By Oshun
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Read Part 1 and Part 3 of the biography of Lúthien.
At the end of Part I of Lúthien’s biography, we left the reader at the beginning of one of the unforgettable, and perhaps most underrated, journey or quest narratives. Among the great quest stories of world literature and lore, the less well-known tale of Beren and Lúthien has been largely limited to Tolkien super-fans who, after reading The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, crack open the purportedly more difficult Silmarillion in order to study the origins of Middle-earth. In his book The Keys of Middle-earth, Stuart Lee writes of the connection between ancient and medieval quest tales and the story of Beren and Lúthien:
Modern readers will probably find no issue in the connection between the theme of a quest and the ancient and medieval worlds. The idea of a hero, heroine or group of such characters going in search of something, or to do something, is as ancient as Theseus or Jason and the Argonauts. Medieval literature also saw the appeal in this simple idea. . . . Beren and Lúthien seek the Silmaril held by Morgoth, and go through a series of tests and overcome the fiercest guardians of the time."1
Of course, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are quest tales as well, but the tale of Beren and Lúthien is arguably the most classic form of the genre. The hero's journey, which begins in this section of this biography, finds Beren and Lúthien temporarily separated. Chapter 19 of The Silmarillion, "Of Beren and Lúthien," can be read as a narrative nearly complete within itself.2 (In case one doubts my assessment of it as a standalone, Tolkien himself refers to it as a "heroic-fairy-romance, receivable in itself with only a very general vague knowledge of the background."3 ) I will draw almost entirely and chronologically from this chapter to tell the rest of their tale. I will pick up on some extra details and variations in earlier versions in the next and final section of this biography.
An article by author and game designer Jeff LaSala on the Tor publishing company’s website gives the reader a brief and focused description of what one will find in The Silmarillion account of our protagonists’ epic quest:
The adventure and wonderment of The Lord of the Rings is phenomenal, but it is understated and drawn-out compared to how much punch Tolkien packs into this one particular story. Elves, Men, and romance aside, it’s also chock full of mighty spells, magic weapons, werewolves, vampires, magic dogs, sing-offs, dying words, and the infamous Morgoth himself (aka Sauron’s original master).4
Beren and Lúthien’s saga differs substantially from the usual hero’s journey in that it involves a true partnership of a man and woman and not simply a questing knight or hero. King Thingol’s demand for an impossible bride price results in Beren initially setting out alone upon his trek into hell, determined to fulfill the challenge. But Lúthien eventually joins him.
Beren is not entirely without a strategy. He travels toward the underground fortress of Nargothrond, hoping to enlist the aid of its great lord Finrod Felagund in his mission. His secret weapon initially is the Ring of Barahir given to his father by Finrod, who "swore unto Barahir to render whatsoever service was asked in hour of need to him or to any of his kin."5 The Ring of Barahir is not a magical artifact, not one of the Numinous Objects referred to by W.H. Auden when he lists the elements which make up a classic quest narrative.6 As we will see later, the principle magical object in this tale is the Silmaril that Beren seeks to retrieve while the Ring of Barahir is more like a calling card or an introduction with an oath attached to it. When the bearer of the Ring presents it to Finrod, he will fulfill his promise of assistance, up to and including the point of sacrificing his life.
The following passage in The Silmarillion account of Beren, alone in the wilderness seeking Nargothrond, paints a minimalist yet vivid and atmospheric picture of his approach to Finrod’s stronghold:
Upon all that plain the Elves of Nargothrond kept unceasing watch; and every hill upon its borders was crowned with hidden towers, and through all its woods and fields archers ranged secretly and with great craft. Their arrows were sure and deadly, and nothing crept there against their will. Therefore, ere Beren had come far upon his road, they were aware of him, and his death was nigh. But knowing his danger he held ever aloft the ring of Felagund; and though he saw no living thing, because of the stealth of the hunters, he felt that he was watched, and cried often aloud: ‘I am Beren son of Barahir, friend of Felagund. Take me to the King!’7
I will refer the reader at this point to my biographies of Finrod Felagund and Edrahil of Nargothrond, which describe in greater detail the events which unfold in the underground capital of Finrod’s realm, how Beren persuades Finrod to help him, and how the sons of Fëanor Celegorm and Curufin convince the overwhelming majority of Nargothrond to repudiate the decision of their king. And, finally, those previously published biographies contain the story of the tragic demise of Finrod and his loyal followers who supported Beren in his quest. Only Edrahil and a handful of brave men left Nargothrond with Beren and Finrod, making up a scant company of twelve in total. They disguise themselves, with the help of a little magic on Finrod’s part, as Orcs until they come to Tol-in-Gaurhoth or Isle of Werewolves where Sauron eventually sees through their disguise and captures and imprisons them.
