Feanor swore an oath along with his sons to hate anyone that prevented them from having the Silmarils. It was an oath that none was permitted to break, as it carried a curse of Darkness over the oath-breakers. This oath later became a burden that consequently destroyed Feanor and his sons. The oath became the cause of great mischief and a reason for many of the most horrible crimes in Arda since the First Age.
History
Feanor heard that his father had fallen from his encounter with Melkor, so he made his way back to Tirion, ignoring the threat of Valar on the rule of his exile. When he reached Tirion, he called on his people and delivered a powerful speech that moved the Eldar. The Noldor clan felt the impact of his words and agreed to go with him to Endor to take their rightful place. Some also intended to aid him in his cause to recover the Silmarils from Melkor.
As Feanor concluded his speech, he swore to Iluvatar and prayed to the couple of Manwe and Varda to bear witness in his oath. He then cursed himself with the foe of Everlasting Darkness if he held back from his cause to confront with aggression anyone that stood in his way to avenge his father and recover his Silmarils. On hearing the emotional words of their father, Maedhros and his six brothers swore along with him to fulfill the oath.
To achieve their aim against all odds, regardless of the consequence. Feanor fell in the early days of his return to Endor. After his death, his sons stood to fulfill his cause, although, his treachery had caused the other house and clan members to separate from the Noldor, and discord with them. The wisdom of Maedhros helped his host maintain some friendship with the Eldar in Beleriand, and also have Feanor's sons united.
But all efforts against Morgoth made it harder to achieve their goal and the Silmarils remained with Morgoth. They began to lose confidence in their ability to retrieve it from Morgoth using confrontation as he grew in power, and his influence increased on Arda. The evil of the oath began to manifest as the brothers heard a Silmarillion had been recovered from Morgoth by the efforts of the unlikely couple, Beren and his wife, Luthien. They also heard that King Thingol of Doriath took the Silmarillion as the bride-gift for his daughter, so they requested that the king surrender in goodwill. But Thingol would have none of their claim to it as his lust for the Silmarillion overtook his heart. He fired back at Feanor's son and expressed his disgust for their cause.
Feanor's sons realized he wanted the Silmarillion for himself, and they became desperate. Celegorm and Curufin became especially infuriated and declared their desire to destroy Doriath if the King would not be honorable. The threat to the safety of Doriath caused Thingol to secure the border of Doriath and dissociate with them in discord. When Maedhros needed help to launch a decisive attack on Morgoth, he found no support from Doriath.
His failure to get the support of Doriath caused a great loss for the Eldar nations as Nirnaeth Arnaoediad [1] ended in a woeful defeat for their ranks. Thingol met an unfortunate end after the Eldar's loss in Nirnaeth, and his Maia Queen left for Valinor in great despair. Her return to Valinor was a great loss for Doriath as she left the Kingdom with her Girdle; the one that protected Doriath. Her grandson, Dior, took over the rule of his grandfather's kingdom, he believed that the Silmarillion was the treasure of the house of Beren and a relic of great memories. The sons of Feanor raised their arms against the people of Doriath and destroyed the kingdom. They attacked their Sindar kin in another gruesome act of kinslaying. But despite the destruction, they lost the Silmarillion to Elwing, she took it with her as she escaped Doriath.
They later found her whereabouts and realized their Jewel was in the Haven of Sirion with Elwing. They proceeded to the haven and killed their kin in the most shameful act of kinslaying yet, even when they were defenseless. Feanor's sons could not get the Silmarillion despite the shameful act at the Haven of Sirion; they failed because Earendil followed his wife to the west with it. Feanor's sons despaired; their fear increased as the Silmarillion was now out of reach, firstly in the hands of Morgoth and later in the West. The various wars destroyed the Elven nation of Beleriand, and they were in their weakest state in the war against Morgoth, so Earendil pleaded with the Valar to have mercy on the races of Endor. War of Wrath began when the Valar rose to support the races against Morgoth. By this time, only Maedhros and Maglor remained of Feanor's sons from the evil of their kinslaying.
After the defeat of Morgoth in the war, the brothers went to demand custody of the Jewels from Eonwe, who had kept them in his camp but were denied for their long-standing history of brutalities and evil against their kin. The brothers were in utter despair for their denial before the Valar, and in their dejection, they decided to take the Silmarils at the cost of their lives as the pain of not fulfilling their oath was overwhelming for them. They penetrated the camp of Eonwe, fought with the guards, and took the Silmarillion. But the victorious host was aware of their presence and prepared to attack them when Eonwe interrupted. He allowed them to leave the camp without harm. Eonwe saw that the brothers were prepared to fight until their death. But no sooner had they left than the effect of a possible curse from the Vala overtook them. They had perpetrated great evil with their gruesome acts of kinslaying and would not go unpunished. The Jewel overpowered them and began to burn in their hands. In this pain, they shared the two Silmarils and Maedhros separated from his brother. He then plunged to his end in one of the fiery mountains. His brother flung his Jewelinto the sea and loitered the areas of Endor until his end.
