Return to Middle-earth

For a refresher on all the names click here. So Feanor and his sons (Maedhros, Maglor, Celegorm, Curufin, Caranthir, Amrod and Amras) were bound to their oath. "For so sworn, good or evil, an oath may not be broken, and it shall pursue oathkeeper and oathbreaker to the world's end" (p. 83, The Silmarillion). Feanor quickly began rousing the Noldor to leave Aman immediately before their tempers cooled. Feanor's half-brother Fingolfin, and his son Turgon, spoke against Feanor. Tempers began to flair. Finarfin, and his son Orodreth, spoke calmly urging the Noldor to think before performing actions that could not be undone. Finrod, another son of Finarfin, sided with his friend Turgon. "...Galadriel, the only woman of the Noldor to stand that day tall and valiant among the contending princes, was eager to be gone" (p. 83-84, The Silmarillion). She yearned for her own land to govern. But she was of like mind as Fingon and by him stood always with Angrod and Aegnor.

At last it was decided to depart. The Valar remained silent being saddened that the Noldor charged them with evil intentions and unsure if they truly would depart Valinor. Feanor quickly mustered the people before minds and hearts changed declaring himself their king. Many of the Noldor, however loved and preferred Fingolfin instead. Fingolfin did not want to depart yet remembered his oath before Manwe and went against better judgement leading the greater host of the Noldor. A herald came from Manwe imploring the Noldor to stay and warning them of the sorrow and folly of their choice. Yet Manwe emphasizing the fact that freely they came to Valinor and freely they could depart. Feanor only was banished from Valinor. Feanor responded, "If Feanor cannot overthrow Morgoth, at least he delays not to assail him, and sits not idle in grief" (p. 85, The Silmarillion). Ouch, nothing like accusing divine beings of passiveness. How many times do I train this thought on God?

So the return journey to Middle-earth begins. Feanor was in the lead, Fingolfin followed, less eagerly, with Fingon leading and their host, while Finarfin and Finrod travelled with the noblest and wisest of the Noldor in the rear. A great sea separated Valinor from Middle-earth. There were two ways to cross it: Helcaraxe, a bitter cold path of grinding ice frozen by Melkor in years past or by ship across the Sea. Helcaraxe was a long road with the promise of death along the way. Naturally, Feanor chose ship and led his host to the Teleri who resided on the shores of Valinor. Appealing to past friendship Feanor wanted to use their ships. Melkor had given little heed to this people so they were not affected by his lies and still had a vibrant faith in the Valar. Though grieved to see their friends leave, they were unmoved by Feanor's words.

They reckoned their ships to Feanor's Silmarils; works dear to their hearts that could not be remade. Feanor grew angry. Olwe, the Teleri king responded: "'We renounce no friendship. But it may be the part of a friend to rebuke a friend's folly'" (p. 86, The Silmarillion). I'm not sure truer words could have been spoken. I love the little bits of wisdom Tolkien doles out along the way in the history of Middle-earth. Olwe spoke hard words to hear and it's easier for me to hear them in a story like this than elsewhere. Still, I want friends like Olwe in my life and I want to be that kind of friend. Feanor saw that the Teleri who were outnumbered and outarmed and took the ships by force. This Kinslaying was the first consequence of Feanor's oath. The Teleri fought hard and called on Osse to help but he was forbidden for the Valar would not hinder, at any cost, the flight of the Noldor. Fingon, the first of Fingolfin's host arrived at the battle. He thought the Valar were using the Teleri to stop the Noldor and joined the battle. Many ships were destroyed and many Teleri were killed but Feanor won the ships.

As the Noldor began to set out a great figure was seen upon a rock. Many said it was Mandos himself. A Doom on the Noldor was pronounced foretelling many woes to come. A small bit: "'Ye have spilled blood of your kindred unrighteously and have stained the land of Aman. For blood ye shall render blood...'" (p. 88, The Silmarillion). Many were afraid, Feanor hardened his heart. Reminds of of Pharaoh in the Exodus story. Finarfin, being in the last host of the Noldor forsook the march and some went with him. Not having participated in the Kinslaying they found pardon from the Valar and he became king of the Noldor who stayed in Valinor. His sons were bound to Fingolfin's sons and would not turn back. Fingolfin pushed forward feeling bound by his oath to Feanor and knowing not all his folk had clean hands in the Kinslaying. Of Galadriel it is said: "Even after the merciless assault upon the Teleri and the rape of their ships, though she fought fiercely against Feanor in defence of her mother's kin, she did not turn back. Her pride was unwilling to return, a defeated suppliant for pardon; but now she burned with desire to follow Feanor with her anger to whatever lands he might come, and to thwart him in all ways that she could" (p. 230, Unfinished Tales). 

As they approached Helcaraxe a decision needed to be made. The bitter land seemed impassible and the ships were too few. Some of Fingolfin's folk began to speak against Feanor so he gathered those true to him and took the ships. They sailed to Middle-earth and they became the first of the Noldor to set foot again in Middle-earth, in Dor-lomin. Upon reaching shore Maedhros, Feanor's eldest son, began planning who would take the ships back to ferry Fingolfin's host over. Asking his father's advice on who should go Feanor responded: "'None and none! What I have left behind I count now as no loss; needless baggage on the road it proved'" (p. 90, The Silmarillion) and he ordered the ships be burned.

Shocking. My jaw dropped at the first reading of this and even still I cannot get over this chain of events. Killing and betraying your own kin and friends. Completely shocking. Feanor's fall is great.

Far off Fingolfin and his people saw a bright light knew the ships were burning and they were betrayed. "This was the firstfruits of the Kinslaying and the Doom of the Noldor " (p. 90, The Silmarillion). Every action as a consequence. Feanor's actions will ripple through generations which is another Biblical ideation. Fingolfin was left to either perish or return to Valinor in shame. Yet he desired to meet Feanor face-to-face again. The host, led by Fingolfin and his sons along with Finrod and Galadriel chanced that desperate land of Helcaraxe losing many (including Turgon's wife) along the way.

Meanwhile Melkor had built up his hosts of evil since his return to Angband. The Sindar had heard Melkor's great cry and were afraid. Ungoliant settled near Thingol's kingdom but the power of Melian stayed her. The region Ungoliant settled was known as Ered Gorgorath, the Mountains of Terror, and none dared traverse that land. With their lord back Orcs began boldly going abroad and soon assailed Thingol's kingdom. He called upon Denethor, son of Lenwe and Cirdan for aid. The Orcs came in great numbers and Thingol was cut off from Cirdan. With the help of the Elves of Ossiriand the Orcs were turned back. The fleeing Orcs were then destroyed by the Dwarves in that region and few returned to Angband. I love Tolkien's  poignant language use: "But the victory of the Elves was dear-bought" (p. 96, The Silmarillion). Denethor was surrounded and slain. Thingol's aid to his friend came too late. Those from Denethor's people who survived went back to Ossiriand and from then on lived in secrecy, forsaking open war, known as the Laiquendi--the Green Elves. The Orcs pushed Cirdan's Elves to the brink of the sea. Therefore, Thingol called all his people that he could to Neldorath, and Melian, skilled in enchantment fenced in that domain: "...the Girdle of Melian, "that none thereafter could pass against her will or the will of the King Thingol..." (p. 97, The Silmarillion). It was this time that Feanor first landed on Middle-earth.

Middle-earth timeline: After the Age of the Two Trees
Today's reading comes from: The Silmarillion, pages 83-90 & 95-97 and Unfinished Tales, pages 230-231
Relevant map: Beleriand (a new feature; you can click on this to see where the geography mentioned is at)