My thoughts on Finwë by Aprilertuile

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Finwë

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Here, I'm just trying to put on paper and in some semblance of order what I think about Finwë, King of the Noldor. Fair warning, it's not complimentary to him. 

Every time I read about it, I'm surprised anew:

Finwë was a bad husband, a bad father and a doubtful king.

 

First of all, a bad husband and father: 

In the Silmarillion, chapter 6, it is said:

“But in the bearing of her son Míriel was consumed in spirit and body; and after his birth she yearned for release from the labours of living. And when she had named him, she said to Finwë: 'Never again shall I bear child; for strength that would have nourished the life of many has gone forth into Fëanor.'

Finwë was greatly grieved, for the Noldor were in the youth of their days, but were still few in number, and he desired to bring forth many children into the bliss of Aman. He said therefore: 'Surely there is healing in Aman? Here all weariness can find rest.'”

The elf just had a child with his wife. His wife is very obviously unwell… And his only concern is that… He may never again have other children?

So Miriel is reduced to her womb in his mind.

And his child, his new baby… Isn’t enough in his heart.

Same chapter :

“Now it came to pass that Finwë took as his second wife Indis the Fair. She was a Vanya, close kin of Ingwë the High King, golden haired and tall, and in all ways unlike Míriel. Finwë loved her greatly, and was glad again. But the shadow of Míriel did not depart from the house of Finwë, nor from his heart; and of all whom he loved Fëanor had ever the chief share of his thought.”

So now he remarried to another woman and was glad, BUT Finwë isn’t happy because he longs for his first wife and prefers his first born.

But he still made more children because… Because apparently number was better than love? Or so apparently Finwë thought.

Same chapter still:

“The wedding of his father was not pleasing to Fëanor; and he had no great love for Indis, nor for Fingolfin and Finarfin, her sons. He lived apart from them…”

Fëanor wasn’t happy with his father’s wedding.

So there, Fëanor was ignored because basically his father thought that one child to raise and to love wasn’t enough, he needed more, and Fëanor was far from stupid, blind, deaf or mute, so I can just imagine how that one went.

But Finwë didn’t care.

Because he might love his son… But his own opinion was what truly mattered to him. He wanted this marriage. He wanted more children. So he married Indis, and had more children and if it made everyone around him unhappy, it wasn’t his problem right?

 

In this part of the tale, Finwë was selfish enough that he just didn’t care for anyone but himself.

 

He loved Míriel, but not enough to wait for her and consider her own situation over his own desire for more children.

He loved Indis, but not enough to love their children equally to his son of Míriel.

He loved Fëanor, but not enough to consider his feelings regarding Finwë’s desire to remarry and have more kids.

He loved his other children, but not enough compared to the love he bore to his first born.

Husband of the year and father of the year, right there.

 

-_-_-_-_-_-

 

Now, let’s look a minute at the timeline, shall we? After all, elves are immortal, right?

Morgoth’s Ring: The Earliest Version of the Story of Finwë and Míriel:

1170   Míriel falls asleep and passes to Mandar

1172   Doom of Manwë concerning the espousals of the Eldar

1185   Finwë weds Indis of the Vanyar

If you read the same thing I do here, Míriel fell asleep and two Valinorean years later, Finwë went to cry on the Valar’s shoulder that his wife was gone and he couldn’t have more kids, and married Indis 13 years after that.

So, yes, the years of the trees were longer than the years of the sun, I agree... Nevertheless, it’s TWO years.

Elves are immortal and living in peace in Valinor. It’s not like he couldn’t afford to wait, is it?

Morgoth’s Rings: LACE chapter:

“When, therefore, ten years had passed, he spoke to Manwë, saying: ‘Lord, behold! I am bereaved and solitary. Alone among the Eldar I have no wife, and must hope for no sons save one, and no daughter. Must I remain ever thus?”

There he lasted 10 years. Congratulation to him. It’s a bit better than 2, I guess.

But seriously, was the idea of celibacy too hard to take? Right hand getting tired perhaps?

 

-_-_-_-_-_-

 

Now, fast forward some years, Morgoth is freed and plays on the already existing discord from the house of Finwë:

Yeah, apparently Finwë during the years of peace didn’t love his children enough to try and make peace with them so they’d accept each others. Again, father of the year.

