Finwë and Míriel

Finwë (IPA:

Finwë marries Míriel, the most skilful of the Noldor in needlework and weaving. Míriel gives birth to their only child, Curufinwë, commonly called Fëanor; he inherits her skill, becoming the most gifted and brilliant of all the Noldor, the mightiest in crafts, especially the making of jewels.^{[4][T 2]}

Míriel, an immortal elf, is so exhausted by the birth, "consumed in spirit and body" by the fiery creative energy of her son Fëanor, that she wilfully gives up her spirit.

Fëanor comes to resent Finwë's other sons, his half-brothers; there is constant strife between them. Fëanor makes the Silmarils, three star-like jewels that embody some of the light of the Two Trees of Valinor.^{[T 3][T 4][T 5]}

During the Dark Lord

Some of Tolkien's drafts of the story describe similarities of character between Fëanor and Míriel. Tolkien calls both of them determined, hardly ever changing their mind once they had said they would do something. In another draft, Tolkien adds that Míriel was both "proud and obdurate"; the mention of pride directly echoes Fëanor's ill-fated oath.[4]

Tolkien rewrote the tale of Finwë and Míriel several times, as it assumed "an extraordinary importance in [his] later work on The Silmarillion".

Both Matthew Dickerson in The J. R. R. Tolkien Encyclopedia and Elizabeth Solopova in A Companion to J. R. R. Tolkien note that The Silmarillion emphasises Míriel's skill, naming her in early versions Byrde, later Serindë, "the broideress"; she passes on her "surpassing skill"^{[T 3]} in craftsmanship to her only son. Solopova suggests a possible link to Tolkien's study of the Middle English word burde, conventionally meaning "lady, damsel"; he proposed that it derived from Old English borde, "embroidery" and pointed out that in Old Norse and Old English poetry, stock terms for "woman" included "weaver" and "embroideress".^[10][5]

"A strange case"

Tolkien mentions in a letter "a strange case of an Elf (Míriel mother of Fëanor) that tried to die, which had disastrous results, leading to the 'Fall' of the High-elves"; he discusses it in the

Fontenot notes that Tolkien's drafts differ widely in how long Míriel lives after Fëanor's birth, and hence in whether she can influence his ill humour directly. This in turn affects the issue of how far Finwë and Míriel can be blamed for the consequences of Fëanor's actions. It is a question that the Valar debate amongst themselves.[4]

Philosophical themes

The scholar of religion Amelia Rutledge identifies what she calls Pauline constructs (like the language used by Paul the Apostle in the Bible) in the legalistic wording relating to the tale of Finwë and Míriel. She notes that Elizabeth Whittingham and Douglas Kane discuss instead the eschatology relating to the tale. Whittingham considers what she calls "some of the most interesting glimpses of Tolkien as sub-creator" in his stories and essays on the nature of mortal Men and immortal Elves, exploring the question of death and immortality raised by the voluntary death of Míriel.^[11] Kane discusses Mandos's Second Prophecy, with an illustration of "The spirit of Míriel appearing before Mandos and Manwë, and taking a last look at Finwë".^[12][6]

House of Finwë

House of Finwë family tree[T 9][T 10]

Míriel "broideress" Vanyar Silmarils Findis Fingolfin Irimë Finarfin Maedhros Five sons Curufin Finrod Angrod Aegnor Galadriel Celebrimbor, maker of Rings Gil‑galad Idril Maeglin Orodreth Eärendil Finduilas Elros Elrond Celebrían Aragorn Arwen Elladan Elrohir Eldarion Colour key: Colour Description   Elves   Men   Maiar   Half-Elven   Half-Elven who chose the fate of Elves   Half-Elven who chose the fate of mortal Men Kings of the Noldor in Valinor High Kings of the Noldor in exile in Middle-earth

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