Wormtongue: Birth of an orcfather? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Nar · 09-04-2002, 08:36 PM

As his debasement goes on, Grima Wormtongue seems to take on more and more of the typical characteristics of orcs: he gains a nasty nickname, he slinks, he lurks, he crawls, he becomes pale and twitchy. By the end, he's either descended into cannibalism or come close. 'Very hungry lately', that sounds like an orc in service to a typically thankless dark lord.

Whether orcs are elves deformed by Morgoth or men and animals deformed by same, (depending on which part of the Silmarillion or HoME is referenced) the process seems to include a twisting of body and fea under the unfluence of a malign and powerful spirit. Does the twisting of the fea cause the twisting of the body? Could Saruman have at least begun this process during his corruption of and dominion over Wormtongue? He might have done it to Grima deliberately, just to find out what it felt like to attempt to twist a man into an original orc. Given more time with Grima, could Saruman have turned him into a new father of orcs, founder of the first clan of orcs not created by Morgoth?

09-04-2002, 08:36 PM	#1
Nar Wight Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 228	Wormtongue: Birth of an orcfather? As his debasement goes on, Grima Wormtongue seems to take on more and more of the typical characteristics of orcs: he gains a nasty nickname, he slinks, he lurks, he crawls, he becomes pale and twitchy. By the end, he's either descended into cannibalism or come close. 'Very hungry lately', that sounds like an orc in service to a typically thankless dark lord. Whether orcs are elves deformed by Morgoth or men and animals deformed by same, (depending on which part of the Silmarillion or HoME is referenced) the process seems to include a twisting of body and fea under the unfluence of a malign and powerful spirit. Does the twisting of the fea cause the twisting of the body? Could Saruman have at least begun this process during his corruption of and dominion over Wormtongue? He might have done it to Grima deliberately, just to find out what it felt like to attempt to twist a man into an original orc. Given more time with Grima, could Saruman have turned him into a new father of orcs, founder of the first clan of orcs not created by Morgoth?