[the phantom]

I've always felt so sorry for Turin.

First, what was the deal with Finduilas? When I was first reading about them (in Unfinished Tales, I believe), I thought for sure that they'd end up together. He seemed devestated when he discovered she'd died, and even after she's dead he goes to her grave and calls on her to bring him council. And she obviously loved him.

Secondly, his marraige to his sister. It seemed that he'd finally found hapiness and escaped his curse, but instead it only increased his family's tragedy.

Turin's story is the most tragic tale I've ever read, and his failure at finding a love is perhaps the unhappiest aspect of it.

I've blamed this, as well as his other misfortunes, on the curse of Melkor, the malice of Glaurung, and rotten situations. I think those three things had a much greater influence on his failed relationships than his (and Finduilas's, and Nienor's) personality. If not for that, I imagine the world would've been graced with another union of elves and men (Turin-Finduilas), and their offspring would've doubtless been very mighty. Melkor has a way of ruining good things.