And Morgoth once freed in Valinor... spread lies and here came Fëanor threatening his half brother’s life because both heard the lies:

“Then there was great unrest in Tirion, and Finwë was troubled; and he summoned all his lords to council. But Fingolfin hastened to his halls and stood before him, saying: 'King and father, wilt thou not restrain the pride of our brother, Curufinwë, who is called the Spirit of Fire, all too truly? By what right does he speak for all our people, as if he were King? Thou it was who long ago spoke before the Quendi, bidding them accept the summons of the Valar to Aman. Thou it was that led the Noldor upon the long road through the perils of Middle-earth to the light of Eldamar. If thou dost not now repent of it, two sons at least thou hast to honour thy words.'

But even as Fingolfin spoke, Fëanor strode into the chamber, and he was fully armed: his high helm upon his head, and at his side a mighty sword. 'So it is, even as I guessed,' he said. 'My half-brother would be before me with my father, in this as in all other matters.' Then turning upon Fingolfin he drew his sword, crying: 'Get thee gone, and take thy due place!'

Fingolfin bowed before Finwë, and without word or glance to Fëanor he went from the chamber. But Fëanor followed him, and at the door of the king's house he stayed him; and the point of his bright sword he set against Fingolfin's breast 'See, half-brother!' he said. 'This is sharper than thy tongue. Try but once more to usurp my place and the love of my father, and maybe it will rid the Noldor of one who seeks to be the master of thralls.'”

Now, this passage, I find pretty interesting.

Both half brothers genuinely believe the lies Morgoth spread about each other and both decided to act on it

But also Fëanor’s reaction doesn’t come from confidence in his rank and place in his father’s life. In there, Fëanor genuinely thought he had something to fear and needed to defend his place.

=> Even the favorite son didn’t trust his place in his father’s life.

 

-_-_-_-_-_-

 

But when Fëanor threatened his half-brother's life, and was punished for his stupidity over that (Yes I like Fëanor, yes I still think he was stupid and criminal to do that, don't try it at home, thank you very much):

“With him [Fëanor] into banishment went his seven sons, and north-ward in Valinor they made a strong place and treasury in the hills; and there at Formenos a multitude of gems were laid in hoard, and weapons also, and the Silmarils were shut in a chamber of iron. Thither also came Finwë the King, because of the love that he bore to Fëanor.”

Finwë went with Fëanor, basically telling his second wife that, the children they had together? Not his problem because his eldest son was more important.

Finwë went with Fëanor, basically telling his children from Indis that their life or death didn’t matter to him because his eldest son was more important.

Flattering no?

 

-_-_-_-_-_-

 

And also a doubtful king:

Another interesting moment came when Manwë summoned Fëanor to the fateful festival:

“One thing only marred the design of Manwë. Fëanor came indeed, for him alone Manwë had commanded to come; but Finwë came not, nor any others of the NOldor of Formenos. For said Finwë: ‘While the ban lasts upon Fëanor my son, that he may not go to Tirion, I hold myself unkinged, and I will not meet my people.’

His wife, his other children, his duty, his rank, the notion of right and wrong... Nothing matters in front of his love for Fëanor.

Despite everything mentioned above.

 

-_-_-_-_-_-

 

All this kept making me wonder how much worst it'd be if we had the details of all the years of life in Valinor of that little crowd.

Because somehow I find this pretty impressive:

-Child Fëanor doesn't want Finwë to marry Indis? No matter to him, he married Indis because it suited him

-But adult Fëanor does something criminally dangerous to one of his much desired other children and he went with him in exile for he wouldn't be parted from him.

So how did he handle the day to day life?

How many times was Fëanor ignored because it suited Finwë?

How many times Fingolfin, Findis, Irimë and Finarfin were ignored in favour of Fëanor because it suited Finwë?

And I certainly wonder what sort of opinion Indis had of her husband by the end of it....

And what memory of Finwë would stick more with all his children?

 

 

And also...

How did Finwë teach his son(s) to deal with grief?

Because as seen in the Silmarillion, Fëanor didn’t do well with the idea of his mother staying dead forever, which is understandable for elves.

Became enraged at the threat he thought Fingolfin was to him and his position in his father’s heart...

... And lost his mind when his father died.

I somewhat think that Finwë didn’t teach Fëanor how to deal with grief... Because he didn’t know himself how to deal with grief.