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tolkiens legendarium - Is there a passage in Lord of the Rings told from the perspective of an orc?


I distinctly remember that when I read Lord of the Rings, there was a passage told from the point of view of an orc (although obviously still told in the third person).


I think the orc was complaining about how things would turn out if they lost the war, or thinking about how things changed since Sauron came back - something to do with acquiring food - but I am not quite sure.


I looked for it online for a while now, but couldn't find any mention of it. I looked through the books themselves but couldn't find it either.


Where in the Lord of the Rings was the passage told from the perspective of an orc?




Answer



The internal thoughts of orcs are never described in the LotR. However, several dialogues between orcs are "overheard" by hobbits (Pippin when he and Merry are being carried to Isengard, Sam in Cirith Ungol). Those allow us a glimpse into the orcs' experience of the war.


In particular, Shagrat and Gorbag, two company leaders (one from Cirith Ungol, one from Minas Morgul) discuss the war, and make plans for the future, letting us see how they view the whole thing:



‘No, I don’t know,’ said Gorbag’s voice. ‘The messages go through quicker than anything could fly, as a rule. But I don’t enquire how it’s done. Safest not to. Grr! Those Nazgûl give me the creeps. And they skin the body off you as soon as look at you, and leave you all cold in the dark on the other side. But He likes ’em; they’re His favourites nowadays, so it’s no use grumbling. I tell you, it’s no game serving down in the city.’


‘You should try being up here with Shelob for company,’ said Shagrat.


‘I’d like to try somewhere where there’s none of ’em. But the war’s on now, and when that’s over things may be easier.’


‘It’s going well, they say.’


‘They would,’ grunted Gorbag. ‘We’ll see. But anyway, if it does go well, there should be a lot more room. What d’you say? – if we get a chance, you and me’ll slip off and set up somewhere on our own with a few trusty lads, somewhere where there’s good loot nice and handy, and no big bosses.’


‘Ah!’ said Shagrat. ‘Like old times.’



‘Yes,’ said Gorbag. ‘But don’t count on it. I’m not easy in my mind. As I said, the Big Bosses, ay,’ his voice sank almost to a whisper, ‘ay, even the Biggest, can make mistakes. Something nearly slipped, you say. I say, something has slipped. And we’ve got to look out. Always the poor Uruks to put slips right, and small thanks. But don’t forget: the enemies don’t love us any more than they love Him, and if they get topsides on Him, we’re done too.’



This passage, and much more of the same dialogue, is from The Two Towers, book IV, chapter 10 - 'The Choices of Master Samwise.'


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