I Hate Feanor

[Ivriniel]

Originally Posted by Nikkolas

When discussing Sauron elsewhere, I reflected on the many horrific nicknames given to him and his master Melkor.

But ya know, Feanor should get some.

I despised no one in all of The Silmarillion more than Feanor. His stupidity and arrogance caused more suffering than anyone save the two Dark Lords. But whereas both of them started off with high purpose, Feanor just wanted his pretty jewels back. And don't tell me "he wanted to avenge hs father." If he gave a crap about his dad he wouldn't have abandoned one of his father's sons to possible death and certain suffering. The Kinslaying was barbaric and unnecessary but what he did to Fingolfin and the others right afterward should earn him the title of The Deceiver.

The Oath of caused untold pain and strife and I do feel sorry for at least a few of his sons but Feanor himself was an irredeemable monster.

So what say you? I thought of this topic after finishing reading LOTR forr the first time. I was contemplating the pitiable state of Saruman and the tragedy of his fall and I thought of the one major villain in Tolkien that I never felt sorry for in the least.

Yes. In fact, there was less that divided evil and good in the distinction between the 'evil' in the way Morgoth was caste and as Feanor was, in personality. Feanor was extremely narcissistic. His motivational processes lacked a capacity to empathise and forgive. The commitment to covetous behaviour ('my Silmarils'--really 'my Precious') to justify kinslaying, deception, greed and his capacity to dismiss others' emotional experience in exchange for his own.

That's pretty seriously a problem.

But, while we're on a rant about how personality attributes failed the great, the Valar didn't do a very good job of working with brother Melkor. Really? Imprison with unbreakable chains for god knows how long and expect an atonement? ARE YOU KIDDING ME That had to be the totally dumbest way I can think of, of approaching estrangement amongst the Valar.

Did anyone try to 'add' to Melkor's creatures to repair or deepen their capacities as sentient beings, rather than mindlessly destroy them. We think, for example, that Gothmog (the First Age one, not the one on the Pelennor) was a *child* of Morgoth and some troll thing. That's a *child* of a *god* and part of the order of existence.

Why didn't anyone try to repair the Rings of Power? Or craft means of redeeming the Ringwraiths. There was this continual commitment to slaying in a competition for survival, and absolutely no energy, commitment, valour or *love* to guide reparations.

Nienna was the only Maia I can think of who just cried about the grand, great death and loss of the whole sorry confrontation. Of course , I'm not sure she'd be much company at a dinner party, with all that weeping when everyone needed a break from the toils of kinslaying, theft, murdering lovely trees, swollen spiders that gobble everything, ravenously hungry orcs who just can't stand the thought of an Elf anywhere nearby. Never mind that Orcs and Elves are cousins. Or that the Elves crafted full on death blades, murderous spears (Gil Galad), things that burn, zorch, belch spiritfire and that hack at existence, quite in their own way. Now, I'm not suggesting for a second that dear Sauron had the right approach either -- I mean, really, Annatar - what did you do? Put Celebrimbor's head on a PIKE for god's (sorry Eru's sake) and march on into the Ost In Edhil chopping away, spilling Elven blood. I mean, really? What ON MIDDLE EARTH did you have in mind to actually do, Sauron after blackening, poisoning and getting rid of all life? Not much to do in that kind of playground, hey.....

(sighs)(rubs temples)