Meanwhile, Lúthien, incapable of sitting idly by and while her beloved struggles alone, is being held against her will in Doriath by her father: "But Lúthien was silent, and from that hour she sang not again in Doriath. A brooding silence fell upon the woods, and the shadows lengthened in the kingdom of Thingol." Apparently, she needed a moment to recover and figure out how to approach the situation. When Sauron captured Beren and his companions, throwing them into a deep pit, "a weight of horror came upon Lúthien’s heart."8 She approaches her mother, seeking counsel, and is told that Beren has been captured and is confined in the dungeons of Tol-in-Gaurhoth without hope of rescue.
Of all of the daughters of the Eldar in Tolkien’s legendarium, none are painted as more predictably capable of acts of defiance and assertions of independence than Lúthien. (And the daughters of the Noldor—thinking of Galadriel and Aredhel for starters—are not exactly one’s mopey, defenseless princesses waiting to be rescued or won by a man.) There can be no doubt that Thingol and Melian are well aware of her strength of mind and must have considered the likelihood of an escape attempt on her part. Thingol took precautious and did what he could to ensure that Lúthien would not leave Doriath and try to liberate Beren.
She made a mistake of judgment by turning to her old friend Daeron and asking him for help; he betrays her plan to her father:
Then Thingol was filled with fear and wonder; and because he would not deprive Lúthien of the lights of heaven, lest she fail and fade, and yet would restrain her, he caused a house to be built from which she should not escape. Not far from the gates of Menegroth stood the greatest of all the trees in the Forest of Neldoreth; and that was a beech-forest and the northern half of the kingdom. This mighty beech was named Hírilorn, and it had three trunks, equal in girth, smooth in rind, and exceeding tall; no branches grew from them for a great height above the ground. Far aloft between the shafts of Hírilorn a wooden house was built, and there Lúthien was made to dwell; and the ladders were taken away and guarded, save only when the servants of Thingol brought her such things as she needed.9
This is a desperate tactic on Thingol’s part. He has inadvertently released her from any compulsion to feel regretful about disobeying him. And so, guiltless, she sets about devising a way to break out of her closely guarded captivity. It is almost impossible to read this next step of Lúthien’s escape from Thingol’s confinement without thinking of the fairytale Rapunzel. The echo of familiarity conjures up memories of childhood storytimes for those of us who grew up on the traditional version of the tale of the princess trapped in a tower, who uses her long hair to escape. It also informs us for the first time in this narrative that Lúthien’s magic does not simply exist as a romantic or descriptive embellishment—like her dancing in the forest, for example, "released the bonds of winter, and the frozen waters spoke, and flowers sprang from the cold earth where her feet had passed"10 —but is an essential element of plot:
[S]he put forth her arts of enchantment, and caused her hair to grow to great length, and of it she wove a dark robe that wrapped her beauty like a shadow, and it was laden with a spell of sleep. Of the strands that remained she twined a rope, and she let it down from her window; and as the end swayed above the guards that sat beneath the tree they fell into a deep slumber. Then Lúthien climbed from her prison, and shrouded in her shadowy cloak she escaped from all eyes, and vanished out of Doriath.11
In an article "Tolkien’s Rapunzel," fantasy blogger Ben Melnyk compares the Grimm version of Rapunzel to Tolkien’s view of Lúthien. He proposes that, uniquely, "Lúthien is in control of her own destiny. Where Rapunzel seems to be alternately at the mercy of her parents, the enchantress, or the King’s son, Lúthien takes charge of her situation."12 This difference—the take-charge characteristic of Lúthien as a woman who determines her own fate—is what distinguishes her from most princesses in the fairytales most familiar to the modern reader. One could argue that no other character, male or female, in Tolkien’s legendarium holds onto and directs their destiny to the degree that Lúthien does. In Jane Chance’s Tolkien the Medievalist, Richard C. West emphasizes that at no point is Lúthien either a "damsel in distress or a prize to be won by the hero," reiterating that "while Tolkien is far from being a feminist author, his women characters are stronger than they are often made out to be. And Lúthien is, I think, his strongest."13
However, one of Lúthien’s lowest points must have come when she found herself separated from her beloved and a prisoner in her own land, which had until that time honored her as its most revered daughter. Daeron, perhaps her closest companion from childhood, had betrayed her not once but twice, possibly in a misguided attempt to protect her or even worse in a fit of jealousy. So Lúthien uses her own not insignificant magical abilities and frees herself to flee Doriath, determined to rescue Beren.
