
| name= Orcs
| dominions=[[Mordor]], [[Angband]], [[Misty Mountains]], [[Mount Gundabad]], [[Angmar]], [[Utumno]]
| languages= [[Black Speech]]; numerous [[Orkish]] languages of their own
| height= probably just above 5'{{fact}}
| length=
| skincolor= Sallow, Green, Brown, Grey
| haircolor=
| feathers=
| distinctions= Short, sallow
| lifespan=
| members= [[Gothmog, Lieutenant of Morgul|Gothmog]], [[Othrod]], [[Azog]], [[Gorbag]]
|}}
'''Orcs''' (also called '''[[Orcs#Orcs and Goblins|Goblins]]''') were the footsoldiers of evil overlords - [[Morgoth]], [[Sauron]] and the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]].

==History==
===Origins and early Years===

The Orcs were bred by [[Morgoth|Melkor]] in mockery of the [[Elves]], sometime during the [[The Darkness#The Great Darkness|Great Darkness]].<ref>{{S|3}}</ref><ref>{{TT|III4}}</ref>

[[Image:Warren Mahy-Orc Archer.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Orc by [[Warren Mahy]]]]

It is unclear when exactly Orcs were created, but it certainly happened before the [[War for Sake of the Elves]] in his stronghold of Utumno. If the Orcs where at this time a capable fighting force against the host of Valinor is not known. But at least some of them survived this war, probably hidden in the deep vaults of [[Angband]] and multiplied, waiting for their master.

When Melkor (now known as [[Morgoth]]) returned to Middle-earth he created new hordes of Orcs and invaded [[Beleriand]], where the [[First Battle of Beleriand]] took place. Orcs fought also in [[Dagor-nuin-Giliath]].

===First Age===
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]], were 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===
At around the year thousand Sauron reappeared, took the land of [[Mordor]] as his realm and started the construction of [[Barad-dûr]]. It is likely that most of his servants where Orcs at this time that he had gathered under his command. Still for a long time Sauron's foul 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 [[Second Age 1700|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 inlands and the Orcs that inhabited the mountains 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 the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]] and [[Sauron]] (both in [[Mordor]] and in [[Dol Guldur]]).

In [[Angmar]], Orcs fought 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 [[Third Age 2941|T.A. 2941]], when the [[Battle of Five Armies]] took place.

The [[Orcs of Mordor]] fought in major battles during the [[War of the Ring]], such as the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]], but the entire [[Mordor]] force was destroyed in the [[Battle of the Morannon]].

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.

===Fourth Age and beyond===
Although the entire force of [[Sauron]] was destroyed after the [[War of the Ring]], it is assumed that many Orcs continued to live beneath the [[Misty Mountains]] and caused little trouble.{{fact}}

==Characteristics==

===Culture===

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.

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. He wrote once that "we were all orcs in the [[World War I|Great War]]".{{fact}}

===Lifespan===

It is unknown if the Orcs were immortal like the Elves. There is, in any case, a hint for a long livespan 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 aproximately 150 years old.

===Appearance===

In Tolkien's writing, Orcs are described as humanoid, roughly human-sized, ugly and filthy. Although not dim-witted, they are portrayed as dull and miserable beings, who corrupt words and are only able to destroy, not to create. They had sour black blood.{{fact}}

===Kinds of Orcs===

Tolkien loosely implies that there are actually several different breeds of Orcs, not simply in the wide variety in clans, but strains of Orc that were specifically bred for certain tasks.

The Fellowship usually encounters the large soldier-Orcs bred for war, and sometimes the "snaga" variety which were more geared towards being labourers. However, a strong hint at the variety of Orc breeds is when Frodo and Sam are in Mordor, and realize that they are being followed by two Orcs, then hide to observe them. One of the Orcs is a normal soldier-Orc, but the other is described as a "Snuffler", a breed specifically geared towards being a tracker. This tracker-Orc was, compared to the soldier-Orc, physically unimposing, but had vastly overdeveloped sensory organs, particularly a single giant nostril. While physically weak compared to the soldier-Orc, the "snuffler" was able to skilfully kill the soldier-orc when they got into a disagreement.

*[[Snaga]]
*[[Orcs of Mordor]]
*[[Orcs of the Misty Mountains]]
*[[Half-Orcs]] (and [[Goblin-men]])
*[[Uruk-hai]]
*[[Hobgoblins]]

===Orcs and Goblins===

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>{{TT|III1}}</ref><ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. 24</ref>

"Goblin" is an English word, whereas "Orcs" is Old English, the language used by Tolkien to represent Rohirric.<ref>{{App|F1iv}}</ref> Thus, there is no difference between Orcs and Goblins, and the two names of different languages have much the same relationship as ''dog'' (English) and ''hund'' (German).

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.

