Orcs and Daylight

[Khamul]

This may have been touched upon, but I wonder what the connection between Orcs and daylight is. I know that all but the Uruk-hai cannot stand it. Since Tolkien has been so good about making everything fit together nice and neat, I wonder where this fits in. Has he written about this anywhere? My guess is it has something to do with the Elves they were "supposedly"
corrupted from. the Elves were born before the Sun and Moon rose, when Middle-earth was dark. Perhaps this has something to do with it. At any rate, if you have no actual info, I would love to hear your opinions on this angle. If this has been touched upon somewhere else, please direct me there.

Oh, and by the way, Hi Everybody:D

[korhall]

they trun to stone because they were made from the mountains. i think that they are from the dark arts so the light of the sun dispelld that magic and reverts them back to their original form

[YayGollum]

Woah, wait a minute! Orcs turn into stone? I thought the Uruk-Hai were making the Orcs run through the day and the night when they were taking Merry and Pippin to Isengard. Am I just really stupid? Oh yeah, Hi! :D

[Khamul]

Originally posted by korhall
they trun to stone because they were made from the mountains. i think that they are from the dark arts so the light of the sun dispelld that magic and reverts them back to their original form

I think you are talking about trolls, as such an example occured in The Hobbit.

[A Ranger]

the trolls turn to stone (except for one strain that could wistand it as long as they were working for the dark lord) not the orcs,I believe that they have the weakness to sunlight is because they were bred from a bit of everything but mostly men and men awoke when the sun first rose and being the oppisite of all the free people they were weakend by the sun.

[Ragnarok]

Sunlight basically hurts Orc's eyes. Not kills them or turns them to stone. Trolls are turn to stone. Except the Olog-hai (elite trolls) that fought at the Battle of Morgul. They could withstand sunlight.

[legendz28]

I think it has more to do that just hurting their eyes. In the book when they were being forced to run during the day they were actually physically effected because they started running slower and when it got darker they picked up the pace again so it has to effect them more physically than just hurting their eyes. They are orc's afterall, pretty tough. They aren't like gollum who whines about everything.

[korhall]

oh, well then, i think i will just go bang my head against a spell book for a while

[Cian]

Note too that a few of the larger, bolder Northerners choose to stay with the Isengarders, and that Grishnákh's band run for hours in the winter sun, the narrative telling that the Mordor orcs were gradually passed because the Isengarders were either quicker and hardier, or, because of some plan of Grishnákhs ~ though they do seem to put on better speed when the shadows reach out (like wings? ;)), it must be added.

[Nimawae's hope]

Orcs were once elves that were tortured and corrupted by Melkor, an evil Valar. This all occured before the first rising of the sun (or even the moon for that matter). When the Valar created the sun and set it on its course, all of the evil creatures of Melkor grew afraid and hid themselves (including orcs).

Although they are able to go out in the sun, they hate it with a passion, and will only go out if the will of the Dark Lord commands them to.

Sorry if this sounds confusing, but if you don't understand what I am saying then read the Silmarillion. This book will explain a lot.

P.S. One reason some of the orcs were more sun-tolerant was because they were interbreeded with men. At least that is what it says in LOTR.

Oh, yes. Welcome!!

[Lantarion]

Welcome, Mr. Easterling! :)
I think they were afraid of the Sun because Morgoth, their 'creator' was also abashed and intimidated by it. Perhaps the Orcs were somehow bound to Morgoth's evil spirit because he 'created' them; like Sauron is linked to the 9 and 7 Rings. But I dunno.
Of Trolls:
Trolls were very large (perhaps as large as Ents), strong, ugly, and stupid. They had thick skin and black blood, and most trolls (except Olog-hai) turned to stone when exposed to sunlight.
I'm not sure why, though.. Yet another thread topic, sheesh. :rolleyes:
:)

[Khamul]

Since Morgoth had destroyed the Two Trees with Ungoliant and stolen the Silmarils, he had all the light of Arda with him. I think this led him to believe that he was all powerful. When the Sun rose, Morgoth realized that this was not so. I believe that the rising of the Sun was the dawn of hope for the peoples of Middle-earth and the bane for the Enemies. That is why the Orcs dislike sunlight and the Trolls turn to stone. If anyone has any other ideas please express them!

[Aiwendil]

Okay, according to the Tolkien Bestiary, trolls turn to stone in the sun because they were bred with the power and magic of darkness, this the sun un-does.

As to orcs (from the Bestiary)

"Orcs were spawned as thralls of the Master of darkness; therefor they were fearful of light, for it weakened and burned them. Their eyes were night seeing, and they were dwellers of foul pits and tunnels."

[Gnashar_the_orc]

The only troll kind that turned to stone was the ancient race of the trolls. The Elite trolls of Mordor as well as the cave trolls of Moria, (who are NOT the same as the three trolls in 'The 'Hobbit') did not. Orcs, Uruk-hai and goblins did NOT either.