Lúthien, however, is initially cursed with terrible luck. By chance she encounters Celegorm and Curufin hunting for wolves. They are accompanied by the amazing wolfhound Huan, gifted to Celegorm by Oromë back in the bliss of Valinor. Huan is a loyal hound who had also followed Celegorm out of Aman and, in punishment for siding with his master, "he too came under the doom of woe set upon the Noldor, and it was decreed that he should meet death, but not until he encountered the mightiest wolf that would ever walk the world."14 Actually, it is Huan who first notices Lúthien, discovering her
. . . flying like a shadow surprised by the daylight under the trees, when Celegorm and Curufin rested a while near to the western eaves of Doriath; for nothing could escape the sight and scent of Huan, nor could any enchantment stay him, and he slept not, neither by night nor day. He brought her to Celegorm, and Lúthien, learning that he was a prince of the Noldor and a foe of Morgoth, was glad; and she declared herself, casting aside her cloak.15
Celegorm instantly falls in love with Lúthien when she throws back her cloak and he sets eyes upon her "sudden beauty revealed beneath the sun."16 In an attempt to disarm and ingratiate her to himself, "he spoke her fair, and promised that she would find help in her need, if she returned with him now to Nargothrond." (No doubt Celegorm the Fair was accustomed to using gentle words to disarm women.) He takes care not to reveal that he is already aware of Beren and his quest and how profoundly he responds to this unexpected opportunity to lay hands on a Silmaril. She knows little enough about the brothers and their terrible purpose, so she does not recognize that this is one of those all but overpowering Oath-awakening moments for Celegorm. In fact, she takes for granted that, in the dangerous world outside of the Melian’s girdle of enchantment and shelter, she might actually trust these well-spoken, fair-appearing princes of the Eldar. Lúthien’s strength is not one of political wisdom or cunning but of courage and willingness to sacrifice. She is momentarily caught off-guard by Curufin and Celegorm’s methods and motivations. In her article "The Feminine Principle in Tolkien," Melanie Rawls notes that Lúthien is a strong woman, if still a sheltered princess:
Is Lúthien mannish? No. Without recourse to such masculine appurtenances as swords or rayguns, she nevertheless outperforms in courage, daring, resourcefulness, adventure, and sheer power most of our weapon-brandishing heroes and heroines. Her deeds are masculine—active and outer-directed—but her methods are not, and she has not been turned into an imitation male.17
The Fëanorian brothers, of course, break off their hunt and return posthaste to Nargothrond with Lúthien. She soon discovers she has been deceived: "[T]hey held her fast, and took away her cloak, and she was not permitted to pass the gates or to speak with any save the brothers." Believing that Beren and Felagund are prisoners without any hope of rescue or survival, the brothers
purposed to let the King perish, and to keep Lúthien, and force Thingol to give her hand to Celegorm. Thus they would advance their power, and become the mightiest of the princes of the Noldor. And they did not purpose to seek the Silmarils by craft or war, or to suffer any others to do so, until they had all the might of the Elf-kingdoms under their hands. Orodreth had no power to withstand them, for they swayed the hearts of the people of Nargothrond; and Celegorm sent messengers to Thingol urging his suit.18
It might have been a plausible plan had the brothers been dealing with a lesser adversary than Lúthien.
Neither did Celegorm expect that his long-suffering companion Huan the Hound of Valinor would ever turn upon him:
But Huan the hound was true of heart, and the love of Lúthien had fallen upon him in the first hour of their meeting; and he grieved at her captivity. Therefore he came often to her chamber; and at night he lay before her door, for he felt that evil had come to Nargothrond. Lúthien spoke often to Huan in her loneliness, telling of Beren, who was the friend of all birds and beasts that did not serve Morgoth; and Huan understood all that was said. For he comprehended the speech of all things with voice; but it was permitted to him thrice only ere his death to speak with words.19
Now Huan reflects the trope of the loyal and endearing, courageous and intelligent animal friend at its highest level. Huan has remained a dutiful helpmate despite the deteriorating moral character of his once beloved master and Celegorm’s series of terrible choices—the swearing of that catastrophic Oath and the First Kinslaying amongst them. But meeting Lúthien forces Huan to reassess his fealty and transfer his affection and trust to her. Huan, no ordinary dog,20 is able to devise a plan to rescue Lúthien and assist her on her mission. He comes to her in the middle of night, bearing her magical cloak,
and for the first time he spoke, giving her counsel. Then he led her by secret ways out of Nargothrond, and they fled north together; and he humbled his pride and suffered her to ride upon him in the fashion of a steed, even as the Orcs did at times upon great wolves. Thus they made great speed, for Huan was swift and tireless.21
They arrive at the Wizard's Isle too late to save brave Finrod and his companions, who, suffering horribly, had died one by one, viciously slain by Sauron’s werewolves. Lúthien and Huan are, however, in time to save Beren:
In that hour Lúthien came, and standing upon the bridge that led to Sauron’s isle she sang a song that no walls of stone could hinder. Beren heard, and he thought that he dreamed; for the stars shone above him, and in the trees nightingales were singing. And in answer he sang a song of challenge that he had made in praise of the Seven Stars, the Sickle of the Valar that Varda hung above the North as a sign for the fall of Morgoth. Then all strength left him and he fell down into darkness.
