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Originally Posted by Anguirel
But I would add that there are heroic aspects to be found even in Caranthir. Didn't he act as protector to the People of Haleth? I see him as quick to anger but not as black as he's painted, with honesty lacking in Celegorm and Curufin (both of whom I also like, but whom even I find pretty difficult to defend morally!)
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One of the interesting "unorthodox" qualities, I find, about Caranthir is his tolerance. By that, I mean unorthodox within the Legendarium. Caranthir, for all his reputation of having a quick temper, is the first Noldorin Prince of the First Age to befriend the Dwarves, and it appears that the friendship was fairly close for both parties made good profit. The tone that the narrator takes at that point is a bit cynical, I feel, but it is an action quite unique among the Elven princes.
Furthermore, look at- as you hinted- his treatment of the Halethrim. As you note, he made a (belated) effort to defend them in the time of Haleth. But equally as "Elvenly Unorthodox" is his past history with them. Caranthir was quite tolerant of having the Halethrim live on his lands in the manner they wished. Perhaps this can also be taken as ignoring them, but it is markedly different from the attitudes of Finrod, Fingolfin, and even Maedhros, in their treatment of the Men in their lands/in their service. Perhaps that contributed to the unfortunate experience he had with his second batch of men. Perhaps he gave the traitorous people of Ulf TOO much tolerance...
In any case, he's a bit unorthodox for a bona fide Tolkien Elven prince...