Fëanor's Life & the Legacy of the Silmarils | Tolkien Character Study
Fëanor's Life & the Legacy of the Silmarils | Tolkien Character Study
Today, we are looking into one of Tolkien’s most divisive and interesting characters: Fëanor.
While much of Fëanor’s legacy is seen by many as largely negative — he was driven by his pride and extremely self-willed to the point where he was willing to forsake the Blessed Realm, defy the Valar, and lead his people into a hopeless war — he is also described as being the greatest of the Eldar in arts and lore. So, simply put there’s lots to hate but perhaps also lots to love.
Fëanor’s Timeline
Birth: Year of the Trees, 1169
Wedding of Finwë and Indis: 1185
1190: Birth of Fingolfin
1230: Birth of Finarfin
1362: Birth of Galadriel
1400: Melkor is Released from Bondage
1450: The Silmarils are Made
Death: Year of the Trees, 1497
Biography of Fëanor
Fëanor was the firstborn son of Finwë, and the only child of his wife Míriel. He was named by his father Curufinwë, but his mother called him Fëanor.
Curufinwë means: skilled (son) of Finwë.
Fëanor means: Spirit of Fire.
The Spirit of Fëanor burned as a flame.
Míriel, the mother of Fëanor, was consumed in body and spirit in the bearing of her son Fëanor and was unable to continue living after his birth. After the death of Míriel, Finwë devoted his attention to raising his son but later was remarried to an elf named Indis. Together, they had two sons: Fingolfin and Finarfin. Fëanor had no love for his step-mother or half-brothers. Tolkien also notes that Fëanor was the most beloved of the sons of Finwë.
Fëanor was married to an elf named Nerdhanel, who was the daughter of a great elven smith called Mahtan. She bore him seven sons. At first, she was able to restrain Fëanor but ultimately they were estranged. The Noldor were favored by Aule, the craftsman of the Valar. Mahtan, the father-in-law of Fëanor, was the most dear to Aule of all the Noldor and thus learned many things from him. He then taught them to Fëanor, though he later regretted doing so.
The greatest of all of Fëanor’s creations were the Silmarils, three jewels which held the light of the two trees of Valinor.
After his unchaining, Melkor sought to destroy the Noldor and manipulated Fëanor to this end. Because of Melkor’s manipulation, there became a great unrest amongst the Noldor with Fëanor being seen as its chief instigator.
Ultimately, Finwë summoned his sons and other kindred to discuss the unrest. Fingolfin urged his father to denounce Fëanor’s rebellious words and plans, but Fëanor accused Fingolfin of trying to usurp him. Fëanor drew his sword upon his half-brother, and with that, the Unrest of the Noldor was no longer hidden.
The Valar brought Fëanor before the Ring of Doom, and he was sentenced to 12 Valian years in exile. Fëanor left Tirion, and the Silmarils were locked away. In this time, Finwë went into exile with his son; Fëanor’s wife Nerdhanel remained in Tirion with his step-mother Indis.
After a time, Melkor came to Fëanor and offered to help him — in a thinly veiled attempt to gain the Silmarils. However, Fëanor refused him, and Melkor fled. The Valar searched but were unable to find him.
Ultimately, Melkor returned to Aman and destroyed the two trees of Valinor.
The Valar asked Fëanor to give them the Silmarils so they could heal the Trees. However, Fëanor refused. Shortly after, messengers came from Formenos with news that Melkor had killed Finwë and stolen the Silmarils. Fëanor cursed Melkor, naming him Morgoth, the Black Foe of the World. After this, Fëanor ran and disappeared into the night.
All grieved for the loss of Finwë, the choice of Fëanor, and the Silmarils and the light of the Trees of Valinor. Meanwhile, Morgoth and Ungoliant came to the wastes of Araman.
Ungoliant demanded more from Morgoth, attempting to take even the Silmarils. At this, Morgoth cried aloud, and the Balrogs came to his aid. Ungoliant fled. Morgoth forged for himself an iron crown in which he placed the Silmarils, and his power grew in the North.
The Oath of Fëanor
Fëanor came back to Tirion, against his banishment, and began a great speech before the Noldor. In this speech he claimed kingship of the Noldor and urged them to leave Valinor and take dominion of Middle-earth before the coming of Men. Fëanor had believed the lies of Morgoth: that the Valar held the Eldar captive in Valinor so that Men might rule Middle-earth. He then swore an oath to reclaim the Silmarils at any cost, and his sons joined him in this. Galadriel swore no oath but did go to Middle-earth with her family.
The greater part of the Noldor agreed to leave Aman, but not all agreed to take Fëanor as their king. Many preferred Fingolfin for king, so two divided hosts departed. Before they could leave, a messenger from Manwë came and urged them not to go. Fëanor laughed and brushed off this warning.
The Kinslaying at Alqualondë
Fëanor tried to persuade the Teleri to join them, but they would not join Fëanor, nor would they aid him. Fëanor tried to take the ships of the Teleri by force, but they withstood him, and a bitter battle followed. This was called the Kinslaying of Alqualondë (the first kinslaying). The Noldor took the ships and continued.
The Doom of Mandos
The Noldor were met by a figure who cursed those who would not stay or seek the pardon of the Valar, but Fëanor was not dissuaded. The Doom of Mandos was pronounced upon them: “Ye have spilled the blood of your kindred unrighteously and have stained the land of Aman. For blood ye shall render blood, and beyond Aman ye shall dwell in Death's shadow.”
