You know whats so funny.... I had a discussion with a friend of mine that told me straight up that Feanor was not a legend ( as I so faithfully called him ) but infamous...and the main reason being was the kinslaying. My response to him was that no matter how you put it, the kinslaying was wrong and yes it was also a selfish act of evil on Feanor's part. he didnt have to kill the Teleri. but he did it in his mad desperation to follow Morgoth to middle earth. In the history of the United States especially in the west during the period of the 18th century. most of the gunfighters of that era ( billy the kid, jesse james etc ) were notorious and Infamous but still legends in the making of that part of history with deeds that some have equally loved and hated.
My point is ( in terms of whatever it is you want to classify Feanor as )what he became will not take away from the fact of Tokien written about him throughout the Silmarillion. The Mightiest of the Noldor and the perfect of the Elvin Race in all parts of body, mind, valour, skill, wisdom etc, etc.
The cruel irony to all of it was that he didnt show all of the qualities that Illuvatar had blessed him with and could the possiblity of all the Feanor was be that this was also a part of the overall plan of Illuvatar's doing? what I mean by that was that Illuvatar himself have stated to the Valar that no matter what evil deeds Melkor does, even his acts will only serve to the eventual glorification of Illuvatar power and dominion in Arda. the same could be said for all of Illuvatar's children and that includes Feanor.
I did agree with my friend though in saying that Feanor was Infamous....he only became Infamous when he started to speak openly against the Valar. he didnt speak in terms of taking over the Undying lands for himself or even destroying the two trees for that matter, he only spoke on not being confined to the Undying lands like a bird caught in a cage. and remember. throughout the Silmarillion, Feanor was adventuroues and loved to roam the wide plans of Eldarmar all the way to the open seas of the void. he was never one to stay in one place anyway.
regardless of the fact that Morgoth poisoned his mind with lies about his brothers and the Valar. in fact, all of the Noldor became proud and willful due to the words of Morgoth, so if Feanor was infamous on those ground, then the entire Noldor race was infamous. including those elves within the house of Finarfin and Fingolfin.
what the hell ?..... Fingon and Turgon was said to be bold and fiery at heart. and they both was eager to be gone from Valinor. Feanor never planted the idea of wantitng to leave in their head. they already had the desire in their heart. It too the greatest of the Noldor to say the things that most of the Noldor was too afraid to say. What makes Feanor legendary in my eyes was the fact that despite the Valar wanting the elves to dwell with them in Valinor to "protect" them from the wiles of Morgoth, Feanor probably knew that (even though he too was duty bound to obey the powers in their own land ) the Valar didnt create him or his race and therefore are not objects to be worshiped as maybe some of the elves did without even realizing that they are the first children of Illuvatar....
and none BUT the creator ( Eru/ Illuvatar ) should have the right to command them so in where they should go and where should they live. Illuvatar instructed the Valar that Elves and Men is to inhabit Middle earth and dwell therin. if you bring a race (Noldor ) from the place where they was created to dwell by their creator (Middle-Earth). and the reason you give was to protect them from the evil of their kindred ( Melkor ). then you dont secure them when one of them (Finwe) was brutally killed nor capture the one who cause it. You basically negated the reason for them even being in Valinor in the first place.
Feanor knew that the moment he found out that Morgoth killed his father and the days afterwards, realized that the Valar have done nothing to even ENSURE the Noldor that Justice will be done by their hands.
Feanor probably thought "sh** ! you ve done it before when you went to war with Melkor over us cause he was taking those of our race and turning them into Orks. whats the difference now ? you should have an even bigger reason because that wasnt even like probably a month after Him and Ungoliant destroyed the two trees."
Feanor was fearless in his thinking and his actions to want to destroy that which took away his greatest love, his father In my humble opinion, he simply snapped. and his deeds to the Teleri has tarnished his Legend and made him as my friend said...infamous...but the fact remain that it was due to his bold stance as a Elf who dared to challege the might of the Valar (who is the most evil and despised even in the eyesight of Illuvatar ) in a war he could not truly win but to show to all including that of the Valar, that Illuvatar has made his greatest creation when he created the Elves and the race of the Noldor in particular. thats what makes him Legendary in my eyes. and I will always think of him like that.
we as humans do works of good as well as works to harm our very soul at times. but our overall character and whats in our souls is what makes us the good and god fearing beings that we are. Feanor's life was basically set up to work wonders of the glorification and beauty of Arda. he was as Illuvatar created him to be. It was unfortunate that the deeds he did towards the end created the type of imagine will tarnish and shame his memory all the days of the world....but his words to the Valar and the Noldor came to pass...that they will be the most dominant race on Middle Earth. and to prove my point in conclusion, was the fact that during the big feast that Fingolfin prepare to bring together all the elves. and it was a glorious gather where good councils were held as well as forming strong alliances. the vibe and the feelings of togetherness were so high and amongs themselves during the feast....
They said that the words of Mighty and fell Feanor on leaving Valinor to created and build new kingdoms in middle earth in which the Noldor will thrive and prosper was correct and the hardships they've endure ( which includes the kinslaying and the journey through the grinding ice ) was beinning to be WORTH it. Now this was said way after the demise of the Mightiest and greatest of all the Noldor...you tell me...who should be called infamous and selfish now. and most of us who read the Silmarillon loves the characters of Turgon, Fingon, Fingolfin, Galadriel, Finrod and others. they was all at this feast which makes me realize that the best our intentions to do good can go horribly wrong at a moments notice causing us to do evil in the sight of Illuvatar. Feanor was no different and him and his house suffered the most for it, but Feanor himself ( without even realizing it ) have set in motion the eventual and heroic deeds that made most of his family within the house Finwe great in Illuvatar eyes. that is exactly why the Spirit of Fire will always be a legend to me....
no matter how "Infamous" he was.... [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]
so in answer to question was Feanor..overratted....absolutely not..in alllll areas of the spectrum
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[ August 29, 2003: Message edited by: jedi ]
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