Davem, your points are not off topic at all as far as I'm concerned. The whole pride/despair issue is important through the whole of Narn i Hin Hurin, and you can't talk about Hurin without talking about the fates of his children. And when I was studying such things in the dim and distant past, I seem to remember that pride and despair were considered two sides of the same coin, in mediaeval and renaissance literature at least. I agree that Tolkien intended his heroes to be pagan ones, but at the same time, while I am in general not one of those who see biblical and Christian themes in the stories, I do think that Tolkien's own moral beliefs must have come into this tale somewhere. Davem, your point about the showing the lack of Christianity is a very interesting one and I shall mull over it.
As far as Hurin and his children were concerned, I don't think they suffered from pride until everything else was taken away from them.
I found this excerpt, btw, although I'm not sure from whence it originates. It's about the Last Battle and the slaying of Morgoth:
Quote:
In that day, Tulkas shall strive with Morgoth, and on his right hand shall be Eonwë, and on his left Turin Turambar, son of Hurin, coming from the halls of Mandos; and the Black Sword of Turin shall deal unto Morgoth his death and final end; and so shall the children of Hurin and all Men be avenged.
...no Man it [the prophecy of Mandos] names, save Turin only, and to him a place is given among the sons of the Valar
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So Turin is considered blessed, but not Hurin.
Morwen, the point that concerned me was that Melian opening the eyes of Hurin was apparently an invention of Christopher Tolkien. In the professor's own version he storms off, still in a state of deception.
On the subject of compassion, I believe the Silmarillion describes Turin as being easily moved to pity, and taking after his father in this respect. Morwen, meanwhile, was as hard on others as she was on herself.