Silmarillion - Chapter 06 - Of Feanor and the Unchaining of Melkor

[Legolas]

Weariness is a way of saying it, but specifically 'grief' is what elves are susceptible to.

Miriel died of grief. A few others may die of grief as well, but no sense in spoiling the story if you're just that far!

The Silmarillion describes it as below in the first chapter, though there's a lot of information there so it was probably easy to miss on the first reading.

For the Elves die not till tile world dies, unless they are slain or waste in grief (and to both these seeming deaths they are subject); neither does age subdue their strength, unless one grow weary of ten thousand centuries; and dying they are gathered to the halls of Mandos in Valinor, whence they may in time return.

[Findegil]

Melian is neither an Elf nor does she die. But other wise you are ofcourse right that grief is one course of weariness that many Elves suffered.

Respectfuly
Findegil

[Legolas]

A mistake, of course. 'Miriel' intended.

[Findegil]

Sorry for nitpicking again. But in the case of Miriel, what would have been the reason for grief heavy enough to led here die? She died when Fëanor was young and the peace of Valinor undistrubed.

Respectfuly
Findegil

[Puddleglum]

Originally Posted by Findegil

Sorry for nitpicking again. But in the case of Miriel, what would have been the reason for grief heavy enough to led here die? She died when Fëanor was young and the peace of Valinor undistrubed.

Answering that "good question" could be subject of a lengthy essay. I'll try to keep it succinct (at the risk of glossing over some points - apologies in advance for that).

First it is important to realize and consider that, in Tolkien's subcreation (Ea, Arda, Middle Earth) rational creatures had a "fea" (or "spirit") and had the varying ability to pour from their spirit into their creations (or children). It seems that this was not particularly so of Men, so much as of Elves & Valar/Maiar, however. Thus, for example:

• Sauron poured part of his spirit into The One Ring so that when it was actually destroyed (not merely separated from him in space) he was diminished and rendered unable to ever again grow and menace the world.
• Melkor/Morgoth, as described in HoME vol X, poured pary of his spirit into the very matter and substance of Arda. As Christopher Tolkien puts it "All of Middle Earth was Morgoth's Ring". In a sense (to use a more modern illustration) Middle Earth became Morgoth's Horcrux - so that his final death and end can't come until Middle Earth is finally destroyed at the end of time.
• Feanor poured of his spirit (or will) into his Silmarils so that "he could never again make their like".

It's hard for us humans to picture this, since we don't experience things quite this way. But Elves and Valar/Maiar are different beings. We have only to accept, even if we don't understand.

With Miriel, after birthing Feanor, she complained that the will or spirit in her that might have nourished many had gone forth into Feanor. It is also spoken of her being consumed in mind and spirit (or words to that effect, I believe) by Feanor's birth. e might say that she had expended so much energy (physical, spiritual, moral) in bearing and birthing her son that she had no more will to live.

Finwe believed (initially) that, in time, there would be healing. But without the will to live, Miriel's Fea passed from her body to Madndos. One of the HoME books had an essay on the "Statute of Finwe and Miriel" which talks much about this. Miriel remained obdurately in Mandos so long, refusing to be rebodied, that Finwe lost hope and remarried - from which came Fingolfin & Finarfin and, in time, the death of the Trees, the rebellion of the Noldor and the tales of the first three ages of the Sun.

[Findegil]

Puddleglum, I agree to all you wrote in your post. But what you discribe as the situation Miríel was aftrer the birth of Fëanor is 'weariness' not 'grief' as I pointed out to Legolas.

Respectfuly
Findegil

[Puddleglum]

Originally Posted by Findegil

Puddleglum, I agree to all you wrote in your post. But what you discribe as the situation Miríel was after the birth of Fëanor is 'weariness' not 'grief' as I pointed out to Legolas.

Hi Findegil. I agree with you that it was weariness, not grief (as that word is normally used) - tho weariness grown great enough can become difficult to distinguish, in another being, from terribly great grief: both can leave a being practically catatonic and undesiring of continued life.

In the case of my last post, however, I was mostly thinking of weariness and had mentally substituted that for the word "grief" in your post. A mistake on my part. Sorry for the confusion.