Apologies for the delay in posting this. Life has been kicking my butt lately, so much so that I called my dad and made sure that no fallen Vala had cursed him and all his kindred, chained him to a rock, and given him a set of binoculars so he could watch it play out. Hopefully I’ll be able to resume regular postings, because we’re almost done here.
Summary
After the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, the Easterlings who had helped Morgoth were ordered to Hithlum and confined there. Life became very difficult under their rule for the survivors of the Edain, though the Easterlings were enough in awe of Húrin’s wife Morwen that they generally left her, their young son Túrin, and their daughter Nienor (born after Húrin was captured) alone. But Morwen feared for her son, and sent him to be fostered by Thingol in Doriath. Morwen herself refused to leave Dor-lómin, but sent the Dragon-helm of Dor-lómin to Túrin as his Húrin’s heir. Túrin (now a young man) put on the helmet and went to war on Doriath’s borders, becoming a great friend and companion to Beleg Strongbow.
After several years of fighting, Túrin returned to Menegroth with an unkempt appearance. An Elf named Saeros, jealous of Thingol’s favor, mocked Túrin and insulted him. The next day Túrin attacked Saeros and the woods, stripped him naked, and set him running. Saeros in his terror fell into a ravine and died, and Túrin was ordered back to Menegroth to face judgement. Instead, Túrin fled into the wilderness and became leader of a pack of outlaws. Thingol did not hold Túrin guilty, though, and sent Beleg to find him. But Túrin in pride refused Thingol’s pardon. Beleg returned to Menegroth with this news, and asked Thingol’s leave to go be a companion to Túrin. He took with him from Thingol’s armory the black sword Anglachel, forged by Eöl, and lembas given by Melian.
Túrin and his band encountered a dwarf named Mîm, last of the Petty-Dwarves. There was a brief skirmish, and Mîm offered to lead Túrin to his hidden halls in the hill of Amon Rûdh in exchange for his life. When they got there, they found that one of Mîm’s sons was dead, of wounds taken in the skirmish. Túrin expressed his regret and sorrow at the death, and Mîm accepted this. Some months later Beleg found them, much to Túrin’s delight, if not to Mîm’s (who hated all Elves). Beleg and Túrin (putting on the Dragon-helm of Dor-lómin) led the outlaws in denying the area to Morgoth’s minions, and their fame grew.
Mîm, outside of his halls, was captured by a band of Orcs. Again he offered to ransom his life by showing them his halls, though he pled with the Orcs to spare Túrin’s life (to which they agreed, having been sent to capture him). Túrin was captured, and his band killed. Mîm saw among the dead that Beleg was only wounded, and sought to kill him, but Beleg drove him off and said that vengeance would find him. Beleg, after recovering his strength, set off to rescue Túrin. Along the way he met Gwindor, a lord of Nargothrond taken prisoner during the Nirnaeth Arnoediad and recently escaped from Angband. Together they tracked the Orcs, and were able to slip into the camp and carry out the unconscious Túrin. But when Beleg was cutting his bonds with Anglachel Túrin awoke, and in his confusion and fear killed Beleg, thinking him a foe.
Túrin was struck dumb by his grief, but Gwindor was able to lead him to safety. When Túrin learned Gwindor had escaped from Angband, he asked for news of father. Gwindor said the rumor was that Húrin lived, and continued to defy Morgoth, who had laid a curse on his kin. Túrin has no problem believing that. They two continue to Nargothrond, where Túrin is welcomed though he conceals his identity. He took up Anglachel (renamed Gurthang) and became a leader of the Elves in battle.
Finduilas, daughter of Orodoreth the king, had loved Gwindor before the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, but found herself falling for Túrin. Gwindor revealed Túrin’s identity to her, and warned her that he was under a curse of Morgoth. Túrin was angry at Gwindor for revealing him, because he’d sought to escape the curse, but Gwindor said the curse was on Túrin himself, and not his name.
Túrin didn't like the Nargothrond way of war, which was stealth and ambush; he wanted open battle. At his urging, a bridge was built over the river Narog to speed the passage of troops. Ulmo sent word that this was a Bad Idea, but Túrin wouldn't countenance tearing it down. Morgoth sent a great army against Nargothrond, led by Glaurang. The forces led by Túrin were defeated. Gwindor was mortally wounded, told Túrin that though he loved him he wished he had left him to die, and begged him to hurry to Nargothrond and save Finduilas. He did his best, but was too late- the bridge gave Glaurang easy access to the city, and Nargothrond was sacked.
He tried to rescue the captives, but Glaurang challenged him, and rather then burning Túrin he enchanted him. He told him that all he had done was evil and brought grief to those he loved, and he left his mother and sister to torment in Dor-lómin. Such was the nature of the enchantment the Túrin believed every word, and Glaurang held him there, spellbound, deaf to Finduilas' cries while the captives were herded off.
