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Forum Home » Books Discussion » BC Archive: The Silmarillion » Quote of the week; Of the Darkening of Valinor
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PotbellyHairyfoot
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Post Quote of the week; Of the Darkening of Valinor
on: August 27, 2009 11:59
Then Fëanor took his hand in silence; but Fingolfin said: 'Half-brother in blood , full brother in heart I will be. Thou shalt lead and I will follow. May no new grief divide us.'
'I hear thee,' said Fëanor. 'So be it' But they did not know the meaning that their words would bear.


With just a few words, and despite his own view of what his brother has cost him, Fëanor seemingly manages to redeem himself for pulling his blade; finally accepts his brother, and reunites his people- only just in time to set future events in motion.


[Edited on 28/8/2009 by PotbellyHairyfoot]
cirdaneth
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Post RE: Quote of the week; Of the Darkening of Valinor
on: December 11, 2009 01:31
Feanor is not redeeming anything here, except the respect of those onlookers who do not notice the tension.

Reading this whole encounter in context I find Feanor’s behaviour downright sinister. Fingolfin does all the forgiving, all the reconciliation and all the promises. Feanor takes his hand … but in silence. Fingolfin adds a vow of loyalty to which Feanor responds so curtly as to imply a continuing grudge.

I believe that Feanor intended all along to use Fingolfin’s vow against him.
starofdunedain
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Post RE: Quote of the week; Of the Darkening of Valinor
on: December 12, 2009 12:33
I never took his actions towards Fingolfin as malicious, I thought maybe he was a bit reluctant towards him not knowing what his reaction to his prescence would be. I also think he was thinking about Morgoth and the possible threat to the Silmarils. I don't know that he was accepting Fingolfin as his brother just that his anger and grief were no longer directed at him now that his father was with him.
So I guess I'm somewhere in between Potbelly and cirdaneth's viewpoints. He wasn't accepting Fingolfin or redeeming himself, but he also didn't have sinister intentions towards his half-brother. If there was some malicious intent in his words I think it would have been stated, but that's just me.
cirdaneth
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Post RE: Quote of the week; Of the Darkening of Valinor
on: December 12, 2009 09:29
Good point Starofdunedain. I think I mostly meant that Feanor felt he had the upper hand at this point, but as the quote reminds us, neither he nor Fingolfin realised they were digging themselves into a hole.
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