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What exactly is a troll?

What Do You Think A Troll Is?   20 members have voted

  1. 1. Is it...

    • Its covered in dark hair, its icky and has sharp teeth
      4
    • Its a great big lumbering thing usually carries a club
      8
    • Other
      8

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Alright I know this is random but it has been bugging me! I don't know how many times I've read a book or seen a film or tv show and they mention trolls. We then wait a bit and when you finally see it I'm completely throws me each time which type they went with! So the definitive answer must now be found. What do you think a troll is?

 

I expect picture and verbal arguments. We must know the truth!

 

Go forth troll-hunters...

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As with any fantasy or mythical creature, the visual and behavioral identity can vary based on location, time-frame, and story to story within the first two limits. There have been references to cave trolls, mountain trolls, etc, which indicate that there are subsets of different trolls throughout the genre. This is not uncommon, either, as orcs/ogres/goblins have all been thrown about in the multiple identity mix. Vampires as well, have gone from either ugly, misshapen things to the hot and sexy variety. The only real aspect that I can find in common with trolls is that they are generally not "good guys," though they can vary from being simple nuisances to truly evil. Thus, when encountering a troll, I generally take the "wait and see" approach, until more information is proffered.

 

Mythically speaking, I believe that trolls are a heavily featured in Scandinavian lore, and based on the where/when, it can either be a lumbering, ugly giant or a more human-like being with certain special abilities or traits. With that, they were not necessarily "evil," though one would still not want to encounter one, regardless of its physical aspect. As the troll has passed through different lands, it has received makeovers from each culture based on its own mythology and culture. In general, though, the later you go, the less hairy they get, I've found. It was much during the late dark ages and medieval period that they really became the truly evil creatures we take them for today. That could be said for a lot of mythical creatures, as well, as the dark times in Europe didn't generally make for happy thoughts.

 

There are certain theories out there that the troll myth was inspired by our encounters with Neanderthal man back in pre-history; whether true or not I don't think anyone will be able to say unless time travel happens and we go back to study it. :lol: It would certainly account for the general large, hairy and brutish appearance of the troll; I doubt it would attest to the behavior, but we'll save the social paleoanthropology for another time, lol.

 

Obviously, fantasy fiction has taken things a great deal further in delineation, as you have pointed out, Images. Between the most prominent authors in the genre, there are definitive splits in the type of troll one can encounter; this is hardly surprising, considering the troll mythology itself is so varied, so one can certainly expect a modern author to go his/her own way, based upon their own experiences and feelings. It's very annoying, but inescapable based on the mythological divisions.

 

Thusly, I can't say there is a certain type of troll that should be, and I therefore can only hope that authors would work to describe their trolls sooner rather than later to avoid the confusion.

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I expect picture and verbal arguments. We must know the truth!

I picked Other. A troll is someone who lurks on message boards and picks fights with people. :lol:

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See now that its started I do say that I prefer the hairy greasy long limbed thing as a troll. I know Tolkien is considered the end all of a lot of fantasy and his are the big things but I take my cue more from illustrations in kids stories like billy goat's gruff.

 

A bit more lowbow i know.

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What do you mean lurks moar and picks fights! ::puts up dukes:: :lol:

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I just put other. Don't ask me why, I just did.

Edited by Merina

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I chose "Other".

 

For the most part (due to fiction, movies and games) I consider Trolls as grayish skin, tall, heavyset and or muscular, long black hair, and carrying a large club.

 

However - I also consider Trek's Ferengi a type of Troll as well (if anyone needs me, I'll be hiding from Muon now. :lol:), so that's why I chose the Other option.

Edited by Kansas_Jones

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I chose "Other".

 

For the most part (due to fiction, movies and games) I consider Trolls as grayish skin, tall, heavyset and or muscular, long black hair, and carrying a large club.

 

However - I also consider Trek's Ferengi a type of Troll as well (if anyone needs me, I'll be hiding from Muon now. ^_^ ), so that's why I chose the Other option.

 

 

Well, theres always the Marine on Agincourt, and then theres teh one in Harry Potter one. I always personally thought of the troll in Harry Potter the 1st, and agreed thats what a Troll looks like, might be a little bit shorter but thats waht i always thought of. Now put a club in instead of the bags or whatever is in the Trolls hands.

 

 

 

http://idd0070s.eresmas.net/aventura/potter12.jpg

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Tolls are mythical creatures found in the land of fantasy.

 

Online those annoying people are SNERTS. :)

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