Taking on Tolkien: The Jury’s Out

This week in class, we held a mock trial for Fëanor and his sons, debating the crimes that followed from their terrible oath and the Doom of the Noldor. I was part of the defense, and my task was to argue that Fëanor was not simply a villain, but a tragic figure, one driven by grief, fear, and passion.

Standing in his defense was not easy. Even as we built our case, I could not ignore the destruction his pride caused. The Kinslaying at Alqualondë, the abandonment of Fingolfin’s people, and the pain that rippled through generations of Elves, all these acts began with Fëanor’s decisions. Still, as the defense, I had to look deeper, beyond the crimes, into the heart of the one who committed them.

I argued that Fëanor’s story was shaped by loss. The Silmarils were more than jewels to him, they were the light of the Two Trees, a piece of what was lost forever when Morgoth struck. His anger, though destructive, was born from deep pain and betrayal. When the Valar hesitated to act, Fëanor’s pride twisted his sorrow into fury. In that sense, he became both victim and cause.

But the jury saw otherwise. After hearing all sides, they found Fëanor guilty for the Kinslaying and the bloodshed that followed. Their decision rested on one truth: no matter his motives, Fëanor always had a choice. He could have turned back. He could have sought wisdom instead of vengeance. His pride, more than his grief, sealed the fate of his people.

As a member of the defense, I can’t say I fully disagree with the verdict, but I do see the tragedy behind it. Fëanor was not evil in the way Morgoth was. He was brilliant, passionate, and flawed, a being of fire that burned too bright and consumed all around him. I think the Doom of Mandos was not a punishment alone, but a reflection of what pride unrestrained can do, even to the greatest of the Elves.

In the end, I walked away from the trial with a more complicated view of Fëanor. Defending him forced me to see his humanity, even as I recognized his faults. The jury’s decision felt fair, he was guilty, yes, but also deeply tragic. His downfall was his own doing, but it came from emotions that every Elf and every person can understand grief, anger, and the desperate need to make something beautiful in a broken world.

Until next we meet,
Silvarion

Taking on Tolkien: Silvarion on Fingolfin’s Last Stand

Some moments feel like they belong to legend the instant they occur. For me, none weighs heavier on my heart than the fall of Fingolfin, High King of the Noldor.

When the Siege of Angband was broken by flame and ruin, despair spread among us. The smoke of the Dagor Bragollach had barely cleared when word came that Fingolfin had ridden alone to the gates of Angband. Alone. Not with an army, not even with a guard. With only his steed, Rochallor, and his sword, Ringil, he challenged Morgoth himself.

I cannot say I was there...few were. But those who saw it have told the tale, and it burns in me like a brand. Fingolfin stood before the Dark Lord, a single Elf against the greatest power of Arda, and did not flinch. They fought for a long time, hammer against blade, shadow against light. Seven times Morgoth cried out in pain from the wounds Fingolfin struck, seven wounds, from a single hand.

And yet, even kings are not unbreakable. At last, Fingolfin stumbled, and Morgoth’s hammer crushed him. But before the end, our king wounded the Enemy in a way no one else ever has. To this day, Morgoth limps because of him.

What do I feel, thinking on his death? Pride, yes, for his courage. Fear, too, for if even Fingolfin could not stand against Morgoth, what hope remains for the rest of us? But I do not think he rode to Angband expecting victory. He rode to remind us all that even in the face of certain defeat, defiance has power. His stand was not for himself, but for every Elf and every free soul who still resists the shadow.

I confess, I am afraid. Afraid of what will come next, afraid of how much more we must endure. But when I think of Fingolfin, I also feel a spark of resolve. If he could face the Dark Lord alone, then surely I can keep fighting in my own small way.

His death was not the end of hope. It was a torch passed on to us, burning even brighter for the darkness that surrounds it.

Until next we meet,
Silvarion

Taking on Tolkien: A Tareldar’s Voice

Greetings traveler,

I am Silvarion of the Tareldar, one of the High Elves who yet remain in Middle-earth.

Many of my family have sailed into the West, leaving behind the fading lands we once

loved beyond measure. Yet I linger still. Some might call it stubbornness, others loyalty.

Perhaps it is both.

Who am I?

I was born in the elder days, when the world was wider and the stars seemed brighter.

My name, Silvarion, means of the Silver Light, for I have always been drawn to the

moon and stars that shine even in the darkest nights. I am no great lord or king, only a

keeper of memory, a guardian of tales too easily forgotten.

What am I like?

I have lived long enough to witness kingdoms rise and crumble into dust. Such

knowledge could make the heart bitter. Yet I try to hold fast to gentleness,

for beauty is worth protecting even when it cannot endure. I walk slowly, listen

often, and speak with care. Still, I cannot deny the fire within me, when darkness

rises, I draw my bow and my blade finds its purpose.

What do I do?

I am both scholar and guard. My days are divided between song and steel: gathering

the stories of my people, recording them so that Men may one day know who we

were, and patrolling the borders of wild places, keeping watch for the enemy. In this

way I serve both memory and hope.

Whose side am I on?

Always the side of the free people. Though the years have wearied me, I will not abandon

Middle-earth to darkness. I have sworn myself to the fellowship of Men, Dwarves, Hobbits,

and all others who stand against Sauron. We may be few and fragile compared to him, yet

even the smallest flame may drive back the night.

How do I see the world now?

The shadow grows strong again. Sauron rises, and many tremble at his name. But despair

is luxury I cannot afford. I have seen darkness defeated before, though always at great

cost. So I endure. So I fight. And so I sing. If this is to be the last chapter of my people in

Middle-earth, then let it be written with courage and with light Perhaps one day, when

I am gone and my songs are but whispers, a child of Men will stumble upon these words.

If so, may they know this: the Elves did not forsake you. We stood, even as the world

changed, because we believed it was worth saving.

Until we meet next,
Silvarion