Finarfin forsook the march at this time; he turned back and received the pardon of the Valar. He ruled the remaining Noldor in the Blessed Realm.
The Betrayal of Fëanor
Fëanor abandoned Fingolfin in Araman, bringing with him only those he deemed worthy, and set foot in Middle-earth. The host of Fingolfin was left in Araman and had no choice but to endure the Helcaraxë, the hills of ice.
As Fëanor and his sons came to Middle-earth, they burned the ships at Losgar. Unbeknownst to them, this scene drew the attention of the servants of Morgoth. The hosts of Fëanor passed into Hithlum and made their dwelling in Mithrim. Suddenly, the servants of Morgoth attacked the Noldor at their encampment. This was the Second Battle in the Wars of Beleriand, called the Dagor-nuin-Giliath. The Noldor were victorious.
Driven mad in wrath, Fëanor believed that he could take on Morgoth himself. He rushed ahead of his hosts and so found himself alone, surrounded by the servants of Morgoth. He was “smitten to the ground by Gothmog, Lord of Balrogs.” His sons carried him back towards Mithrim, but he died along the way. His body fell to ash as his fiery spirit left him.
The Legacy of Fëanor: Fëanor in Tolkien’s Legendarium
Letters of JRR Tolkien
Letter 131
Tolkien gives an introduction/account of Fëanor and the Silmarils
The Fall of the Elves comes through Fëanor.
“But the chief artificer of the Elves (Fëanor) had imprisoned the Light of Valinor in the three supreme jewels, the Silmarilli, before the Trees were sullied or slain. This Light thus lived thereafter only in these gems. The fall of the Elves comes about through the possessive attitude of Fëanor and his seven sons to these gems.”
Letter 353
Galadriel was the enemy of Fëanor.
“Galadriel was ‘unstained’: she had committed no evil deeds. She was an enemy of Fëanor. She did not reach Middle-earth with the other Noldor, but independently. Her reasons for desiring to go to Middle-earth were legitimate, and she would have been permitted to depart, but for the misfortune that before she set out the revolt of Fëanor broke out, and she became involved in the desperate measures of Manwe, and the ban on all emigration.”
Unfinished Tales
Galadriel was wiser than Fëanor.
“Galadriel was the greatest of the Noldor, except Fëanor maybe, though she was wiser than he, and her wisdom increased with the long years.”
Fëanor begged Galadriel for a tress of her hair but was denied three times.
“Many thought that this saying first gave to Fëanor the thought of imprisoning and blending the light of the Trees that later took shape in his hands as the Silmarils. For Fëanor beheld the hair of Galadriel with wonder and delight. He begged three times for a tress, but Galadriel would not give him even one hair. These two kinsfolk, the greatest of the Eldar of Valinor, were unfriends for ever.”
Galadriel perceived a darkness within Fëanor that she hated and feared.
“From her earliest years she had a marvellous gift of insight into the minds of others, but judged them with mercy and understanding, and she withheld her goodwill from none save only Fëanor. In him she perceived a darkness that she hated and feared, though she did not perceive that the shadow of the same evil had fallen upon the minds of all the Noldor, and upon her own.”
Sauron had success in Eregion because Celebrimbor sought to rival the skill and fame of Fëanor.
“But Sauron had better fortune with the Noldor of Eregion and especially with Celebrimbor, who desired in his heart to rival the skill and fame of Fëanor. [The cozening of the smiths of Eregion by Sauron, and his giving himself the name Annatar, Lord of Gifts, is told in Of the Rings of Power; but there is there no mention of Galadriel.]”
The Nature of Middle-earth:
Introduction: Fëanor had seven sons and according to elven records, none surpassed him.
Time-scales: Discussion of Fëanor being the most eminent case of a child of exceedingly great vigor demanding great strength to go forth from the mother. It is also said that Fëanor remained in his mother’s womb for much longer than usual elven pregnancies.
Hair: Fëanor had long dark hair.
Galadriel and Celeborn: Through Celebrimbor, the story of Fëanor is repeated. Celebrimbor secretly sought to rival the fame of Fëanor.
"[Sauron] sees that he has met his match (or at least a very serious adversary) in Galadriel; he dissembles his wrath, and gets round Celebrimbor. The Noldorin Smiths under Celebrimbor admit him and begin to learn from him (so in a sense the story of Fëanor is repeated)."
But Sauron was more successful with the Ñoldor of Eregion, especially with Celebrimbor (secretly anxious to rival the skill and fame of Fëanor). When Sauron visited Eregion he sees quickly that he has met his match in Galadriel – or at least that in her he would have a chief obstacle. So he concentrated on Celebrimbor; and soon had all the Smiths of Eregion under his influence.
Morgoth’s Ring:
Melkor took credit for teaching or aiding Fëanor in making the Silmarils but this was a lie; Fëanor was driven by his heart alone.
“In this Year Fëanor began that labour of his which is renowned above all the works of the Eldalië; for his heart conceived the Silmarils, and he made much study and many essays ere their fashioning could begin. And though Melkor said after that Fëanor had his instruction in that work, he lied in his lust and his envy; for Fëanor was driven by the fire of his own heart only, and was eager and proud, working ever swiftly and alone, asking no aid and brooking no counsel.”
The Lord of the Rings
Book 2, Ch. 4: The star of Fëanor appears within the design of the Doors of Durin
Book 3, Ch. 11: Fëanor is attributed to the creation of the Palantiri
Appendix A: Description of Fëanor
Appendix E: Fëanor is attributed to the creation of the Tengwar Letters