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Ogres were a race mentioned only once, in The Hobbit.

History[]

Ogres were mentioned in the context of the Riddle-game between Bilbo Baggins and Gollum. After Gollum asked a riddle about what "ruins kingdoms" and "beats tall mountains down", Bilbo tried to think "of all the giants and ogres that he had heard of." None of them, however, were destructive enough to meet the description of the riddle, as the answer was time itself.[1]

It is possible that ogres were a mythical monster in Hobbit folklore rather than a real creature. It is also possible that, like Giants and the term "fairy", they were simply dropped as Tolkien's legendarium progressed and expanded.

In other versions[]

In the earlier legends of Middle-earth written before the release of The Hobbit, ogres were among the Úvanimor: the monsters, giants, Gongs and Wicked dwarves who were bred from earth by Melko. They feared the sinews of Tulkas arm and his iron-clad fists, when he had cause for wrath. It is said that Túvo protected Men and Elves from them and from ‘evil fays’, and the Orcs besides.

During one of the voyages of Voronwë and Eärendil in Vingilot, a wind drove them south to dark regions and fire-mountains, where they encountered southern ogres known as the Sarqindi, alongside Tree-men and pygmies.[2] Sarqindi ("Cannibal-ogres") is comprised of the word sarqa ("fleshy").[3]

There were also northern ogres named the Hongwir, a name that might be related to the Quenya word Ongwe meaning "Pain".[citation needed]

In texts of this stage, Húrin once fought beside Beren against "ogres and Orcs and evil foemen".[4]

Gothmog had first been a son of Melkor and the ogress Ulbandi, and his name was Strife-and-hatred. He was Captain of the Balrogs and lord of Melkor's hosts before Ecthelion slew him in the fall of Gondolin.[citation needed]

In adaptations[]

The Hobbit film trilogy[]

Ogres appear briefly in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014). They are stated in to have been based off Half-trolls, suggested to be somewhere between the largest Orcs and the smallest Trolls at nine to ten feet and 550 - 650 lbs. They had grayish whiteish skin and lived in Gundabad in the Misty Mountains. it is said that they were molded by Sauron and answered his call to arms eagerly. They served in Azog's Army as both shock troops and Troll commanders. One commanded a team of Catapult Trolls. Several Ogres appear in Dale and two are killed by Bard the Bowman. One of the them, notably, had an abnormally small left arm, while his right arm that held his club was more proportionate to the size of his body.[5]

In the extended edition, Azog orders a group of Ogres to destroy the Dwarvish war chariots at the beginning of the battle. The Ogres successfully accomplish their mission, knocking down the machines and killing Dwarves with their maces. Some time later, Azog sends another group of Ogres to bring down the chariot used by Dwalin, Balin, Fíli and Kíli on their way to Ravenhill. However, the spiked wheels of the chariot behead all the attacking Ogres.

Gallery[]


Translations[]

Foreign Language Translated name
Bulgarian Cyrillic Огрите
Czech Zlobři
Danish Ogrere / Menneskeædere
Dutch Ogers
Finnish Hirvitykset
German Ogers
Italian Orchi
Polish Ogry
Portuguese Ogros
Romanian Căpcăunii
Russian Огры
Spanish Ogros

See also[]

References[]

  1. The Hobbit, Ch. V: "Riddles In The Dark"
  2. The History of Middle-earth, The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "The Tale of Eärendel", pg. 254
  3. The History of Middle-earth Vol. II, The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "Appendix: Names in the Lost Tales——Part II"
  4. The History of Middle-earth Vol. III: The Lays of Beleriand
  5. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies: Visual Companion
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