Are there female orcs, or are they simply androgynous? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Grendel · 05-18-2002, 04:03 PM

When using the singular 3rd person pronoun, Tolkien always refers to any individual orcs appearing in the various tales as masculine, unless I am mistaken. There are references to orcs as ruined elves etc; and the half-orcs (ùruk hai)it is hinted, are blended humans and orcs, but that does not answer the question. What do you think?

05-18-2002, 04:03 PM	#1
Grendel Pile O'Bones Join Date: May 2002 Location: Brittany, France Posts: 16	Are there female orcs, or are they simply androgynous? When using the singular 3rd person pronoun, Tolkien always refers to any individual orcs appearing in the various tales as masculine, unless I am mistaken. There are references to orcs as ruined elves etc; and the half-orcs (ùruk hai)it is hinted, are blended humans and orcs, but that does not answer the question. What do you think?