Glaurang told him to go, and save either Finduilas or Morwen and Nienor - he couldn't save both - and settled in Nargothrond atop all the treasures of the city. Túrin, the cries of Finduilas ringing in his ears, headed to Dor-lómin. But Glaurang had lied - Morwen and Nienor had left for Doriath. His presence angered the Easterlings, and his people suffered for it, and he fled to try to rescue Finduilas. But he was too late again - the Men of Brethil had waylaid the Orcs, who slew their captives, including Finduilas. In grief, Túrin settled in Brethil. He called himself Turambar ("Master of Fate") and set aside Gurthang, though he still fought the Orcs. This was against the wishes of Brandir, Lord of Brethil, who was a kind man but lame, and trusted to secrecy to keep his people safe.
Word reached Doriath that Túrin had been the famed Black Sword of Nargothrond, and Morwen was distraught. Against Thingol's wishes, she and Nienor rode to Nargothrond to look for Túrin. Glaurang was aware of their approach and scattered their escort. Morwen was lost in the mists, and enchanted Nienor to forget all she knew. Mablung found her like that, standing dumb, and tried to lead her back to Doriath. They were ambushed by Orcs, and Nienor fled, and Mablung was unable to follow. She found her way to Brethil and was rescued by Turambar, who didn't recognize her. She didn't know him either, but her heart recognized that she had found someone she had been looking for. Not being able to speak, Turambar named her Níniel. In time, through Brandir's care she recovered, and she learned to speak again, but her memories did not return.
Turambar asked her to marry him, but Brandir advised against this, sensing the Doom about Turambar. And Brandir loved her as well, though her love was given to Turambar. She eventually accepted Túrin's proposal with joy. It wasn’t long until she was pregnant.
Glaurang sent Orcs against Brethil, and Turambar took up Gurthang again and defeated the Orcs. Glaurang heard that the Black Sword had been seen in Brethil, and attacked the woods.
Turambar advised stealth and cunning against the dragon, and left with two companions. Brandir, being lame, was unable to join them, and shamed. Níniel couldn’t bear waiting and followed, much to Brandir’s dismay. He followed as best he could.
Turambar sought to wait in a ravine and strike at Glaurang’s soft belly when he passed overhead. One of his companions lost his courage, and another died trying to get into position, but Turambar was able to strike with Gurthang and give Glaurang a mortal wound. But when he went to retrieve Gurthang and announce himself, Glaurang’s malice and poisoned blood overcame Túrin and he passed out.
Níniel found him and Glaurang, and feared him dead. But Glaurang awoke one last time, called her Nienor daughter of Húrin, told her that her husband Turambar was her brother Túrin and cursed him for striking like a coward from the shadows. With that Glaurang died, and his enchantment was lifted from Nienor. Her memories returned, and she cast herself into the ravine.
Brandir heard all, and returned to the folk of Brethil that Glaurang, Turambar, and Níniel were all dead. In the midst of this Turambar appeared, and Brandir told him all that had happened. Turambar thought he lied, and lead Níniel to her death, and killed him. Mablung found him soon after, and told him the news of the disappearance of his mother and sister, and Túrin knew that Brandir had told the truth. In despair Túrin fled from Mablung, and when he reached the ravine and corpse of Glaurang, drew Gurthang, and asked the blade if it would kill him swiftly. And from Gurthang a voice answered, saying it would do so gladly in memory of Beleg and Brandir. Túrin fell upon the sword, and died; and Gurthang was shattered beneath him.
Commentary
I thought that summarizing “Of Beren and Lúthien” was difficult. This felt absolutely criminal. Though I haven’t gotten around to reading the book Beren and Lúthien yet, I have read The Children of Húrin several times, and done so more recently than my last read-through of the Sil. This chapter already felt like a bare-bones summary. Trying to pare it down further was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever tried to write.
Morgoth used Doom. It’s super effective! Let’s do the count of everyone whose life sucked because they cared about/helped Túrin:
Morwen: life of grief + then lost
Nienor: enchanted by a dragon + knocked up by her brother + suicide
His outlaw buddies: killed by Orcs
Beleg Strongbow: killed by his best friend
Gwindor: lost his girl, killed by a dragon
Finduilas: killed by Orcs
Nargothrond: sacked by a dragon
Brandir: killed by Túrin
Now, Túrin isn’t directly responsible for all of these. Morwen and Nienor are cursed themselves, remember: the curse was directed against all “those whom [Húrin] lovest.” I don’t hold Túrin really at fault for Beleg’s death, for one - that was an accident. The fall of Nargothrond was the result of pure hubris (in the classical drama sense) on Túrin’s part, though. And even if you accept Glaurang’s lies to be true, “Finduilas being dragged off to Angband” is a rather more urgent problem than “Mom and li’l sis have been miserable for years.” It was his guilt that drove him to make that choice, and he chose wrong.
