MĂriel ĂerindĂ«, also spelled SerindĂ«, was the first wife of FinwĂ«, King of the Noldor. Her son was CurufinwĂ«, whom she called FĂ«anĂĄro, which means "Spirit of Fire". Miriel's hair was described as being silver in appearance, an unusual colour for one of the Noldor.
MĂriel and FeanĂĄro by Francesco Amadio
There was much love between MĂriel and FinwĂ«, and even more for her son, but after giving birth to FĂ«anor in Y.T. 1169, her body and spirit were consumed and she wished to be released from life everlasting, saying that there was no strength left in her to bear another child. Despite FinwĂ«'s grief, and her unhappiness at abandoning her young child, MĂriel departed for the gardens of LĂłrien, to rest and regain her strength and vigour. But during her rest, the fĂ«a departed from her body, and entered the Halls of Mandos leaving her body lying lifeless and still in Y.T. 1170. Maidens of EstĂ« took care of her body while her spirit remained in the Halls of Mandos, so that it would not wither. In essence, she had died of free will. This was seen as a shocking event by the Valar and Eldar which had never before occurred.
But FinwĂ« was in grief, and felt ashamed being the only Elf in Aman without a wife. ManwĂ« summoned the Valar in Council, and the result was the 'Statute of FinwĂ« and MĂriel', which only allowed re-marriage if the dead spouse refused to be re-embodied. VairĂ« told MĂriel of this and of the sorrow of FinwĂ«, but MĂriel refused to come back to life. In words of the ValiĂ«: "[The spirit of MĂriel] is small, but it is strong and obdurate: one of those who having said this will I do make their words a law irrevocable unto themselves". However, Mandos summoned the spirit of MĂriel and warned her that she could change her will with the time, living in grievance till the end of Arda. But MĂriel remained silent and Mandos accepted her choice.
Years later, Finwë knew this doom, being allowed to marry again, having many other children with Indis. Fëanor was resentful of her, and observed her influence on Finwë, including his speech which started to resemble that of the Vanyar and considered it a disrespect against his mother.
After the deaths of FinwĂ« and FĂ«anor, the former couple were reunited in the Halls of Mandos. Meeting FinwĂ« again, MĂriel felt lightened from her sadness and released of her reluctant will. She spoke to him through thought, apologizing of her errors and promising to weave a tapestry about his people and children. Seeing that MĂriel wished to come back to life, FinwĂ« asked VairĂ« to allow it, while he would remain in the Halls of Mandos till the end of Arda with his son FĂ«anor. Mandos accepted this, and MĂriel's spirit was released and went to her body in LĂłrien. Then she awoke again like from a dream, and was refreshed.
However, she was still sad and did not wish to come back with her people, so she went to the House of Vairë, being the only living creature to live there. She became the handmaid of Vairë, and fulfilled her promise, weaving historical webs telling the deeds of the Noldor.
After coming back to life, she was renamed FĂriel ("She that died" or "She that sighed"). Till her death, Elves had no words for natural death, so they used the term fĂrĂ« ("expire") because MĂriel had sighed a deep breath in the moment of death. The term was associated with death, being used for the death of Men.
History
MĂriel lived in the blessed realm of Aman, in the hill city of Tirion on TĂșna, together with her husband FinwĂ«, King of the Noldor. Her hands were skilled in the shaping of fine things, and she was unsurpassed in weaving and needlework.MĂriel and FeanĂĄro by Francesco Amadio
There was much love between MĂriel and FinwĂ«, and even more for her son, but after giving birth to FĂ«anor in Y.T. 1169, her body and spirit were consumed and she wished to be released from life everlasting, saying that there was no strength left in her to bear another child. Despite FinwĂ«'s grief, and her unhappiness at abandoning her young child, MĂriel departed for the gardens of LĂłrien, to rest and regain her strength and vigour. But during her rest, the fĂ«a departed from her body, and entered the Halls of Mandos leaving her body lying lifeless and still in Y.T. 1170. Maidens of EstĂ« took care of her body while her spirit remained in the Halls of Mandos, so that it would not wither. In essence, she had died of free will. This was seen as a shocking event by the Valar and Eldar which had never before occurred.
But FinwĂ« was in grief, and felt ashamed being the only Elf in Aman without a wife. ManwĂ« summoned the Valar in Council, and the result was the 'Statute of FinwĂ« and MĂriel', which only allowed re-marriage if the dead spouse refused to be re-embodied. VairĂ« told MĂriel of this and of the sorrow of FinwĂ«, but MĂriel refused to come back to life. In words of the ValiĂ«: "[The spirit of MĂriel] is small, but it is strong and obdurate: one of those who having said this will I do make their words a law irrevocable unto themselves". However, Mandos summoned the spirit of MĂriel and warned her that she could change her will with the time, living in grievance till the end of Arda. But MĂriel remained silent and Mandos accepted her choice.
Years later, Finwë knew this doom, being allowed to marry again, having many other children with Indis. Fëanor was resentful of her, and observed her influence on Finwë, including his speech which started to resemble that of the Vanyar and considered it a disrespect against his mother.
After the deaths of FinwĂ« and FĂ«anor, the former couple were reunited in the Halls of Mandos. Meeting FinwĂ« again, MĂriel felt lightened from her sadness and released of her reluctant will. She spoke to him through thought, apologizing of her errors and promising to weave a tapestry about his people and children. Seeing that MĂriel wished to come back to life, FinwĂ« asked VairĂ« to allow it, while he would remain in the Halls of Mandos till the end of Arda with his son FĂ«anor. Mandos accepted this, and MĂriel's spirit was released and went to her body in LĂłrien. Then she awoke again like from a dream, and was refreshed.
However, she was still sad and did not wish to come back with her people, so she went to the House of Vairë, being the only living creature to live there. She became the handmaid of Vairë, and fulfilled her promise, weaving historical webs telling the deeds of the Noldor.
Etymology
MĂriel is Quenya, but it is not glossed. As Paul Strack explains, it can mean "Jewel-daughter", being a combination of mĂr ("jewel") + -iel ("daughter").Other names
Her mother-name ĂerindĂ« (also pronounced SerindĂ«), means "the Broideress", referring to her great skill in embroidery for 'her chief talent was a marvelous dexterity of hand', which she applied to her skill of embroidery, 'achieving in what even the Eldar thought haste' embroidery that 'was finer and more intricate than any that had before been seen'. It is to be noted that she preferred and requested her kin use the older pronunciation of ĂerindĂ«, and that her son upheld the use of Ă over s out of respect and in her memory.After coming back to life, she was renamed FĂriel ("She that died" or "She that sighed"). Till her death, Elves had no words for natural death, so they used the term fĂrĂ« ("expire") because MĂriel had sighed a deep breath in the moment of death. The term was associated with death, being used for the death of Men.
Other versions of the legendarium
In the beginning of The Shibboleth of FĂ«anor, FĂ«anor is an adult, and MĂriel is still alive. There the similarities between mother and son, such as their stubbornness, are revealed. FĂ«anor's reaction to his mother's death is also presented, as he guarded her hröa, which was placed in a garden, for some time after her passing. In the published Silmarillion, MĂriel died soon after his birth.This page has been seen 1,690 times.
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