Curufin the Crafty (a.k.a. the Abhorred?)
Aug. 17th, 2005 10:12 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
nelyo.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
silwritersguildTitle: Curufin the Crafty
Author: Nelyo@LJ / Maedhros@SWG Yahoo List
Rating: General
Warning: None
Genre: Essay
A short essay about Curufin; it came along with “That Night”.
They are mostly raving thoughts, but anyway... :)
Read and enjoy or criticize -- as always, if you have nothing better to do ;)
-oOo-
Curufin son of Fëanor is, doubtless, one of Tolkien’s most hated elves. He earned one of the first positions in Mandos’ “Wanted” Top List, being only surpassed by Eöl, Maeglin and Fëanor (and not necessarily in this order, each reader would keep his own opinion about), and along with Celegorm and Caranthir. Oddly, there are not “evil” or “wicked” elves in Tolkien’s universe as in other worlds or, at least, none of Tolkien’s elves was born evil, and yet, some of them became, shall we say, “misunderstood”? due the circumstances and their lives. No, I am not about to justify their deeds but, at least, I tried, through these years, to understand why they behaved as they did, as I might do with some events or persons In Real Life.
Now, and back to Curufin: How was he?. We know he was alike his father in body and mind, the closer to Fëanor. Certainly, his parents named him rightly, Curufinwë and Atarinkë.
* He was proud and self-confidant (as many noldor), and as time passed he grew arrogant and manipulative, disdainful and conceited.
* He fought in Alqualondë and became a kinslayer (again: as so many noldor).
* Betrayed his kin in Araman and did not stop his Father to set on fire the ships in Losgar (but who did?). He helped him, even (it occurs to me that surely Fëanor and Curufin were not the only to torch the swan-ships?).
* He forced Maedhros to attack Doriath (driven by the Oath, and don’t forget that, at the end, Maedhros and Maglor, the noblest of the brothers, didn’t hesitate to kill Eonwë’s guards to seize the last two Silmarils).
* Then we have the “Nargothrond’s episode”, all the stuff concerning Finrod and Orodreth, and Lúthien and Beren. But it is said in The Silmarillion, “But the curse of Mandos came upon the brothers, and dark thoughts arose in their hearts”. Mandos said: “Their Oath shall drive them, and yet betray them, and ever snatch away the very treasures that they have sworn to pursue. To evil end shall all things turn that they begin well; and by treason of kin unto kin, and the fear of treason, shall this come to pass.” Oh, yes, Curufin was hungry of power. Just because? No. Because it is said too that Celegorm and Curufin pursued to take over Doriath so they would have more land and men to rule. Why? To war Morgoth and recover the Silmarils. As Machiavelli would say: “Before all else, be armed” and “Politics have no relation to morals”. In short: “The Ends justify the Means.”
And yet, and always in my opinion, this hateful Noldo kept some virtues too:
* He was a devoted –and more than devoted- son (but considering the father, you might think that to be a devoted son of Fëanor is no virtue but a fault).
* There is a discarded quote, written by Tolkien (but Christopher did not include it when he edited The Silmarillion) where it is stated that Celegorm and Curufin were the best friends of Angrod and Aegnor. In a second note, it is stated that they (the fëanorians) brought them (the finarfinians) on the ships, so they would be saved to cross the Helcaraxë and would travel aboard the ships. Surprised?. No wonder they were neighbours, for Dorthonion’s closer neighbours were, precisely, Himladrim.
* Even after Araman’s betrayal Curufin (and Celegorm) kept Aredhel’s friendship –-- and considering her temper, I don’t think the lady would forgive easily an affront, but eventually she did and sought for their company even if it meant to defy Turgon.
* Curufin had a chance to kill Eöl and he did not, even if he had a cause to do it (to revenge Aredhel’s kidnapping) but, on the contrary, he counselled him to head back home. What would the laws of the Noldor mean to the wicked elf he became later?.
* Curufin ran into the battle to help Orodreth when he was besieged --- right in the moment that he was facing the ruin of his own realm and needed to save his life and his people’s (and surely Orodreth was not his favourite cousin).
* For a few years he lived quietly in Nargothrond and was a gift for Finrod and the nargothrondrim.
* He, as Fëanor his father, was a skilled smith and speaker but he was interested too in scholarship (again, as his father). For example, he was most interested in the language of the Dwarves, being the only Noldor to win their friendship and to learn Khuzdûl. Yes, Maedhros earned Azaghal’s respect and gratitude when he saved his life, but Curufin was the dwarves’ friend, especially Telchar’s.
-oOo-
Curufin became the most evil of the Sons of Fëanor while tried to keep his father’s Oath, and he is described as an elf “of devious cunning” and “being filled with shame and malice”. But in the end, and again in my opinion, I think he is but a victim, another example of how much Arda’s mar entered the Guarded Realm (and the first result of this mar, if you remember, was precisely Míriel’s death, what really started the Fall of the Noldor).
-oOo-
Author: Nelyo@LJ / Maedhros@SWG Yahoo List
Rating: General
Warning: None
Genre: Essay
A short essay about Curufin; it came along with “That Night”.
They are mostly raving thoughts, but anyway... :)
Read and enjoy or criticize -- as always, if you have nothing better to do ;)
Curufin son of Fëanor is, doubtless, one of Tolkien’s most hated elves. He earned one of the first positions in Mandos’ “Wanted” Top List, being only surpassed by Eöl, Maeglin and Fëanor (and not necessarily in this order, each reader would keep his own opinion about), and along with Celegorm and Caranthir. Oddly, there are not “evil” or “wicked” elves in Tolkien’s universe as in other worlds or, at least, none of Tolkien’s elves was born evil, and yet, some of them became, shall we say, “misunderstood”? due the circumstances and their lives. No, I am not about to justify their deeds but, at least, I tried, through these years, to understand why they behaved as they did, as I might do with some events or persons In Real Life.
