Silmarillion - Chapter 19 - Of Beren and Luthien

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by Aiwendil

Certainly Beren & Luthien seems to have been a particularly important story to him. And though one must always be wary of the biographical connection, it is certainly worthy of note that he had the name 'Luthien' inscribed on her tombstone.

Actually, it is on "their" tombstone, as the one stone marks the shared grave.

I'm probably the least likely persona on this site to choose biographical interpretations, as any number of my posts over the years can attest to. Carpenter provides the biographical tidbit about Edith dancing which has inspired legions of fans to see a connection, but frankly I think a story of such a great Saga and so teeming with themes and links to the rest of the Legendarium must provide fruitful avenues for other areas of discussion. What does it mean to say that as Luthien looked upon Beren doom fell upon her and she loved him? (Yes, I understand the literal consequence, that she forsakes her elven immortality, but there's more to this story than that.) Love is not what dooms Turin.

So what's with the Doom Raiders?

[Tuor in Gondolin]

One of the interesting bits in this chapter, to me,
are the lessons and consequences od Beren's trying
to take a second simaril. Tolkien may seek to indicate
the potential "greedy" nature of man (not unlike
Isildur keeping the Ring) and consequences of
not following proportion,balance, restraint, etc.
Although there doesn't seem to be any reason he
couldn't take all the simarills from Morgoth. And
how would Luthien's daddy have reacted if he had,
in a much less painful way, handed a simaril over to him?