Fingolfin
Fingolfin | |
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Elves | |
Book(s) | The Silmarillion |
Fingolfin (IPA:
Fingolfin has inspired artists, musicians and video game designers to create depictions of his deeds.
Internal history
Birth
Fingolfin was the second son of
Strife with Fëanor
Fingolfin's mother was Finwë's second wife, Indis, after Míriel died, as was Finarfin. While they lived in
Crossing the ice of the Helcaraxë
Fingolfin led the largest host of the Noldor when they fled Aman for
Challenging Morgoth at the gates of Angband
They arrived in Middle-earth at the first rising of the Moon, and sounded their trumpets. Soon after, at the first rising of the Sun, he came to the gates of
High King of the Noldor
Fingolfin's son Fingon rescued
After defeating the
Death: single combat with Morgoth
When Fingolfin learned of this, and received false report that his allies had been routed on all fronts, he became filled with wrath and despair. He immediately took his horse Rochallor and sword
Fingolfin smote the gates of Angband and challenged Morgoth to single combat. Though Morgoth feared Fingolfin (of all the
Whenever Morgoth attacked, Fingolfin avoided Morgoth's weapon
Artefacts
Heraldic device
Fingolfin is among those major characters such as
Family tree
The family tree shows that Fingolfin is half Noldor, from his father Finwë, and half Vanyar, from his mother Indis. Among his descendants are Gil-galad,
House of Finwë family tree[T 8][T 9] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Kings of the Noldor in Valinor High Kings of the Noldor in exile in Middle-earth |
Analysis
The Tolkien scholar Megan Fontenot, on
Gregory Hartley, in Christianity & Literature, notes that Fingolfin gleams below Morgoth's shadow "as a star", and avoids Morgoth's strikes "as a lightning shoots from under a dark cloud". Hartley interprets the
The Tolkien scholar B. S. W. Barootes writes that in Tolkien's mythology, oaths are "a powerful form of performative language in Middle-earth". He states that they consistently lead to "trouble, pain, and sorrow", giving as prime example the oath of Fëanor, but also mentioning Finrod's oath of service to Barahir's kin, Beren's oath to Thingol, and the broken oath of the Dead of Dunharrow, who are ultimately redeemed when they choose to serve Aragorn as he returns to claim his kingdom. Fingolfin's oath to follow Fëanor back to Middle-earth means his own exile from the blessed realm of Valinor, and his own death.[6]
Legacy
Fingolfin has inspired musicians and artists to create materials about his actions. The song "Time Stands Still (At the Iron Hill)", on the German power-metal band Blind Guardian's 1998 album Nightfall in Middle-Earth, tells the story of the fight between Morgoth and Fingolfin.[7] Austin Gilkeson wrote that "So metal was Fingolfin’s challenge that Morgoth had no choice but to accept."[8] The song (in Russian) "Do Not Ask Me To Praise Him" [Ты славить его меня не проси] by Aire and Saruman [Айрэ и Саруман] on their album "A Elberet[h] Gilt[h]oniel" [А Элберет Гилтониэль] is a lament for Fingolfin by his minstrel some time after that last battle: '... do not ask me to praise him, the day won't be brighter for a candle...'.[9] Fantasy artists have painted illustrations of Fingolfin's actions. Ted Nasmith and Jenny Dolfen have portrayed him leading his people across the ice of the Helcaraxë.[10][11] Dolfen has illustrated various other scenes from his life, including Fëanor's threatening of Fingolfin, Fingolfin's ride to Angband, and his final fight with Morgoth.[12][13] Artists including John Howe and Pete Amachree have depicted Fingolfin challenging Morgoth at the gates of Angband.[14][15]
References
Primary
- ^ Argon only appears in The Peoples of Middle-earth, Chapter 11 "The Shibboleth of Fëanor", and is left out of the published The Silmarillion.
- ^ Tolkien 1977, Chapter 5, "Of Eldamar and the Princes of the Eldalië"
- ^ Tolkien 1996, Chapter 11 "The Shibboleth of Fëanor"
- ^ Tolkien 1977, Chapter 7, "Of the Silmarils and the Unrest of the Noldor"
- ^ a b Tolkien 1977, Chapter 9, "Of the Flight of the Noldor"
- ^ a b Tolkien 1977, Chapter 13, "Of the Return of the Noldor"
- ^ a b c d Tolkien 1977, Chapter 18, "Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin"
- ^ a b Tolkien 1977, "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age": Family Trees I and II: "The house of Finwë and the Noldorin descent of Elrond and Elros", and "The descendants of Olwë and Elwë"
- ^ a b Tolkien 1955, Appendix A: Annals of the Kings and Rulers, I The Númenórean Kings
Secondary
- ISBN 978-0-395-74816-9.
- ISBN 978-1851244850.
- ISBN 978-0261102750.
- ^ Tor.com. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
- JSTOR 44315248.
- ISBN 9780786474387.
- ^ "Nightfall in Middle-Earth / Unplugged Västeras Blind Guardian". Metal-Archives. 28 October 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
- ^ Gilkeson, Austin (23 June 2015). "The Most Metal Deaths in Middle-earth, Ranked". The Toast. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
- ^ "Айре и Саруман - Ты славить его не проси меня текст" [Aire and Saruman - Don't ask me to praise him]. Lyrics World (in Russian). Retrieved 18 February 2022.
- ^ Nasmith, Ted. "Fingolfin Leads the Host Across the Helcaraxe". Ted Nasmith. Archived from the original on 8 January 2011. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
- ^ Dolfen, Jenny. "Crossing the Helcaraxë". Jenny Dolfen. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
- ^ "Fingolfin". Tolkien Gateway. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
- ^ Dolfen, Jenny. "Fingolfin's Challenge". Tolkien Gateway. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
- ^ Howe, John (1992). "Fingolfin's Challenge". John Howe. Archived from the original on 13 February 2005. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
- ^ Amachree, Pete (2020). "Fingolfin challenges Morgoth at the Gates of Angband". Fine Art America. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
Sources
- OCLC 519647821.
- ISBN 978-0-395-25730-2.
- ISBN 978-0-395-82760-4.