Now, and back to Curufin: How was he?. We know he was alike his father in body and mind, the closer to Fëanor. Certainly, his parents named him rightly, Curufinwë and Atarinkë.
* He was proud and self-confidant (as many noldor), and as time passed he grew arrogant and manipulative, disdainful and conceited.
* He fought in Alqualondë and became a kinslayer (again: as so many noldor).
* Betrayed his kin in Araman and did not stop his Father to set on fire the ships in Losgar (but who did?). He helped him, even (it occurs to me that surely Fëanor and Curufin were not the only to torch the swan-ships?).
* He forced Maedhros to attack Doriath (driven by the Oath, and don’t forget that, at the end, Maedhros and Maglor, the noblest of the brothers, didn’t hesitate to kill Eonwë’s guards to seize the last two Silmarils).
* Then we have the “Nargothrond’s episode”, all the stuff concerning Finrod and Orodreth, and Lúthien and Beren. But it is said in The Silmarillion, “But the curse of Mandos came upon the brothers, and dark thoughts arose in their hearts”. Mandos said: “Their Oath shall drive them, and yet betray them, and ever snatch away the very treasures that they have sworn to pursue. To evil end shall all things turn that they begin well; and by treason of kin unto kin, and the fear of treason, shall this come to pass.” Oh, yes, Curufin was hungry of power. Just because? No. Because it is said too that Celegorm and Curufin pursued to take over Doriath so they would have more land and men to rule. Why? To war Morgoth and recover the Silmarils. As Machiavelli would say: “Before all else, be armed” and “Politics have no relation to morals”. In short: “The Ends justify the Means.”
And yet, and always in my opinion, this hateful Noldo kept some virtues too:
* He was a devoted –and more than devoted- son (but considering the father, you might think that to be a devoted son of Fëanor is no virtue but a fault).
* There is a discarded quote, written by Tolkien (but Christopher did not include it when he edited The Silmarillion) where it is stated that Celegorm and Curufin were the best friends of Angrod and Aegnor. In a second note, it is stated that they (the fëanorians) brought them (the finarfinians) on the ships, so they would be saved to cross the Helcaraxë and would travel aboard the ships. Surprised?. No wonder they were neighbours, for Dorthonion’s closer neighbours were, precisely, Himladrim.
* Even after Araman’s betrayal Curufin (and Celegorm) kept Aredhel’s friendship –-- and considering her temper, I don’t think the lady would forgive easily an affront, but eventually she did and sought for their company even if it meant to defy Turgon.
* Curufin had a chance to kill Eöl and he did not, even if he had a cause to do it (to revenge Aredhel’s kidnapping) but, on the contrary, he counselled him to head back home. What would the laws of the Noldor mean to the wicked elf he became later?.
* Curufin ran into the battle to help Orodreth when he was besieged --- right in the moment that he was facing the ruin of his own realm and needed to save his life and his people’s (and surely Orodreth was not his favourite cousin).
* For a few years he lived quietly in Nargothrond and was a gift for Finrod and the nargothrondrim.
* He, as Fëanor his father, was a skilled smith and speaker but he was interested too in scholarship (again, as his father). For example, he was most interested in the language of the Dwarves, being the only Noldor to win their friendship and to learn Khuzdûl. Yes, Maedhros earned Azaghal’s respect and gratitude when he saved his life, but Curufin was the dwarves’ friend, especially Telchar’s.
Curufin became the most evil of the Sons of Fëanor while tried to keep his father’s Oath, and he is described as an elf “of devious cunning” and “being filled with shame and malice”. But in the end, and again in my opinion, I think he is but a victim, another example of how much Arda’s mar entered the Guarded Realm (and the first result of this mar, if you remember, was precisely Míriel’s death, what really started the Fall of the Noldor).
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2005-08-18 09:16 pm (UTC)And no, I'm no lawyer (my dad was, though), but I have been defending the fëanorians for many a year. It's so easy to attack them, just because, using the evident arguments! I know you might get shocked at this, but once I was named "nazi" (and they did it seriously) because I liked them (Fëanorians, of course, not nazis!); some persons established a very odd parallelism between fëanorians-nazis and teleri/sindar-jews. Go figure. And all because the two "fëanorians" around the email list were a german guy and I (I am spanish, but I was born in Germany by accident. The accident, if you wonder, was that I decided to come to the world 5 weeks before time. Didn't I tell you that I am nosy?).
I must to say I'm SO much delighted to have found so many people fond of the family! ;D
no subject
Date: 2005-08-18 10:48 pm (UTC)Excuse me. I am about to have a conniption....
WHA--!?! They called you a Nazi!?! WTF?!? Someone actually called you a Nazi for attempting to like a character with depth beyond "I do what I am told to do and always look *so* pretty while doing it?!?!" Argh!! This is beyond any absurdity I have ever read. And here I was upset because I read a filk one time that named "Maedhros as the true villain in the Silmarillion." Here I thought *that* was conniption-worthy!
Actually, it made me start a certain novel about the Feanorians, after having said conniption of course ;)
/conniption
must to say I'm SO much delighted to have found so many people fond of the family!
Me too :) Here I felt so alone.... Seriously, I was beginning to wonder if *I* was the mad one for thinking Feanor & Family not innately evil and deserving of our total disregard.
(BTW, Arandil, who commented below me, has officially been crowned Feanor's #1 Fangurl. And I think I'm slowly converting her to Maedhros too! ;D)