In The Lord of the Rings, orcs are a corrupted race of elves. In Tolkien’s mythology, orcs are traditionally “monstrous” and represent corrupted, twisted versions of elves and men.
According to the Silmarillion, orcs are a corrupted race of elves, either bred that way by Morgoth, or turned savage in that manner. The Dark Powers tortured, corrupted and bred the captive Elves until they became the vile Orcs.
Tolkien’s further writings indicate the Orcs were a corrupted mish mash of Elf, Human and beast, in varying combinations. Some Orc leaders were incarnate entities.
Tolkien himself never fully landed on a final ‘origin’ of the orcs.
In The Lord of the Rings, orcs are a corrupted race of elves. In Tolkien’s mythology, orcs are traditionally “monstrous” and represent corrupted, twisted versions of elves and men.
According to the Silmarillion, orcs are a corrupted race of elves, either bred that way by Morgoth, or turned savage in that manner. The Dark Powers tortured, corrupted and bred the captive Elves until they became the vile Orcs.
Tolkien’s further writings indicate the Orcs were a corrupted mish mash of Elf, Human and beast, in varying combinations. Some Orc leaders were incarnate entities.
Tolkien himself never fully landed on a final ‘origin’ of the orcs.