Greatest Man of Middle-Earth??

[Keneldil the Polka-dot]

How smitten Beren was by Luthien (and no doubt he had it bad) doesn't really have anything to do with it.

No, but how smitten Luthien was by Beren has a lot to do with it.

Seems like the arguments for Hurin boil down to his stint in the chair facing Morgoth....resisting Morgoth's will. Hurin did resist for 28 years, but in the end his resistance went for naught when he gave Morgoth exactly what he wanted. Doesn't change the fact that resisting for so long is amazing, but does detract from Hurin's status re: Greatest Man of Middle Earth.

No other human, ever, went through anything so terrible.

(Why is it I seem to have a galling inability to drive home this point?)

Your point is well made, and easily understood. I concede Hurin's 28 year defiance may very well be the bravest single mortal deed. However, don't JRRT's own words describe the retrieval of the Silmaril as the greatest deed ever? Regardless of single acts, Beren wins when looking at the whole picture.