Why did Feanor's sons take the Oath?

[with-rainfall.livejournal.com]

With all the discussion/speculation going on about the elves' motivations at Alqualonde, I'd like to throw this question out there: Why did Feanor's sons feel the need to simultaneously leap to his side and take the Oath? Was it truly a "madness" caused by grief over the death of their grandfather, family loyalty and Feanor's speeches? Was it an obligation to be by their father's side, or a sense of injustice, or simply the quasi-magical lure of the Silmarils? Was it more hesitant than the text paints it?

All of these? Or is there a simpler explanation, as in this Silmarillion/Good Omens fanfic?

Comments

[spiced-wine.livejournal.com]

As for why they all swore the oath, explaining the oath is actually one of the major reasons why I've come to believe that Feanor was a good father to his sons who inspired their loyalty, an idea that has become central to my own writing. I believe they were inclined to be loyal to him and especially compelled after Finwe's death, which likely struck them near (since they lived with him in exile); I also believe that they shared his essential worldview that valued independence and freedom over the "protection" of the Valar. After that, social influence took its hold, and social psychology has taught us that that is a pretty strong hold, even in the absence of the emotion-laden context in which the oath was sworn. I can see, for example, Feanor swearing his oath and, say, Curufin wanting to do the same; several other brothers joining, and then the social pressure combined with the intensity of emotion they were experiencing compelling the others to do the same. To one observing, their consensus was probably startling and, shaped by dramatic needs in future retellings and perhaps political needs as well, eventually came to the memorable image of all seven Feanorian sons leaping to their father's side, swords drawn, and swearing the same terrible oath.

That's exactly my own belief. I never found anything strange about it, or thought to question it even when I first read (and had no-one to discuss it with).