Orcs and Elves (and Men and Animals)

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Mithadan

But why did he then waver between Orcs being corrupted Elves and twisted Men (or animals)?

I've always assumed that this shift was due to Tolkien not wanting to be so mean to his elves. He was happy for them to bring doom and destruction on their own heads, but I think in his later phases he didn't want them to suffer without inviting it on themselves. There's a quote in NoME (I think) about the Quendi being an Unfallen race, in contrast to the Fall of Man; from a religious perspective, torturing uncorrupted souls into evil orcs is... iffy. Note that things like the explicit presence of large numbers of elvish slaves in Angband drop out of the story, too: Gwindor remains, but he is the only survivor of his company, and can be seen to have brought the 'punishment' on himself by breaking ranks and (partly) bringing about the disaster of the Nirnaeth.

But I admit I haven't checked against the books, and a glance at Morgoth's Ring suggests the story is much more complicated. It may be tied to the question of whether Orcs have their own will at all, or are controlled by the dispersed power of the Dark Lord even after his banishment.

hS