Trolls

Trolls are a race of large, brutish, and generally dull-witted creatures in Middle-earth, often serving as foot soldiers or guards for the Dark Powers. In The Lord of the Rings, they appear in several distinct varieties: the common Stone-trolls, the more dangerous Cave-trolls, the Hill-trolls of Gorgoroth, and the specially bred Olog-hai, which are stronger, more cunning, and able to endure sunlight under Sauron's will. Trolls are typically hostile to the Free Peoples and are frequently encountered in the service of Sauron or Saruman, though they are also known to act independently. Their presence in the narrative underscores the pervasive threat of the Enemy and the scale of the forces arrayed against the heroes.

Origins and Varieties

Trolls are ancient beings, said to have been made by Morgoth in mockery of the Ents during the Great Darkness. The most common kind in the Third Age are the Stone-trolls, which are large, slow-witted, and turn to stone in sunlight. The three trolls encountered by Bilbo and the Dwarves in The Hobbit—and later seen as stone statues by the Fellowship—are of this type. A more dangerous variety is the Cave-troll, which appears in Moria; it is larger and more aggressive, with a thick, scaly hide that turns aside sword-blows. During the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, Hill-trolls from Gorgoroth are described as taller and broader than Men, clad in horny scales, and wielding heavy hammers. The most formidable are the Olog-hai, bred by Sauron in the late Third Age. These are stronger, more agile, and more intelligent than other trolls, and they can endure the sun as long as Sauron's will holds sway over them. They speak the Black Speech and are used as elite shock troops.

Role in the War of the Ring

Trolls serve as heavy infantry and guards for the forces of Mordor and Isengard. In Moria, a Cave-troll attacks the Fellowship in the Chamber of Mazarbul, battering at the door and wounding Frodo with a spear-thrust that is only turned by his mithril coat. At the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, Hill-trolls break through the lines of Gondor, crushing men with their hammers. At the Black Gate, a company of Olog-hai leads the final assault, and one of them nearly kills Beregond before Pippin stabs it with his barrow-blade. Trolls are also used as beasts of burden, dragging the great battering-ram Grond to the Gate of Minas Tirith. Despite their strength, they are often portrayed as less intelligent than Orcs and are easily routed when their leaders fall or when they face determined resistance.

Weaknesses and Limitations

Stone-trolls are famously vulnerable to sunlight, which turns them to stone—a fact exploited by Gandalf in The Hobbit. The Olog-hai, however, are a special case: they can move in daylight as long as Sauron's power is active, but they become helpless if his will is broken. Trolls are also susceptible to elven-blades; the swords from the Barrow-downs, forged by the Men of Westernesse, are effective against them. Their thick hides can turn ordinary steel, but a well-aimed thrust to a vital area can bring them down. They are also prone to infighting and are easily demoralized when their commanders are slain.

Narrative Significance

Trolls serve as a measure of the escalating threat throughout the story. The Stone-trolls of the Trollshaws are a remnant of a past age, a curiosity and a reminder of Bilbo's earlier adventures. The Cave-troll in Moria signals the depth of the danger within the ancient dwarf-mines. The Hill-trolls and Olog-hai at the Pelennor and the Black Gate represent the full, terrible might of Mordor, showing that Sauron has bred and gathered forces beyond the ordinary Orc-kind. Their presence reinforces the theme of overwhelming odds faced by the Free Peoples, and their defeat underscores the courage and skill of the heroes who stand against them.