Since the release of the first cartoon Shrek in 2001, the debate has not subsided: Shrek is an ogre or an orc. Outwardly, he looks like both, but in fact, his nature has a clear explanation.
According to the official version of the DreamWorks studio, Shrek is definitely an ogre. This is a classic character of European folklore — large, green-skinned, living in a swamp and scaring people. In the cartoon, he also prefers to spend days alone and does not really like other creatures.
However, it is definitely not by chance that Shrek is often confused with an orc. The fact is that these creatures have green skin, large size, and not the most correct facial features. And after the release of The Lord of the Rings, the image of warlike orcs became so recognizable that all green creatures began to be automatically recorded as their "relatives".
But still, in the original books, Shrek was an orc. By the way, in the illustrations there, Shrek looked even scarier, with red eyes and sharp teeth. But the creators of the film softened his appearance to emphasize his kind soul.
