Feanor's true motivations

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Urwen

Redeemed.

But redeeming is not redoing. Redemption happens after the act, not instead of it.

[Morthoron]

"They swore an oath which none shall break, and none should take, by the name even of Ilúvatar, calling the Everlasting Dark upon them if they kept it not... ...vowing to pursue with vengeance and hatred to the ends of the World Vala, Demon, Elf or Man as yet unborn or any creature, great or small, good or evil, that time should bring forth unto the end of days, whoso should hold or take or keep a Silmaril from their possession." -- Quenta Silmarillion

The Oath of Fëanor was, in Tolkien's world view, irrevocable and irredeemable, borne out of pride and hatred. It destroyed everyone it touched and was the cause of three separate Kinslayings among the Elves, each perpetrated by Fëanor or his sons. Nothing that occurred, including slaughtering the Teleri, burning their ships, or abandoning Fingolfin's people to cross the Helcaraxë was done out of love or filial concern. To imply otherwise is nonsensical fan-fiction.

[Urwen]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

But redeeming is not redoing. Redemption happens after the act, not instead of it.

Well, none of them had a chance to redeem themselves. Do I need to remind you that all of them were promptly killed after the act? They weren't even asked if they would atone by other means.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Urwen

Well, none of them had a chance to redeem themselves. Do I need to remind you that all of them were promptly killed after the act? They weren't even asked if they would atone by other means.

Very few people are asked if they would like to atone. Atonement is done by your own will, and it could have happened at any point, really. One doesn't have to wait until the moment of death. So they all had a chance to redeem themselves, they just didn't care to.

Saying that the character did not do what he did, or did it for reasons other than the stated ones or the ones that go with his character, is not atonement. It's looking for excuses and re-writing the character's story. If you want to say, what if Feanor was a kinder man, with more love for family and more concern for other people? - then yes, if you change the character you change the motivations. But then the burning wouldn't have happened because this kinder Feanor would not have asked for a kinslaying and would not have called all the Noldor after him.