Myths Transformed

[Nils]

Tolkien here goes through a number of ideas about the nature of Orcs, ranging from human to Maiar. His final (though quite uncertain) conclusion seems to be that Orcs are in the end indeed of Elvish origin. Even if we decide that this cannot be accepted as a definitive statement that Orcs were made from Elves, we certainly don't have a clear enough line of reasoning in this essay to make them mannish - especially considering that a mannish origin relies on a much earlier creation of men. I'd say we should leave this situation as it is in the '50s Silmarillion.

Why do you say that Tolkien's final decision was that orcs had an Elven origin?

Chris Tolkien wrote that his father's final decision was that orcs had a mannish origin.