[ Daily Tolkien ] A Tolkien Virgin: Of The Coming of Elves and the Captivity of Melkor

Tolkien Online ^ | August 23, 1999 | Mark-Edmond

[JameRetief]

A Tolkien Virgin: Of The Coming of Elves and the Captivity of Melkor
by Mark-Edmond

The Journey Continues

The thing that first struck me about this section is the creation of the Orcs. Tolkien has done something brilliant here. He established with Aule that none of the Ainor or Valar could create beings--things that exist apart from their creator. Illuvatar alone can truly create beings. So in order for Melkor to have a race of followers, he takes elves and breeds them into hideous creatures--the Orcs. For the Orcs to be descended from Elves is really a fascinating concept. If Tokien is the father of the modern Fantasy genre, why haven't I heard of this before? It's very cool.

I wonder if when Orcs are slain they go to the halls of Mandos, just like the Elves. After all, they are elves at heart, right?

Something worth remembering, I should think, is that Melkor can't create something new. He can only pervert and twist something that already exists.

Something absolutely remarkable is the description of the defeat of Melkor. Again, Tulkas is incredible. Tolkien writes that he, "cast [Melkor] upon his face; and he was bound with the chain...and led captive." How undescribably powerful must Tulkas be! And what an image for Melkor to be led across the land bound with a chain and captive of the Valar?! Melkor, immense Power, all darkness and fire, captured and taken prisoner. A breathtaking image.

I'd like to quickly mention that I'm impressed with Tolkien's realism as the Elves begin their exedos to Valenor--their promised land. I would call it sad realism even. For, so many of the Elves don't make it. Some aren't even convinced to go. Many are lost, many give up and turn back. From the very beginning, when some of the Quendi flee from Orome and are lost or captured by Melkor it's evident that the story of the Elves is not going to be a happy one.

Author: Mark-Edmond
Published on: August 23, 1999

The next Tolkien Virgin article covers: The Silmarillion: Of Thingol and Melian

[JameRetief]

The Daily Tolkien articles by various authors	The Tolkien Virgin articles by Mark Edmond
ARTICLES 1-10	1) Pre-amble and The Ainulindalë
ARTICLES 11-20	2) Ainulindalë/Valaquenta
ARTICLES 21-30	3) Of Aule and Yavanna
31) Model Languages: On Tolkien	4) Of The Coming of Elves and the Captivity of Melkor

[JameRetief]

Your Tolkien Virgin Ping!

Read along with a Tolkien Virgin as he discovers and comments on the history of Middle Earth as he reads it for the first time.  These articles start with The Silmarillion, journeys through The Hobbit, and finishes with the epic Lord Of The Rings.  At the pace of 2 articles per week (Mondays and Fridays) the articles will wrap up about the same time that the final movie of the Lord Of The Rings story is released. 

If anyone would like for me to ping them directly when I post the Tolkien Virgin articles or my Daily Tolkien articles let me know. I hope that you enjoy them!

[Sam Cree]

"These articles start with The Silmarillion"

Does that mean that the Tolkien virgin read the Silmarillion first. 32 years later, I still haven't read it.

[JameRetief]

Yes, the Tolkien Virgin is reading the stories in "Middle Earth History" chronological order. He's a student of History, and he felt that it would be to his liking to read the stories of Middle Earth that way. It will make for interesting commentary when he finally reads through The Lord Of The Rings.

[HairOfTheDog]

Ring Ping!!

[Elenya]

It will make for interesting commentary when he finally reads through The Lord Of The Rings.

Very soon, hopefully.

[VRWCmember]

The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins, sung by Leonard Nimoy

[HairOfTheDog]

[snicker!] I have heard that one before!

[Maigret]

Posted yesterday in the 'Model Languages' Tolkien article - The word orc is used to describe goblins and is from the Old English word for "demon", a word used in Beowulf.

I've always seen the orcs as representing fallen angels. In Tolkien they are depicted as having something done to them to make them become orcs, Biblically speaking the angels that fell did so because they chose to follow Lucifer, but then they possibly did so because they believed his lies as Eve did.

[delapaz]

The fallen angels in middle earth are more represented by Balrogs. A balrog is a maia spirit, one level below the vala, and on the same level as the wizards and Sauron. balrogs are those Maia that decided to follow Melkor/Morgoth in the First Age.

[Maigret]

The fallen angels in middle earth are more represented by Balrogs.

That is interesting, though there are levels of angels and so it seems that the orcs could still fall in that category at a lesser level.

[crazykatz]

Just a thought...

I always felt the orcs represented those people, especially the children taken as tribute from every Christian village and town across the Ottoman Empire, especially in the Balkans ( Serbia mostly).

These youngsters were taken by the empire and used as Janissaries(soldiers) or male or female members of the Pashas'/Caliph's harems( they always had a "boy-thing" going on as well).

They were taught to hate Christianity and to kill them with great passion. They were instrumental in the Fall of Constantinople...they were ruthless and brutal.

Serbia fell to the Ottomans in 1388, I believe...Constantinople in 1458. The Ottomans has quite a while to steal children and turn them into "monsters"...killing machines for islam....Or sex toys for their rulers.

[crazykatz]

ME...ping me....please.....pretty please.

[Mo1]

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[Maigret]

Thanks for some interesting history that I was not familiar with, I guess the great thing about Tolkien is that his work can have many applications, and yet still fall within absolute lines, i.e., good vs. evil.

[JameRetief]

You have now been pinged! :-) And you've been added to the ping list. Welcome aboard!

[JenB]

I like this article. The breeding of Orcs is clearly said to be Morgoth's foulest deed, and I agree. Twisting such a noble and lovely race - I cannot find words to say how evil this is.

[Vast Buffalo Wing Conspiracy]

Three things:

1) Orcs are Elves corrupted by Morgoth: do they retain the Elvish immortality; ie, do Orcs live indefinitely free from age and disease, like Elves do, assuming they are not killed by violence?

2) If Morgoth can't create life, how did he create the Trolls? They are supposed to be created from stone in mockery of the Ents, but how did Morgoth do this, without creating life?

3) Can certain persons please take their incessant Islam-bashing to non-Hobbit Hole threads, please?

[JameRetief]

I am not sure that the questions you asked are answered in Tolkien's works. If they are I don't remember. I will see if I can find an answer to your questions though.

Off the top of my head, it seems like Tolkien was leaving the Orcs ambiguous. Made from Elves or made from Men? The common conclusion is they are from Elves, but I don't think that that is directly spelled out by Tolkien.

Haven't thought any about the Troll origins. Like I said, I'll see what I can find.

[Stopislamnow]

You can see what happens when a mortal is influenced by the divine power of the Valar/Maiar.

Smeagol, after just a few hundred years is almost wholly corrupt from being exposed to the power that Sauron put into the ring.

Imagine the first elves, that fled from Orome, being captured my Melko and being HIS playthings for a few thousand years. And his power is infinitely greater than Saurons. Really easy to see the truth of the orcish origin.

Trolls were Ents, corrupted in the same way. I think this is more involved than just the orc issue though. And it also took longer to accomplish, and working underground for thousands of years they became intolerant of sunlight. Yet, there is no mention I think, of trolls becoming stone when hit by sunlight during the first two ages. Still trying to figure that one out as they are used in almost all the big battles of the Wars of Beleriand. Seems that Gothmogs troll guard would be pretty useless if they all had to hide during the day. So there must have been different breeds.

Everything Melkor corrupted shunned light, from being bred and tortured in the depths of Utumno and later Angband. And they also hated thier original race with a passion.