==Etymology==
===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/>

In his late, post-''Lord of the Rings'' writings, Tolkien preferred the spelling '''''Ork'''''.<ref>{{HM|PM}}</ref> This was 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''.{{fact}}

Tolkien derived the word ''orc'' from [[Old English]] believing it refers to a kind of evil spirits,<ref name=L144/><ref>[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], "[[Gene Wolfe 7 November 1966]]" (letter)</ref> which in turn derives from Latin ''Orcus'' "Hades". 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]].

''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]]''.</ref> However, in a 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>

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.

However, it is also mentioned that the word ''Orc'' is Anglo-Saxon for "Foreigner, Monster, Demon" and was used to refer to the Normans invading the Anglish in 1066.<ref>"[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1329539/ 1066 The Battle for Middle Earth]" 2009 (documentary)</ref>
==="Orcs" in Tolkien's languages===
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/>:

*[[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>

*[[Adûnaic]]: '''''urku''''', '''''urkhu'''''<ref name=WJAC/>
*[[Westron]]: '''''orka'''''<ref name=PE17_47>{{PE|17}}, p. 47</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.</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/>

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

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>

*''See also: [[Entish]] ''[[burárum]]''
===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>

*[[Quenya]]: '''''orko''''' (pl. '''''orqi''''')
*[[Noldorin]]: ''orch'' (pl ''yrch'', archaic ''yrchy''<ref>{{VT|46a}}, p. 7</ref>)
*[[Nandorin|Danian]]: '''''urc''''' (pl. '''''yrc''''')
*[[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 Lengendarium==
===Origin===
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.

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 the theory that orcs were descending from Elves. However, Tolkien died before he could complete his upheaval of the cosmology, and in the published version of ''The Silmarillion'', the Elf origin of Orcs was adopted. It does not appear that the elder Tolkien ever decided on a definitive answer.

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]], who was obviously the first to produce them, could do that ''ex nihilo''.

===A list of origins, proposed by Tolkien :===

===Made from the earth===
According to the oldest "theory" proposed by J.R.R. Tolkien (found in ''[[The Fall of Gondolin]]'', from ''[[The Book of Lost Tales]]'', circa 1917 — the first tale of Middle-earth to be written in full), Orcs were made of stone and slime through the sorcery of [[Morgoth]] :

<blockquote>"bred from the heats and slimes of the earth"<ref>The Book of Lost Tales, Vol. 2</ref></blockquote>

===East Elves (Avari)===
The Silmarillion contains a suggestion that Orcs are descended from East Elves captured by Melkor, their minds and bodies distorted and corrupted.

<blockquote>"Yet this is held true by the wise of Eressëa, that all those of the Quendi [Elves] who came into the hands of Melkor, ere Utumno was broken, were put there in prison, and by slow arts of cruelty were corrupted and enslaved; and thus did Melkor breed the hideous race of the Orcs in envy and mockery of the Elves, of whom they were afterwards the bitterest foes....This it may be was the vilest deed of Melkor, and the most hateful to Ilúvatar."<ref>The Silmarillion</ref></blockquote>

There is evidence of the immortality, or otherwise long life of Orcs. They certainly did live for at the very least hundreds of years, since Bolg was the son of Azog and his death occurred over 140 years after the death of his father. This theory is inconsistent with a statement made in the "Myths Transformed" essay of ''[[Morgoth's Ring]]'' that the Orcs had short lifespans in relation to the [[Númenórean]]s.

This corrupted elves origin is probably the one used in Peter Jackson's live action films. In the film of The Two Towers, Saruman says -

<blockquote>"Do you know how the Orcs first came into being? They were elves once, taken by the dark powers, tortured and mutilated. A ruined and terrible form of life..."</blockquote>

Of course this leaves open the possibility of one of the mixed origins (see below) being true in the films, as this was how they "first" appeared, not discounting other corrupted creatures or men being added to the ranks later.

===Sentient beasts===
Another of Tolkien's theories proposes that Orcs may have begun as soulless animals of vaguely humanoid shapes, empowered by the [[will (philosophy)|will]] of the Dark Lord (Morgoth) and learning language only as parrots do:

<blockquote>"The Orcs were beasts of humanized shape (to mock Men and Elves) deliberately perverted I converted into a more close resemblance to Men. Their 'talking' was really reeling off 'records' set in them by Melkor. Even their rebellious critical words - he knew about them. Melkor taught them speech and as they bred they inherited this; and they had just as much independence as have, say, dogs or horses of their human masters. This talking was largely echoic (cf. parrots)."<ref name="ReferenceA">'Morgoth's Ring', "Myths transformed", text VIII'</ref></blockquote>

Later in the same text he theorizes that some Orcs may have been Elves, who then mated with these beasts and with Men.

