[obloquy]

But I must admit that their immortality is corruptible in theory.

That is exactly the theory that is dealt with in Athrabeth. According to Andreth, it was believed among some Men that they were also immortal in the beginning, but Morgoth ensnared the Fathers, and all Men from then on inherited death. However, a significant point, made by Tolkien himself, is that if Men were immortal, they would be Elves.

Regarding Orcs, Kate makes an excellent point, though it is simpler than she puts it:

As for Elves being 'immortal': they in fact only had enormously long lives, and were themselves physically 'wearing out', and suffering a slow progressive weakening of their bodies.

Myths Transformed

Even if Orcs were Elves in origin (which, it seems, conflicts with Tolkien's latest ideas), their lifespan would decrease over the years, a process hastened by their corruption, and late generation Orcs would probably not live very long at all (compare Numenorean lifespans). In other words, it wasn't a corruption of immortality, it was just a quickening of this already inherent Elvish fading. Therefore, the question is not whether they would be allowed the lifespan of Elves (Tolkien says that Iluvatar would not necessarily step in to abrogate this degree of corruption by Morgoth), but would it be genetically possible for the race to sustain such a lifespan over the generations.

Tolkien seems fairly certain in MT that some of the Orc chieftains were actually lesser Maiar, which, through breeding, would also add to the longevity of the species.

They could be slain, and they were subject to disease; but apart from these ills they died and were not immortal, even according to the manner of the Quendi; indeed they appear to have been by nature short-lived compared with the span of Men of higher race, such as the Edain.
This last point was not well understood in the Elder Days. For Morgoth had many servants, the oldest and most potent of whom were immortal, belonging indeed in their beginning to the Maiar; and these evil spirits like their Master could take on visible forms. Those whose business it was to direct the Orcs often took Orkish shapes, though they were greater and more terrible. Thus it was that the histories speak of Great Orcs or Orc-captains who were not slain, and who reappeared in battle through years far longer than the span of the lives of Men.

We could speculate that the idea (rumor?) that Orcs are corrupted Elves was initially just the Eldar's reaction to new, evil beings of 'humanoid' physiology. They knew Morgoth could not create independent creatures, and they made assumptions. After all, some of their buddies had been missing ever since they left Cuivienen. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Wow, my posts end up quite tedious reading. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[ March 11, 2002: Message edited by: obloquy ]