[Anguirel]

I'm most intrigued by Boromir's point about lost wanderers, the negative side of wandering, if you like. The Silmarillion is full of such travels.

At first, thinking of Turin, I wondered if forced wandering-Turin's travels to Doriath and Nargothrond, for instance-born out of desperation, tended to have baneful effects. However, I dismissed this. The forced wanderers Beren and Tuor are both successful, while the voluntary wanderer(ess) Aredhel is doomed.

My next formula involved shoehorning in this thread's thesis that mortals adapt more easily to wandering than the Firstborn. I explained Turin by his status as Adanedhel-is he, in terms of outlook, an Elf when it comes to wandering? Certainly, at various critical moments it is stubbornness and stasis that does him harm.

The Elves start by wandering all the way from Cuivenien-but a schism is caused by this and a Vala is needed to spur them on. Thingol's wanderings end in Melian's arms. The returned Noldor are the first completely voluntary wanderers we've seen, and yet, ultimately, they are all lost. Their delight in the new land fades in Morgoth's presence. They hide themselves in fixed positions, and few emerge from them; most are caught in their realm's fall.

During this fixed period, they attempt to settle and fix Men, and are only partially successful. Driven by knowledge of death, and perhaps by lack of rest in Arda, the wanderings of this race will be momentous.

After the Nirnaeth, the Sons of Feanor are specifically described as wandering in Ossiriand. In fact, all the way through Feanor's line has been an exception to the Elven psychosis. Feanor yearned for change-hence he was "unfriend" to Galadriel. He provoked the greatest stravaige in history, over the sea or Helcaraxe. Celegorm and Curufin-the sons superficially most like him-wandered out of necessity, but used this for political and recreational ends (the pursuit of wolves/Luthien, the usurping of Nargothrond...) At last all seven were without their homes, also without their ties, the one child left behind. They wandered constantly, they longed for change, they strove for it, but they are lost all the same.

Of course, the most clear lost wanderers are Maglor and Daeron (perhaps sharing that doubtful honour with Alatar and Pallando). "The Noldolante, that Maglor wrote ere he was lost..."