As Feanor concluded his speech, he swore to Iluvatar and prayed to the couple of Manwe and Varda to bear witness in his oath. He then cursed himself with the foe of Everlasting Darkness if he held back from his cause to confront with aggression anyone that stood in his way to avenge his father and recover his Silmarils. On hearing the emotional words of their father, Maedhros and his six brothers swore along with him to fulfill the oath.
To achieve their aim against all odds, regardless of the consequence. Feanor fell in the early days of his return to Endor. After his death, his sons stood to fulfill his cause, although, his treachery had caused the other house and clan members to separate from the Noldor, and discord with them. The wisdom of Maedhros helped his host maintain some friendship with the Eldar in Beleriand, and also have Feanor's sons united.
But all efforts against Morgoth made it harder to achieve their goal and the Silmarils remained with Morgoth. They began to lose confidence in their ability to retrieve it from Morgoth using confrontation as he grew in power, and his influence increased on Arda. The evil of the oath began to manifest as the brothers heard a Silmarillion had been recovered from Morgoth by the efforts of the unlikely couple, Beren and his wife, Luthien. They also heard that King Thingol of Doriath took the Silmarillion as the bride-gift for his daughter, so they requested that the king surrender in goodwill. But Thingol would have none of their claim to it as his lust for the Silmarillion overtook his heart. He fired back at Feanor's son and expressed his disgust for their cause.
Feanor's sons realized he wanted the Silmarillion for himself, and they became desperate. Celegorm and Curufin became especially infuriated and declared their desire to destroy Doriath if the King would not be honorable. The threat to the safety of Doriath caused Thingol to secure the border of Doriath and dissociate with them in discord. When Maedhros needed help to launch a decisive attack on Morgoth, he found no support from Doriath.
His failure to get the support of Doriath caused a great loss for the Eldar nations as Nirnaeth Arnaoediad [1] ended in a woeful defeat for their ranks. Thingol met an unfortunate end after the Eldar's loss in Nirnaeth, and his Maia Queen left for Valinor in great despair. Her return to Valinor was a great loss for Doriath as she left the Kingdom with her Girdle; the one that protected Doriath. Her grandson, Dior, took over the rule of his grandfather's kingdom, he believed that the Silmarillion was the treasure of the house of Beren and a relic of great memories. The sons of Feanor raised their arms against the people of Doriath and destroyed the kingdom. They attacked their Sindar kin in another gruesome act of kinslaying. But despite the destruction, they lost the Silmarillion to Elwing, she took it with her as she escaped Doriath.
They later found her whereabouts and realized their Jewel was in the Haven of Sirion with Elwing. They proceeded to the haven and killed their kin in the most shameful act of kinslaying yet, even when they were defenseless. Feanor's sons could not get the Silmarillion despite the shameful act at the Haven of Sirion; they failed because Earendil followed his wife to the west with it. Feanor's sons despaired; their fear increased as the Silmarillion was now out of reach, firstly in the hands of Morgoth and later in the West. The various wars destroyed the Elven nation of Beleriand, and they were in their weakest state in the war against Morgoth, so Earendil pleaded with the Valar to have mercy on the races of Endor. War of Wrath began when the Valar rose to support the races against Morgoth. By this time, only Maedhros and Maglor remained of Feanor's sons from the evil of their kinslaying.
After the defeat of Morgoth in the war, the brothers went to demand custody of the Jewels from Eonwe, who had kept them in his camp but were denied for their long-standing history of brutalities and evil against their kin. The brothers were in utter despair for their denial before the Valar, and in their dejection, they decided to take the Silmarils at the cost of their lives as the pain of not fulfilling their oath was overwhelming for them. They penetrated the camp of Eonwe, fought with the guards, and took the Silmarillion. But the victorious host was aware of their presence and prepared to attack them when Eonwe interrupted. He allowed them to leave the camp without harm. Eonwe saw that the brothers were prepared to fight until their death. But no sooner had they left than the effect of a possible curse from the Vala overtook them. They had perpetrated great evil with their gruesome acts of kinslaying and would not go unpunished. The Jewel overpowered them and began to burn in their hands. In this pain, they shared the two Silmarils and Maedhros separated from his brother. He then plunged to his end in one of the fiery mountains. His brother flung his Jewelinto the sea and loitered the areas of Endor until his end.
The Oath of Feanor
The exact wordings of the oath that involved Feanor and his sons include:
References
Categories:
Oaths and Prophecies
