The Silmarillion Recap: The Silmarils’ Final Resting Places (or the End of Fëanor’s Sons’ Quest)

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Last week, Morgoth was thoroughly defeated by the Valar and their allies, and Eönwë (Manwë’s herald) was charged with protecting the two Silmarils pried from Morgoth’s crown. This week, Fëanor’s sons make a fateful decision to bring their quest for the Silmarils to an end.

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Quenta Silmarillion Chapter 24 part 9

In the aftermath of the War of Wrath, Middle-earth is a changed place. Not only is the topography (especially in the north) different, but one more major change is about to take place.

The Elves who have been living in Middle-earth live here under one of two circumstances: 1., they never left for Valinor so they have only ever lived in Middle-earth, or 2., they are Noldor and came to Middle-earth on a vengeful and cursed quest to retrieve the Silmarils from Morgoth. For the second group, the quest is now complete. Two of the Silmarils are under the Valar’s protection and the other is safe with Eärendil (who lives in Valinor). Now they will return where they belong… and without passive-aggressive Fëanor, the light of the Two Trees that Morgoth destroyed can be shared with everyone again.

So with this quest complete, it’s time for the Elves to go to Valinor, especially the Noldor who will be judged.

However, in the pattern of Fëanor, his two remaining sons — Maedhros and Maglor — refuse to comply. They have another plan in mind: to take the Silmarils. In fact, when Eönwë tells them that it’s time to go, they instead ask for the Silmarils. Eönwë clearly explains that their father’s claim to them is over thanks to all of the evil they’ve done. (Have they already forgotten how they killed Dior in cold blood?) Only the Valar can relinquish the Silmarils, and the only way they would consider it is if Maedhros and Maglor are judged for their actions.

After hearing this, Maglor wants to go. According to him: “The oath says not that we may not bide our time, and it may be that in Valinor all shall be forgiven and forgot, and we shall come into our own in peace.” (Tolkien 304)

Maedhros couldn’t disagree more. The oath still stands. Besides, what if the Valar decide to keep the Silmarils? They surely won’t let anyone wage war in Valinor again after all that’s happened. Besides, they swore by Ilúvatar himself, so nothing can release them. Maglor rebuts that they are doomed to “Everlasting Darkness” either way, so they might as well just break the oath and try to live in peace, but Maglor isn’t as strong as his brother. Soon, he gives in and they slip into camp to steal the Silmarils.

In disguise, Maedhros and Maglor make it all the way to Eönwë and the group that has been protecting the Silmarils. There, they kill all of the guards and prepare for a fight. However, Eönwë refuses to let them die or to fight them. Perhaps he knows what will happen as the brothers flee camp, each with a Silmaril for himself.

However, the brothers don’t make it far before trouble starts. The Silmarils begin to actually burn the brothers’ hands — something that has never happened with the Silmarils before. As they think it through, they realize it’s because they have no right to them anymore. The whole oath and their actions are in vain. They’ve already sealed their fate.

In his misery, Maedhros ends up throwing the Silmaril and himself into a fiery chasm. Maglor heaves the Silmaril into the Sea but doesn’t kill himself. He just wanders the shores of Middle-earth alone, filled with regret and still stinging from his wounds.

And so, as seems apropos, one of the Silmarils ends up in the earth (thanks to Maedhros), one in the Sea (thanks to Maglor), and one in the sky (with Eärendil during his nightly voyages). Thus the story of the Silmarils, Fëanor, and his sons come to an end.

S.B. Roberts 2015

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Next week, Morgoth’s fate, the lasting effects of the War of Wrath, and the end of the “Quenta Silmarillion.”

The Silmarillion Recap: The War of Wrath Part III (The Eagles Are Coming!)

Want to catch up on The Silmarillion so far? Check out the Silmarillion Recaps page here.

Last week, the Valar launched an assault on Morgoth that sent him reeling but were forced to retreat because of Morgoth’s last ditch offensive. This week, the war takes a turn.

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Quenta Silmarillion Chapter 24 part 8

The Valar and their armies are overwhelmed. After the torrent of dragons, each worse than the one that emerged before it, everything is starting to feel hopeless. They have fallen back to regroup and decide their next course of action against Morogth.

However, they don’t have to ponder long. Help is already on the way. The eagles ex machina arrive, headed by none other than Eärendil. While there aren’t many details, it is clear that, just before sunrise, Eärendil beats one of the dragons, Ancalagon the Black, who then falls to the ground and destroys the towers that protect Morgoth’s lair. It’s a bad blow for Morgoth, especially since the rest of his dragons are defeated shortly afterwards. So much for his upper hand.

Knowing that there is nothing left to do, Morgoth attempts to retreat into the mines attached to his fortress of Angband, but he’s not fast enough. The Valar find him, drag him out, and chain him up again. This time, Morgoth’s pleas for forgiveness are ignored. (Just as they should have been the first time.)

The last two Silmarils — the jewels that have caused so much trouble and grief since their creation — are removed from Morgoth’s crown and placed under the watchful eye of Eönwë, Manwë’s herald.

Meanwhile, the slaves and prisoners are released, and everyone has a good look at the results of the war. Morgoth’s lair is in the north, and everything there has changed. The Sea comes in differently than it did before, and old rivers are replaced by new ones. It’s quite a change for the topography of Middle-earth.

