Feanor - Overrated?

[Lyta_Underhill]

Thanks for the great points, Legolas Greenleaf, Saucepan Man, Finwë and all who wander in here with opinions of Fëanor! I am enjoying it quite a lot!

Would you say that for all the gifts that Feanor possessed, he was flawed ethically?

Fëanor is flawed, that much is certain, and his code of ethics is marred by Morgoth's playing on his weaknesses, causing him to act on many things he only held as vague fears, shadows or inklings before: a nascent greed and fear of being overshadowed, a gigantic ego. These traits were present already in Fëanor, but after Morgoth singled him out for special treatment, they were greatly exaggerated. I wonder at what part Morgoth had in the possessiveness he showed for the Silmarils, and whether his enmity for his half brothers would have been so great as to cause him to draw sword on Fingolfin as he did...it is clear that Fëanor was unstable and needed only a slight push to create havoc. But such is the fate of one with a fire in his soul, alas! Perhaps it is like handling plutonium, very unstable, very likely to result, yet again, in the Exploding Elf! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Another little point: Morgoth had been at work on the whole of the Noldor against the Valar for a long time. I wonder, if Finwë's murder and the theft of the Silmarils had not been the touchstone, what indeed would have been, for there would have been something eventually. The seed was well sown there! (Sorry, I know that is not directly related to whether or not Fëanor is overrated; on that particular question, the easy answer for me is NO!) [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Cheers,
Lyta

P.S. And Legolas, that parallel to Wagner was quite apt! Beautiful works, and a really messed up code of ethics, worldview, etc (and the greater misfortune to have those views latched onto by a psychopath in a position of power)! Great and terrible...but never boring!