Let’s talk about names for a bit. Over the course of this story, Túrin is known as Túrin, Neithan (“the Wronged”), Gorthol (“the Dread Helm”), Agarwaen son of Úmarth (“the Bloodstained, son of Ill-fate”), Adanedhel (“the Elf-Man”), Mormegil (“the Black Sword”), and Turambar (“Master of Doom”). That’s quite a lot.. And there’s plenty of other places and people that get renamed over the course of this story. Not entirely sure what to make of all this, from a thematic perspective. The best I can come up with is Gwindor’s thing where he tells Túrin that his doom is in him, not his name, and it finds him despite all his attempts to escape it. Thoughts?
And then there’s Mîm. I find the concept of the Petty-Dwarves super interesting, especially since that’s what the Longbeards (aka Thorin & company) were essentially reduced to after Smaug kicked them out of Erebor. They get obliquely referenced earlier - “but Finrod Felagund was not the first to dwell in the caves beside the River Narog.” Mîm gets a great deal more screen time in The Children of Húrin than in this chapter, and I find it very interesting. Mîm’s grudge against the Elves is certainly not baseless. And Mîm didn’t deserve what happened when he encountered Túrin’s band, either - Mîm was pretty much minding his own business when they attacked him and killed his son. He loses sympathy points for the whole “betraying them to the Orcs” thing, not to mention his attempt to kill a helpless Beleg in cold blood. I will say that we haven’t seen the last of Mîm, so I’m not going to say any more about him here.
The bridge over the Narog: Example #25,884,639 of why you should ALWAYS LISTEN TO ULMO.
Glaurang is one nasty piece of work. Not only is he a complete badass and dominates pretty much every battlefield, but here he’s just plain nasty. None of that devil-in-Milton classy misunderstood bad guy, him. No, he’s not only a vicious fire-breathing dragon, he’s also kind of a dick. What he did to Túrin was bad. What he did to Nienor was cruel. What he did to Nargothrond was worse. And to get petty, he even chases off his own army of Orcs when they’re having fun looting. C’mon man, they earned it!
I remember how I felt when I first read this and Túrin and Nienor fell in love and got married. By that point, I wasn’t surprised or shocked. My reaction was more along the lines of “...of course that’s what happens now.” By this point I was practically begging for Túrin to get offed and be done with all of this. And poor Brandir, who did nothing wrong and everything right and dies for it.
As for Glaurang’s death: Glaurang himself makes a big deal of Túrin striking him from ambush, calling him a coward. But Tolkien isn’t one of those authors who equates courage with pointlessly exposing oneself to needless danger. Túrin struck from ambush, and Bard killed Smaug with an arrow from a distance. Both were eminently practical solutions to the presence of an angry dragon, and both were valiant acts - Tolkien emphasizes the danger and courage it took Túrin to deliver his stroke.
I said I didn’t have much left in me to be sad when Túrin and Nienor got married. Nienor made that into a lie when she said “Farewell, O twice beloved!” She remembered everything, including loving Túrin both as a brother and as a husband.
And then there’s Gurthang. What a note to end on - Túrin’s sword taking his life gladly, in memory of his best friend dead by his hand, and an innocent man unjustly killed by his hand as well.
A last note I want to end on: the Second Prophecy of Mandos, which Christopher Tolkien didn’t include in the Sil for a number of good reasons. This is an idea that Tolkien moved away from, so I wouldn’t call it “canon,” but it’s an awesome concept, and a satisfying one as far as Túrin goes:
Thus spoke Mandos in prophecy, when the Valar sat in judgement in Valinor and the rumour of his word was whispered among all the Elves of the West. When the world is old and the Powers have grown weary, Morgoth, the Black Foe of the World, seeing that the guard sleepeth, shall come back through the Door of the Night out of the Timeless Void; and all shall be darkness, for the sun he will turn to black, and the moon will no longer shed his light.. But the Host of Valinor shall descend upon him as a searing flame, white and terrible. Then shall the Last Battle be gathered on the fields of Valinor. In that day, Tulkas shall strive with Morgoth, and on his right hand shall be Eönwë, and on his left Túrin Turambar, son of Húrin, returning from the Doom of Men at the ending of the world; and the black sword of Túrin shall deal unto Morgoth his death and final end; and so shall the Children of Húrin and all fallen Men be avenged. Thereafter shall the Earth be broken and remade, and the Silmarils shall be recovered out of Air and Earth and Sea; for Fëanor shall surrender them willingly. Yavanna will rekindle the Two Trees, and a great light shall come forth. And the mountains of Valinor shall be levelled, so that the light shall go out over all the world. In that light the Valar will grow young again, and the Elves awake and all their dead arise, and the purpose of Ilúvatar be fulfilled concerning them. But of Men in that day the prophecy of Mandos doth not speak, and no Man it names, save Túrin only, and to him a place is given among the sons of the Valar.
And that wraps of “Of Túrin Turambar.” Go read The Children of Húrin - it’s awesome.
Just 5 chapters left. I’m not going to tempt fate and promise the next will be up on the usual Friday, but I’ll do my best. But anyway. Things have been dour for a while, but surely they’ll take a turn for the better in “Of the Ruin of Doriath.”
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