Trolls

From Tolkien Gateway
Revision as of 14:38, 27 May 2009 by Mthomas (talk | contribs)
"I shan't call it the end, till we've cleared up the mess." — Sam
This article or section needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of article quality.
"Who told you, and who sent you?" — Gandalf
This article or section needs more/new/more-detailed sources to conform to a higher standard and to provide proof for claims made.
Trolls
Race
File:Weta Workshop Troll Concept.jpg
Physical Description
LifespanUnknown
Average heightaround 9 feet
GalleryImages of Trolls

Trolls are very large (around 9 feet tall) humanoids of poor intellect. They were bred "in mockery" of Ents. Trolls were found living alone or in clans, and a vast number of them were under Sauron's order, forming a part of his army.

History

Morgoth created Trolls before the First Age. Trolls were very strong, but they turned to stone in sun light. Many Trolls died in the War of Wrath, but some survived and joined the forces of Sauron, the greatest surviving servant of Morgoth. In the Second Age and Third Age, Trolls were among Sauron's most dangerous warriors. In the Third Age, Sauron created the Olog-hai, which were more powerful than earlier breeds of Trolls. While most Trolls cannot bear exposure to sunlight without turning to stone, the Olog-hai apparently could; this attribute is mentioned in the Return of the King as making them particularly dangerous. During the War of the Ring, Sauron used Olog-hai in the Siege of Gondor and Battle of the Pelennor Fields. In the subsequent Battle at the Black Gate, the hobbit Peregrin Took killed a large Olog-hai troll. As a result of Sauron's ring being destroyed, Black Gate and the rest of Mordor collapsed to ruin during that battle. Most of the Trolls present at the battle were killed, with a very few escaping.

Kinds of Trolls

In The Lord of the Rings, several breeds are mentioned:

  • Normal Trolls were strong and vicious, but stupid creatures created by Morgoth. Nobody knows how he managed to breed them though it is stated by Treebeard of the Ents that Trolls were "made in mockery of" Ents, similar to the way that Orcs were bred from captured and tormented Elves. Tolkien did not discuss in detail the ways in which "good" beings could be corrupted to evil.
  • Cave-trolls seem incapable of speech and it is not clear whether they can move in sunlight.
  • The Olog-hai, unlike the original Trolls, seem incapable of speech (though it's said they know Black Speech and are able to move while exposed to direct sunlight. Apparently Sauron created them.
  • The Stone-Trolls were a race of trolls in the service of sauron. See Stone-trolls
  • Snow Trolls as well as Hill Trolls are mentioned, but it is not known how they are related to others, and their abilities. Perhaps the classification refers only to their living habits, not properties.

Inspiration

While in Norse mythology, the Troll was a magical creature with special skills, and are so accepted to this day in Norway, in Tolkien's writings they are portrayed as evil, with crude, bloodthirsty habits.