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The Mismeasure of Orcs: A Critical Reassessment of Tolkien's Demonized Creatures
Despite its well-earned reputation as the richest world in fantasy, there exists a notable, troubling problem in Tolkien's the existence of a sentient, rational being for whom no sympathy or moral feeling is ever shown. Examining the origin stories of the orc, which changed over time according to Tolkien's own worries about whether orcs were "redeemable," this book endeavors to show that these "inhuman" creatures are, in fact, among the most human (perhaps "all-too-human") to be found in The Lord of the Rings. This work discusses racism and class hierarchies in Tolkien's writings, contexts in which the characterization of orcs is particularly noticeable. But Tolkien's own writings reveal the nature of orcs to be worthy of sympathy, despite their often dehumanized or demonized depictions. Focusing on key scenes from The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings, this study uncovers the richly diverse cultures, as well as the distinctive personalities of various orcs, who turn out to be a far cry from the monsters they are taken to be in the popular imagination. A revised understanding of the orcs as a people presents Middle-earth's history, geopolitics, and cultural anthropology in a new light.
201 pages, Paperback
Published June 19, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 27, 2025
Ho una visione ambivalente di questo libro. O, se preferite, per me ha pregi e difetti abbastanza grandi.
Il pregio più grande è sicuramente quello di fare una ri-lettura degli orchi, cercando di estrarre tutte le informazione dai testi di Tolkien, oltre che dall'epistolario. E' scritto in maniera facile ma non trascurata
Il difetto più grave che gli imputo e una sorta di "partigianeria": per esempio quando gli orchi uccidono Thror davanti a Moria stavano difendendosi da una invasione (di due nani, anzi di uno solo ndN). Mentre i Rohirrim sarebbero sanguinari perché uccidono degli orchi che stavano attraversando Rohan (con Pippin e Merry al seguito) senza che ci fosse uno stato di guerra dichiarato con gli orchi.
Non ho ben capito se questa sorta di "doppiopesismo" sia voluta: reputo di sì. L'autore non vuol certo convincerci che gli orchi siano buoni; ma mostrare come spesso siano trattati peggio di ogni altro nemico. Si ha pietà di Gollum, di Saruman, dei Dei Dunlandiani, degli Esterling e degli Haradrim. Mai degli orchi. E su questo concordo, pur se ci sarebbe bisogno di parecchie puntualizzazioni.
Altro punto criticabile, ma non imputabile all'autore, è il prezzo - sui 40 euro, quando l'ho comprato
Il pregio più grande è sicuramente quello di fare una ri-lettura degli orchi, cercando di estrarre tutte le informazione dai testi di Tolkien, oltre che dall'epistolario. E' scritto in maniera facile ma non trascurata
Il difetto più grave che gli imputo e una sorta di "partigianeria": per esempio quando gli orchi uccidono Thror davanti a Moria stavano difendendosi da una invasione (di due nani, anzi di uno solo ndN). Mentre i Rohirrim sarebbero sanguinari perché uccidono degli orchi che stavano attraversando Rohan (con Pippin e Merry al seguito) senza che ci fosse uno stato di guerra dichiarato con gli orchi.
Non ho ben capito se questa sorta di "doppiopesismo" sia voluta: reputo di sì. L'autore non vuol certo convincerci che gli orchi siano buoni; ma mostrare come spesso siano trattati peggio di ogni altro nemico. Si ha pietà di Gollum, di Saruman, dei Dei Dunlandiani, degli Esterling e degli Haradrim. Mai degli orchi. E su questo concordo, pur se ci sarebbe bisogno di parecchie puntualizzazioni.
Altro punto criticabile, ma non imputabile all'autore, è il prezzo - sui 40 euro, quando l'ho comprato
January 16, 2026
"And what about all these orcs? By the end of the war, Sauron is gone but all of the orcs aren’t gone – they’re in the mountains. Did Aragorn pursue a policy of systematic genocide and kill them? Even the little baby orcs, in their little orc cradles?" - George R.R. Martin
What is owed to innately human creatures that are portrayed to be almost devoid of humanity entirely? "The Orc Problem", a longstanding point of contention not only among Tolkien scholars but among the author himself, has become an increasingly popular field of study yet remains constrained within academia due to resistance to the idea that Orcs could be anything but evil incarnate. In The Mismeasure of Orcs, author Robert Tally pulls on Tolkien's published works and personal writings to expertly make not only the case that Orcs may be more like the common man that reject them than readers expect, but also that understanding the race is key to understanding Tolkien's works and how his personal biases have influenced them. For instance, the author spends much well-warranted time discussing the racialized features of the Orcs, particularly their physical descriptions, and their implications for the text. While the book will be of particular use to academics with deep interest in Tolkien, the author's well-researched extensions of his analysis into subjects like class, race, and social-structures along with his clear, ground-up explanations make it a topical read for even beginners interested in exploring life through literature. While Tally’s analysis is consistently thoughtful and well-supported, some casual readers may find it drawn out in places. However, in a time where it seems alienation and dehumanization are commonplace rhetoric, the importance of a work that calls for empathy and re-consideration of a group that has long been cast-aside and minimized cannot be overstated.
What is owed to innately human creatures that are portrayed to be almost devoid of humanity entirely? "The Orc Problem", a longstanding point of contention not only among Tolkien scholars but among the author himself, has become an increasingly popular field of study yet remains constrained within academia due to resistance to the idea that Orcs could be anything but evil incarnate. In The Mismeasure of Orcs, author Robert Tally pulls on Tolkien's published works and personal writings to expertly make not only the case that Orcs may be more like the common man that reject them than readers expect, but also that understanding the race is key to understanding Tolkien's works and how his personal biases have influenced them. For instance, the author spends much well-warranted time discussing the racialized features of the Orcs, particularly their physical descriptions, and their implications for the text. While the book will be of particular use to academics with deep interest in Tolkien, the author's well-researched extensions of his analysis into subjects like class, race, and social-structures along with his clear, ground-up explanations make it a topical read for even beginners interested in exploring life through literature. While Tally’s analysis is consistently thoughtful and well-supported, some casual readers may find it drawn out in places. However, in a time where it seems alienation and dehumanization are commonplace rhetoric, the importance of a work that calls for empathy and re-consideration of a group that has long been cast-aside and minimized cannot be overstated.
October 4, 2025
Please see my review of this excellent monograph on The Journal of Tolkien Research https://scholar.valpo.edu/cgi/viewcon...
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews