The Encyclopedia of Arda - Fëanor (original) (raw)

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Dates Born in Valinor during the Years of the Trees, slain I 1; briefly accounted High King of the Noldor during I 1 Race Elves Division Noldor Culture Eldar of Valinor Family Established the House of Fëanor Settlements Dwelt in Tirion, and later Formenos, before returning to Middle-earth Pronunciation feh'anorr (where 'rr' indicates that the final 'r' sound should be pronounced) Meaning From the Quenya fëanáro, meaning 'Spirit of Fire' Other names Curufinwë, Spirit of Fire Titles High King of the Noldor Indexes: Alphabetical: F Elves About this entry: Updated 14 July 2007 This entry is complete Greatest of the Noldor Years of the Trees First Age I Second Age II Third Age III Fourth Age IV Finwë(1) Míriel Serindë(2) IndisFëanorNerdanel Fingolfin Finarfin Maedhros Maglor Celegorm Caranthir Curufin Amrod Amras High Kings of the Noldor The eldest son of Finwë, and half-brother to Fingolfin and Finarfin, Fëanor was accounted the greatest of the Deep Elves. He burned with a fiery spirit, from which he took his name, though he had at first been known as Curufinwë. Such was his strength of spirit that his mother Míriel passed on to the Halls of Awaiting after his birth. In Valinor his achievements were unparalleled. Learning much craft from Mahtan, the father of his wife Nerdanel, he created gems and jewels with astonishing properties, including lamps that glowed with their own light, and the palantíri that could see over vast distances. He was also a scholar of note, and invented the letters that carried his name. Most famously of all, he captured the light of the Two Trees themselves, within three lustrous jewels made of silima that came to be known as the Silmarils. In the time the Silmarils were made, Melkor was held chained within Mandos' halls, but at the appointed time Manwë judged that he was reformed, and should be set free. Released, the Dark Lord soon came to lust after the Silmarils for himself, and started to plan his revenge against the Valar and the Eldar. Whispering and plotting, he set a network of lies among Fëanor and his people, awakening enmity and suspicion. It was at this time that the Noldor started the making of weapons, and Melkor was quick to give them guidance and help. At last Melkor's lies drove Fëanor to confront and threaten his half-brother Fingolfin. In the Ring of Doom Melkor's treachery was uncovered, and he fled from Valinor, but for his part Fëanor was also banished. He travelled away from Valmar with his father and his seven sons to Formenos in the north of Valinor. Melkor did not remain hidden for long. Allying himself with Ungoliant, he descended on Valinor and destroyed the Two Trees, then disappeared in a web of darkness, making his escape from the stricken land of the Valar. Learning that Melkor had also slain Finwë and stolen the Silmarils, an enraged Fëanor assembled the Noldor and led his sons in a dreadful Oath to seek revenge against the Dark Lord. Naming Melkor Morgoth for the first time, Fëanor led the Noldor out of Valinor on the long road to Middle-earth. The journey out of Valinor was a hard and dangerous one, fraught with betrayal and bloodshed, and many of the Deep Elves turned back, led by Fëanor's half-brother Finarfin. Fëanor himself drove onward into the cold north, denying even the Valar's warning to return, and passed across the narrow icy seas into Middle-earth. Almost immediately, battle was joined. Morgoth's armies flooded through the mountains and descended on the host of the Noldor in Mithrim, but Fëanor and his sons were utterly victorious. That battle was fought for ten days in the darkness before the Moon's first rising, and is therefore called the Battle-under-Stars, Dagor-nuin-Giliath. After the rout of his enemies, Fëanor's spirit burned hot, and he set out to assault Morgoth himself. With a tiny force, he charged forward, but before he could come to Angband, he encountered Balrogs. Gothmog their lord gave him a mortal wound, but was driven off by Fëanor's sons, who carried their father's body from the field. With his last breath, Fëanor cursed Morgoth, and called on his sons to fulfil their Oath and avenge his death. When he died, the fire of his spirit burned away his body, leaving nothing but ash. So the spirit of Fëanor passed back over the Sea to the Halls of Waiting, where it still remains. His legacy was to leave his people in Beleriand, sworn to the impossible task of overcoming the Dark Lord and recovering the Silmarils. From that legacy of Fëanor grew the legends of the Wars of Beleriand that brought the First Age to its end. See also... Aman, Amarië, Angband, Angrist, Angrod, Aulë, Balrogs, Battle of the Haven, Battle-under-Stars, Belegûr, Black Foe of the World, Caranthir, Celebrimbor, Curse of Mandos, Curufin, [See the full list...]Curufinwë, Dagor-nuin-Giliath, Dark Enemy, Dark Lord, Darkening of Valinor, Deep Elves, Dior, Doom of Mandos, Doom of the Valar, Dor Caranthir, Dor Daedeloth, Eärendil, East Vale, Echoing Hills, Echoing Mountains, Eldar, Eldar of the West, Eldar of Valinor, Elendë, Elf-kings, Elf-letters, Elrond, Elu Thingol, Elven-wise, Elves beyond the Sea, Elves of Eregion, Elves of Lindon, Elwing, Ered Engrin, Ered Lómin, Essë, Everlasting Darkness, Exile of the Noldor, Exiles, Fall of the Noldor, Fëanorian, Fëanorian Lamps, Fëanorians, Fifth Battle, Finarfin, Formenos, Galadriel, Good People, Gothmog, Great Echo, Great Jewels, Green Mound, Grinding Ice, Gwaith-i-Mírdain, Halls of Awaiting, Halls of Waiting, Havens of Sirion, Helluin, High King of the Noldor, Hill of Himring, Himlad, Hound of Valinor, House of Fëanor, House of Fingolfin, Huan, Jewels of Fëanor, King of Nargothrond, King of the Eldar, King of the North, Kinslaying, Lady of the Noldor, Lake Mithrim, Land of Caranthir, Last Battle, Light in the West, Lockbearer, Lord of Balrogs, Lord of Eregion, Losgar, Maedhros, Maglor, Maglor’s Gap, Máhanaxar, Mahtan, Maiar of the Sea, Masters of Spirits, Mindon Eldaliéva, Mírdain, Míriel Serindë, Morgoth, Mountains of Turgon, Nargothrond, Narrow Ice, Nerdanel, Noldo, Noldolantë, Noldor, Noldor of Eregion, Oath of Fëanor, People of Haleth, People of the Great Journey, Power of the North, Powers of the World, Prophecy of the North, Return of the Noldor, Ring of Barahir, Rings of Power, Ruin of Doriath, Rúmil, Second Battle, Seeing-stones, Serindë, Silima, Silmarils, Sons of Fëanor, Spirit of Fire, Swan-ships, Talath Rhúnen, Telco, Tengwar, The Accursed, The Crafty, The Dark, The Dispossessed, The Fair, The Light, The Minstrel, The Star, The Tall, The Wise, Three Jewels, Three Kindreds, Tîw, Tower of Ingwë, Ulfang the Black, Unchaining of Melkor, Union of Maedhros, Unrest of the Noldor, Vairë, Valmar, War of the Great Jewels, War of the Jewels, Wars of Beleriand, White Lady of Gondolin, White Ship, Wolf of Angband, Years of the Trees Indexes: Alphabetical: F Elves About this entry: Updated 14 July 2007 This entry is complete For acknowledgements and references, see the Disclaimer & Bibliography page. Original content © copyright Mark Fisher 1998, 2000, 2007. All rights reserved. For conditions of reuse, see the Site FAQ. Website services kindly sponsored by Discus from Axiom Software Ltd.A Discus profile report contains more than sixty pages of detailed and relevant information - explore our library of sample DISC reports.

The Encyclopedia of Arda - an interactive guide to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien

ALPHABETICAL RACES PLACES MISCELLANEOUS REFERENCE INTERACTIVE

SHARE User guide Latest entries FAQ and e-mail Disclaimer and bibliography Awards Old and rare words Lexicon of names Excyclopedia of Arda Movie-goer's Guides: • The Fellowship of the Ring • The Two Towers • The Return of the King The Hobbit Viewer's Companions: • An Unexpected Journey • The Desolation of Smaug • The Battle of the Five Armies Tolkien links Book news Latest Chronicle Calendar Old and rare words Lexicon of names Links Random

Dates Born in Valinor during the Years of the Trees, slain I 1; briefly accounted High King of the Noldor during I 1 Race Elves Division Noldor Culture Eldar of Valinor Family Established the House of Fëanor Settlements Dwelt in Tirion, and later Formenos, before returning to Middle-earth Pronunciation feh'anorr (where 'rr' indicates that the final 'r' sound should be pronounced) Meaning From the Quenya fëanáro, meaning 'Spirit of Fire' Other names Curufinwë, Spirit of Fire Titles High King of the Noldor Indexes: Alphabetical: F Elves About this entry: Updated 14 July 2007 This entry is complete Greatest of the Noldor

Years of the Trees First Age I Second Age II Third Age III Fourth Age IV Finwë

(1) Míriel Serindë

(2) Indis

Fëanor

Nerdanel Fingolfin Finarfin

Maedhros Maglor Celegorm Caranthir Curufin Amrod Amras High Kings of the Noldor The eldest son of Finwë, and half-brother to Fingolfin and Finarfin, Fëanor was accounted the greatest of the Deep Elves. He burned with a fiery spirit, from which he took his name, though he had at first been known as Curufinwë. Such was his strength of spirit that his mother Míriel passed on to the Halls of Awaiting after his birth. In Valinor his achievements were unparalleled. Learning much craft from Mahtan, the father of his wife Nerdanel, he created gems and jewels with astonishing properties, including lamps that glowed with their own light, and the palantíri that could see over vast distances. He was also a scholar of note, and invented the letters that carried his name. Most famously of all, he captured the light of the Two Trees themselves, within three lustrous jewels made of silima that came to be known as the Silmarils. In the time the Silmarils were made, Melkor was held chained within Mandos' halls, but at the appointed time Manwë judged that he was reformed, and should be set free. Released, the Dark Lord soon came to lust after the Silmarils for himself, and started to plan his revenge against the Valar and the Eldar. Whispering and plotting, he set a network of lies among Fëanor and his people, awakening enmity and suspicion. It was at this time that the Noldor started the making of weapons, and Melkor was quick to give them guidance and help. At last Melkor's lies drove Fëanor to confront and threaten his half-brother Fingolfin. In the Ring of Doom Melkor's treachery was uncovered, and he fled from Valinor, but for his part Fëanor was also banished. He travelled away from Valmar with his father and his seven sons to Formenos in the north of Valinor. Melkor did not remain hidden for long. Allying himself with Ungoliant, he descended on Valinor and destroyed the Two Trees, then disappeared in a web of darkness, making his escape from the stricken land of the Valar. Learning that Melkor had also slain Finwë and stolen the Silmarils, an enraged Fëanor assembled the Noldor and led his sons in a dreadful Oath to seek revenge against the Dark Lord. Naming Melkor Morgoth for the first time, Fëanor led the Noldor out of Valinor on the long road to Middle-earth. The journey out of Valinor was a hard and dangerous one, fraught with betrayal and bloodshed, and many of the Deep Elves turned back, led by Fëanor's half-brother Finarfin. Fëanor himself drove onward into the cold north, denying even the Valar's warning to return, and passed across the narrow icy seas into Middle-earth. Almost immediately, battle was joined. Morgoth's armies flooded through the mountains and descended on the host of the Noldor in Mithrim, but Fëanor and his sons were utterly victorious. That battle was fought for ten days in the darkness before the Moon's first rising, and is therefore called the Battle-under-Stars, Dagor-nuin-Giliath. After the rout of his enemies, Fëanor's spirit burned hot, and he set out to assault Morgoth himself. With a tiny force, he charged forward, but before he could come to Angband, he encountered Balrogs. Gothmog their lord gave him a mortal wound, but was driven off by Fëanor's sons, who carried their father's body from the field. With his last breath, Fëanor cursed Morgoth, and called on his sons to fulfil their Oath and avenge his death. When he died, the fire of his spirit burned away his body, leaving nothing but ash. So the spirit of Fëanor passed back over the Sea to the Halls of Waiting, where it still remains. His legacy was to leave his people in Beleriand, sworn to the impossible task of overcoming the Dark Lord and recovering the Silmarils. From that legacy of Fëanor grew the legends of the Wars of Beleriand that brought the First Age to its end. See also... Aman, Amarië, Angband, Angrist, Angrod, Aulë, Balrogs, Battle of the Haven, Battle-under-Stars, Belegûr, Black Foe of the World, Caranthir, Celebrimbor, Curse of Mandos, Curufin, [See the full list...]Curufinwë, Dagor-nuin-Giliath, Dark Enemy, Dark Lord, Darkening of Valinor, Deep Elves, Dior, Doom of Mandos, Doom of the Valar, Dor Caranthir, Dor Daedeloth, Eärendil, East Vale, Echoing Hills, Echoing Mountains, Eldar, Eldar of the West, Eldar of Valinor, Elendë, Elf-kings, Elf-letters, Elrond, Elu Thingol, Elven-wise, Elves beyond the Sea, Elves of Eregion, Elves of Lindon, Elwing, Ered Engrin, Ered Lómin, Essë, Everlasting Darkness, Exile of the Noldor, Exiles, Fall of the Noldor, Fëanorian, Fëanorian Lamps, Fëanorians, Fifth Battle, Finarfin, Formenos, Galadriel, Good People, Gothmog, Great Echo, Great Jewels, Green Mound, Grinding Ice, Gwaith-i-Mírdain, Halls of Awaiting, Halls of Waiting, Havens of Sirion, Helluin, High King of the Noldor, Hill of Himring, Himlad, Hound of Valinor, House of Fëanor, House of Fingolfin, Huan, Jewels of Fëanor, King of Nargothrond, King of the Eldar, King of the North, Kinslaying, Lady of the Noldor, Lake Mithrim, Land of Caranthir, Last Battle, Light in the West, Lockbearer, Lord of Balrogs, Lord of Eregion, Losgar, Maedhros, Maglor, Maglor’s Gap, Máhanaxar, Mahtan, Maiar of the Sea, Masters of Spirits, Mindon Eldaliéva, Mírdain, Míriel Serindë, Morgoth, Mountains of Turgon, Nargothrond, Narrow Ice, Nerdanel, Noldo, Noldolantë, Noldor, Noldor of Eregion, Oath of Fëanor, People of Haleth, People of the Great Journey, Power of the North, Powers of the World, Prophecy of the North, Return of the Noldor, Ring of Barahir, Rings of Power, Ruin of Doriath, Rúmil, Second Battle, Seeing-stones, Serindë, Silima, Silmarils, Sons of Fëanor, Spirit of Fire, Swan-ships, Talath Rhúnen, Telco, Tengwar, The Accursed, The Crafty, The Dark, The Dispossessed, The Fair, The Light, The Minstrel, The Star, The Tall, The Wise, Three Jewels, Three Kindreds, Tîw, Tower of Ingwë, Ulfang the Black, Unchaining of Melkor, Union of Maedhros, Unrest of the Noldor, Vairë, Valmar, War of the Great Jewels, War of the Jewels, Wars of Beleriand, White Lady of Gondolin, White Ship, Wolf of Angband, Years of the Trees Indexes: Alphabetical: F Elves About this entry: Updated 14 July 2007 This entry is complete For acknowledgements and references, see the Disclaimer & Bibliography page. Original content © copyright Mark Fisher 1998, 2000, 2007. All rights reserved. For conditions of reuse, see the Site FAQ. Website services kindly sponsored by Discus from Axiom Software Ltd.A Discus profile report contains more than sixty pages of detailed and relevant information - explore our library of sample DISC reports.