He may have gained the idea of a fire demon from his philological study of the Old English word Sigelwara, which he studied in detail in the 1930s.īalrogs appear in the film adaptations of The Lord of the Rings by Ralph Bakshi and Peter Jackson, and in computer and video games based on Middle-earth.įurther information: Tolkien's monsters § Fallen angelsĪccording to the fictional history in The Silmarillion, the evil Vala Melkor corrupted lesser Maiar (angelic beings) to his service, as Balrogs, in the days of his splendour before the making of Arda. Tolkien invented the name 'Balrog', providing an in-universe etymology for it as a word in his invented Sindarin language. Their power came from their nature as Maiar, angelic beings like the Valar. Only dragons rivalled their capacity for ferocity and destruction, and during the First Age of Middle-earth, they were among the most feared of Morgoth's forces. In Tolkien's later conception, they could not be readily vanquished-a certain stature was required by the would-be hero.

They are armed with fiery whips 'of many thongs', and occasionally use long swords. Balrogs are tall and menacing beings who can shroud themselves in fire, darkness, and shadow.

Balrogs appear also in Tolkien's The Silmarillion and other posthumously published books. One first appeared in print in his high fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings, where the Fellowship of the Ring encounter one known as Durin's Bane in the Mines of Moria. For other uses, see Balrog (disambiguation).Ī Balrog ( / ˈ b æ l r ɒ ɡ/) is a powerful fictional monster in J.

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