Are Orcs That Bad?

[Morthoron]

As Lalwende, skip spence and others have inferred, I believe Orcs presented as much of a problem to Tolkien as it does to we, the readers. There is, of course, the original statement that the wise 'believed' Orcs to be descended from imprisoned, twisted Elves; however, that goes against Tolkien's references to Elves dying of sadness (a sort of emotional suicide), and rape being a cause of such death:

Originally Posted by "Laws and Customs of the Eldar," Morgoth's Ring, History of Middle-Earth.

"Among all these evils there is no record of any among the Elves that took another's spouse by force; for this was wholly against their nature, and one so forced would have rejected bodily life and passed to Mandos. Guile or trickery in this matter was scarcely possible, for the Eldar can read at once in the eyes and voice of another whether they be wed or unwed."

Would an elf submit to such abomination as procreating at the behest of Morgoth? It seems unlikely.

Then we pass to the odd mention of Bolg being the son of Azog, which I believe is the only reference to familial relations of orcs anywhere in Tolkien's work. With whom was Azog doing his begetting? I bet Mrs. Azog was a real looker.

We then pass on the the squint-eyed Southerner, half-orcs and Uruk-hai of Lord of the Rings (as well as Tolkiens later assessment that orcs rose from men and not elves). Granted, Saruman was not the first to breed Uruk-hai (that was Sauron's genetic breakthrough, as well as the Olog-hai), but I always thought it comical the way Peter Jackson presented the Uruk's birthing in mud hatcheries. But really, Tolkien gives such an incomplete view of Orkish domesticity and breeding, that it's really all up to conjecture. One wonders what really was going on in the subterranean vaults of Orthanc or Barad-dur. It's certain that it wasn't pleasant.

P.S. Sorry, I didn't complete my thought (my resident eight year-old Elf princess demanded an audience).

It would seem that Tolkien chose a Jekyll and Hyde approach to Orcs, wherein the overall genetic pattern of Orcs was totally given over to the Hyde aspect of humanity: cruelty, mercilessness, bestiality, thievery and profanity. But I believe somewhere in Tolkien's letters (can't recall where and am too busy to look it up) he speaks of Orkish redeemability and questions whether or not Orcs have souls (I believe I read that somewhere, but not conclusively). When I have time I'll look it up (or perhaps some other enterprising soul can find it).

It seems that Orcs were indeed cannon fodder for Tolkien to handily pile before the bright swords of the righteous, and they are indeed not up to snuff as far as bravery and skill in comparison to their elf, dwarf and mannish enemies; in fact, when Barad-dur collapses the Orcs retreat in chaos, whereas there remain bold groups of Easterlings who bravely fight on to the last man against Aragorn's army. It was perhaps a strategic mistake on the part of both Sauron and Morgoth to rely on Orcs to fill the bulk of their legions.