<blockquote>"It remains therefore terribly possible there was an Elvish strain in the Orcs. These may then even have been mated with beasts (sterile!) - and later Men. Their life-span would be diminished. And dying they would go to Mandos and be held in prison till the End."<ref name="ReferenceA"/></blockquote>

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, and 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 standing. 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.

===Fallen Maiar===
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 [[Dwarf (Middle-earth)|Dwarves]], may in fact have been fallen [[Maia (Middle-earth)|Maiar]] which had taken Orc form:

<blockquote>"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."<ref>''Morgoth's Ring'', "Myths transformed", text X</ref></blockquote>

<blockquote>"Boldog (…) 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]]" <ref>Author's footnote to the text X</ref></blockquote>

<blockquote>"Melkor had corrupted many spirits — some great as [[Sauron]], or less as Balrogs. The least could have been primitive Orcs."<ref>Author's note to text</ref></blockquote>

===Corrupted Men===
While Tolkien at some point saw all Orcs as descended from the original corrupted and 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-Ñoldorin]], he also began searching for a new origin for the Orcs. It seems Tolkien wanted to change the origin of the Orcs to make them corrupted and twisted Humans.
He says of this Human origin view of the Orcs :

<blockquote>"This view of the origin of the Orcs thus meets with difficulties of chronology. But though Men may take comfort in this, the theory remains nonetheless the most probable. It accords with all that is known of Melkor, and of the nature and behaviour of Orcs - and of Men. Melkor was impotent to produce any living thing, but skilled in the corruption of things that did not proceed from himself, if he could dominate them."<ref name="ReferenceB">''[[Morgoth's Ring]]'', "Myths Transformed" - Text X</ref></blockquote>

Also in Unfinished Tales there is a passage about the Drúedain which says :

<blockquote>"To the unfriendly who, not knowing them well, declared that Morgoth must have bred the Orcs from such a stock the Eldar answered: 'Doubtless Morgoth, since he can make no living thing, bred Orcs from various kinds of Men, but the Drúedain must have escaped his shadow; for their laughter and the laughter of Orcs are as different as the light of Aman from the darkness of Angband.' But some thought, nonetheless, that there had been a remote kinship, which accounted for their special enmity. Orcs and Drûgs each regarded the other as renegades."<ref>''[[Unfinished Tales]]'', "The Drúedain"</ref></blockquote>

Tolkien would have had to change the cosmology and prehistory of Arda, for the awakening of Men to happen earlier, for there to have been Men for Morgoth or Sauron to corrupt. He did not live long enough to complete this task however.

===A mix of corrupted Elves and Men===
A late idea of Tolkien seems to be that Orcs (or Orks, showing the late spelling change) had a mixed origin of Elves and Men.
In a note included in the "Myths Transformed" section of Morgoth's Ring (probably written in the late 1950s) he says :

<blockquote>"Since Melkor could not 'create' an independent species, but had immense powers of corruption and distortion of those that came into his power, it is probable that these Orks had a mixed origin. Most of them plainly (and biologically) were corruptions of Elves (and probably later also of Men). But always among them (as special servants and spies of Melkor, and as leaders) there must have been numerous corrupted minor spirits who assumed similar bodily shapes. (These would exhibit terrifying and demonic characters.)"<ref>''[[Morgoth's Ring]]'', "Myths Transformed" - Text IX</ref></blockquote>

===Some cross-bred with Men===
Tolkien also suggested that [[Man (Middle-earth)|Men]] were cross-bred with Orcs under Morgoth's lieutenant, Sauron (and possibly under Morgoth himself). The process was later repeated during the [[War of the Ring]] by Saruman.
This possibly refers to the way the [[Uruk-hai]] and the [[Half-Orc]]s were created, in The Lord of the Rings.

<blockquote>"There is no doubt that long afterwards, in the Third Age, Saruman rediscovered this, or learned of it in lore, and in his lust for mastery committed this, his wickedest deed: the interbreeding of Orcs and Men, producing both Men-orcs large and cunning, and Orc-men treacherous and vile."<ref name="ReferenceB"/></blockquote>

==Controversy==
Tolkien's Orcs have ''allegedly'' 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> Another possible offensive theme present in orcs (though not necessarily racist), is the fact that when the orcs talk, they often use the same phrases and accents that the English working-class is known to use.{{fact}}

==Portrayal in Adaptations==
===Orcs===
{{stub}}
===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 small in stature; a little shorter than [[Hobbits]]. In contracts, Orcs are about the size of [[Men]]. Goblins are also weaker than the orcs.

==See also==
*[[:Category:Images of Orcs|Images of Orcs]]
*[[:Category:Images of Goblins|Images of Goblins]]

{{references|note}}
[[Category:Orcs| ]]
[[Category:Races]]
[[de:Orks]]
[[fr:encyclo/peuples/orques/orques]]
[[fi:Örkit]]

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