But Lúthien heard his answering voice, and she sang then a song of greater power. The wolves howled, and the isle trembled. Sauron stood in the high tower, wrapped in his black thought; but he smiled hearing her voice, for he knew that it was the daughter of Melian. The fame of the beauty of Lúthien and the wonder of her song had long gone forth from Doriath; and he thought to make her captive and hand her over to the power of Morgoth, for his reward would be great.22
Determined to capture Lúthien, Sauron sends wolf after terrible wolf against her and Huan slays each of them in turn. Finally, Sauron sends Draugluin,
a dread beast, old in evil, lord and sire of the werewolves of Angband. His might was great; and the battle of Huan and Draugluin was long and fierce. Yet at length Draugluin escaped, and fleeing back into the tower he died before Sauron’s feet; and as he died he told his master: ‘Huan is there!’23
Sauron takes note at this of what he knows of the Hound of Valinor—that only the greatest wolf to ever exist will be able to kill Huan. So he decides to go himself, transforming himself into the most powerful of all werewolves. This overconfidence leads to Sauron’s defeat.
Huan flinches at the sight of Sauron in his terrible wolf form, but when Sauron lunges, courageous Lúthien entangles him within the folds of her enchanted cloak. This gives Huan heart and an opening to grapple with him. The two fight, with Sauron shape shifting into various forms from wolf to snake to monster and back again:
But no wizardry nor spell, neither fang nor venom, nor devil’s art nor beast-strength, could overthrow Huan of Valinor; and he took his foe by the throat and pinned him down. Then Sauron shifted shape, from wolf to serpent, and from monster to his own accustomed form; but he could not elude the grip of Huan without forsaking his body utterly. Ere his foul spirit left its dark house, Lúthien came to him, and said that he should be stripped of his raiment of flesh, and his ghost be sent quaking back to Morgoth; and she said: ‘There everlastingly thy naked self shall endure the torment of his scorn, pierced by his eyes, unless thou yield to me the mastery of thy tower.’24
It is finally Lúthien who defeats Melkor's versatile and capable servant, through her magic powered by love rather than driven by hate or greed and her logic untempered by arrogance or overconfidence. She forces him to surrender the keys of his tower:
Then Sauron yielded himself, and Lúthien took the mastery of the isle and all that was there; and Huan released him. And immediately he took the form of a vampire, great as a dark cloud across the moon, and he fled, dripping blood from his throat upon the trees, and came to Taur-nu-Fuin, and dwelt there, filling it with horror.25
Lúthien destroys the Tower, standing upon its bridge and loosening the spell that bound stone to stone, "and the gates were thrown down, and the walls opened, and the pits laid bare; and many thralls and captives came forth in wonder and dismay, shielding their eyes against the pale moonlight, for they had lain long in the darkness of Sauron. But Beren came not."26
Huan and Lúthien search for Beren throughout the isle until they finally come upon him mourning his slain comrade Finrod Felagund. He is lost in such deep anguish that he does not hear her feet, and he lays as still as one who was dead. Believing him dead, Lúthien "put her arms about him and fell into a dark forgetfulness." Beren, however, at that moment, comes back into the light from his pit of deep despair. He lifts Lúthien up and "they looked again upon one another; and the day rising over the dark hills shone upon them."27
Reunited, they bury Finrod Felagund, without whose help Beren would have surely perished:
Now Beren and Lúthien Tinúviel went free again and together walked through the woods renewing for a time their joy; and though winter came it hurt them not, for flowers lingered where Lúthien went, and the birds sang beneath the snowclad hills. But Huan being faithful went back to Celegorm his master; yet their love was less than before.28
Beren and Lúthien’s quest does not end here, but as they take a much-deserved break at this point in their story and several significant plot points still remain in the basic narrative, this seems like a good point for us to stop as well.
In the next and final segment, we will cover Beren sneaking away while Lúthien sleeps to try to fulfill his promise to Thingol to secure the Silmaril. The dread Fëanorian brothers and noble Huan reenter the story. Beren and Lúthien go to Angband and trick Melkor. Beren loses a hand and a Silmaril. Celegorm loses his best friend and Curufin loses his horse. And much, much more. There will be cats and Lúthien dancing and casting spells before the throne of Melkor. (I promise no dancing cats!) I hope that you will return for those exciting events.
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Oshun's Silmarillion-based stories may be found on the SWG archive.
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