Finduilas and the Doom of Turin

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Aiwendil

In the end, though, I suspect that the particular interpretation one chooses is less important than the fact that the work can sustain either.

I think this is probably the truest assessment of the chicken or the egg - erm, curse or character question, and I would not be surprised if the ambiguity is deliberate. Nothing hurts like hope, so the ambiguity just adds texture to the tragedy.

Originally Posted by Mithadan

Turin's tale is a tragedy. He is a great hero caught up in events beyond his control and beyond his depth. He is cursed. Notwithstanding his curse, he manages to do great things, even though much of what he does seems to turn ill. A great part of the story is his relationship with Glaurung and the slaying of the worm. I do not think that Tolkien would suggest that this might not occur, that Turin's "doom" would not find him if he did or refrained from doing anything. Gwindor's prophecy is a late addition to Turin's tale. I do not think that it does anything for the story; the tale is equally tragic if Turin ignores Gwindor's dying wish that he rescue Finduilas without linking the rescue to an undoing of his curse or doom. To the contrary, to suggest that a simple "good deed" could contravene Morgoth's curse is a bit too blithe a solution. And what of the fact that even Turin's attempts to do good are turned awry by the curse? The idea that rescuing Finduilas would avert Turin's doom simply does not fit.

This was more or less my train of thought on reading the question. I have to admit, I haven't really considered it - but I agree with you that Gwindor's prophecy, if it is such, does not fit in at all. There is nothing inherent in Finduilas or their relationship that could counteract the patterns of the Curse, regardless of the mechanism by which
it is brought about. There is no reason why doing a generic good or selfless deed would stop this train in its tracks either - in fact, even Turin's good deeds come to bite him in the backside (eg sparing Mim). But, in the interest of not coming to the rather unsatisfying conclusion that this is a piece of the story that was in the process of modification and no longer belongs in the text, let me try to find some argument to reconcile it. Perhaps Finduilas's presence might have shielded Turin from his Curse for a time, similar to Beleg. It would not matter how that would be accomplished - by physically removing Turin from Morgoth's sphere of influence, by inspiring to be a better person in her presence, by radiating a healing aura, or what have you. I still do not think it would last - just like Beleg did not. But perhaps it would have given him another "light" period in his life, and perhaps the final blow would not have come quite as hard. But, like has been said many times before, who knows. And I am not trying to cop out of an answer - I truly think that any speculation on what would have happened in this particular story is just absolutely groundless fluff, you can say whatever you want and there will be a way to rationalize it, and it will be no more true than something completely different.