And while some things have changed substantially with this war, others stay the same. Fëanor’s two remaining sons — Maedhros and Maglor — still have their eyes on their father’s treasure, and they mean to get the last two Silmarils by any means necessary.

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Next week, the last incident in the Silmaril’s tumultuous history comes to a head.

The Silmarillion Recap: Luthien and Beren’s Showdown with Morgoth

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Last week, after Beren was rescued from Sauron, he decided to leave Luthien behind, for her own safety, since he knows that he will surely be killed in his quest to bring back one of the Silmarils “in his hand.” But leaving alone won’t be that easy…

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Quenta Silmarillion: Chapter 19 part 5

Beren has left Luthien in a safe place, back in the forests by her home. She has already proven herself to be heroic and selfless, but she’s already endangered herself enough by confronting Sauron to save him. His original quest — the one that he still hasn’t been able to fulfill yet — is his alone. He won’t risk her.

So Beren leaves her sleeping in the forest and heads back towards danger. As he does, though, he sings a parting song for the world and for his beloved Luthien. Since he knows he’s going to die, he sings it loud and proud. But he never considers that Luthien, who has seemingly magical senses, will hear him, grab Huan (a hound from Valinor), and chase after him.

When Luthien and Huan leave the safety of Doriath — her parents’ homeland — she disguises herself and Huan. She gives Huan the appearance of Draugluin, the hound that tried to kill him back when they saved Beren. Then she takes on the appearance of Sauron’s messenger, Thuringwethil — who is apparently a vampire. (And this is the first and last mention of vampires that I’ve found in Tolkien’s works).

It’s in these disguises that they finally find Beren. He’s dismayed, but Luthien quickly throws off the façade, revealing that it’s just her. Even though he’s upset that she’s in danger (again), he’s happy to see her.

It’s in this moment that Huan (who has the gift of speaking three times during his life) speaks a second time:

From the shadow of death you can no longer save Luthien, for by her love she is now subject to it. You can turn from your fate and lead her into exile, seeking peace in vain while your life lasts. But if you will not deny your doom, then either Luthien, being forsaken, must assuredly die alone, or she must with you challenge the fate that lies before you — hopeless, yet not certain. Further counsel I cannot give, nor may I go further on your road … yet it may be that our three paths lead back to Doriath, and we may meet before the end. (Tolkien 211)

With that, Beren and Luthien continue on their way alone. Luthien resumes her previous disguise while Beren is given the shape of a werewolf. (Seems a little bitter after Finrod and Beren’s companions were killed by one…)

They make it all the way to the Gate of Angband without being discovered. There, though, they’re confronted by Carcharoth, a monstrous beast of a hound that Morgoth himself has tended, hoping to one day have the chance to kill Huan. (Everyone wants this, don’t they?) Before Carcharoth can do anything, Luthien puts him to sleep, and they slip into Angband.

Inside Morgoth’s on fortress, Luthien and Beren reach the throne room unhindered. There, Beren creeps under Morgoth’s throne, still safely in werewolf form. Luthien, however, is stripped of her disguise and Morgoth sees her exactly for who she is: this radiant, beautiful girl. He’s enthralled by her and is even more so when she offers to sing to him. As she does, she slips on her cloak that makes her like a shadow, and Morgoth continues to listen in fascination to her voice as he tries to find her again.

What Morgoth doesn’t know is that her song has a magic in it that’s able to put his entire court to sleep. Then she slips her cloak over his eyes, and he dozes off as well. As he does, the slumps out of his throne and his crown with those three precious Silmarils falls to the ground.

Beren acts fast, drawing his knife and wrenching one of the Silmarils out of it. As he finishes, he hesitates. Maybe he should remove the other two, just for good measure. After all, Morgoth shouldn’t have them. However, as he starts work on the second, his knife breaks, hitting Morgoth’s cheek which makes him stir and the rest of the court shift in their sleep. Luthien and Beren are so startled that they take the one Silmaril and run for it, without disguises or much thought of what they’ll find further up the stairs.

That’s not a good thing because Carcharoth is still there, waiting for them. Luthien wants to fight him off, but all of the power she’s used has left her weary. So Beren holds up the Silmaril, hoping the blinding light will help.

Carcharoth isn’t fazed. Instead, he does one of the most awful things imaginable. He lunges forward, gets Beren’s hand and the Silmaril in his mouth, and chomps down.

Immediately, Carcharoth regrets this. The Silmaril burns his insides, and he launches into a fury, attacking anything and anyone that gets in his way. In his madness, he leaves Luthien and Beren alone at Angband’s Gate.

When Luthien examines Beren’s wound, she discovers that it’s bad. Really bad. Carcharoth’s bite has poisoned him, he’s barely clinging to life, and she doesn’t have much power left to help him.

Fortunately for them, though, Huan has already set all of the birds and beasts around on high alert to watch for Luthien and Beren. And before long, Thorondor — King of the Eagles — and his posse show up to whisk Luthien and Beren away.

They’re returned to the safety of Doriath, and Luthien and Huan nurse the badly wounded Beren back to health. But, alas, they have no Silmaril to show for their efforts.

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Next week, Thingol learns the importance of semantics.