Faithfulness in Middle Earth

[Finwe]

Loyalty is often praised because it is a very strong unifying force. The Fellowship held together (for the most part [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] ) because of loyalty, and it was only because Boromir became disloyal that they "broke up," although I rather think that it would have had to happen sometime.

Too much of any virtue can be a bad thing. The Fëanorians are an excellent example of that. The idea that they had, of following Morgoth "to the ends of the Earth" after the Silmarils, and to avenge the murder of Finwë (go me!) was a good one, but the degree to which they clung to that oath fast became unhealthy. They let that Oath, that loyalty, blur common sense and probably used it as an excuse to get their way in places, when all else failed (ex. Celegorm and Curufin). Even when they saw that they were in the wrong, and that their right to the Silmarils did not exist any more (in the case of Maedhros and Maglor) they still clung to that loyalty, and it eventually killed every single one of them.