Silmarillion - Chapter 18 - Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin

[Aiwendil]

There have been hints in previous chapters that the peace of the Siege of Angband would come to an end, and here we see how this comes about. For the first time, the battle is an unmitigated loss for the Noldor and their allies; in the central and eastern theatres of the war, the lands of the Noldor are overrun and in the west the people of Fingolfin are only able to hold Hithlum with heavy losses. By the end of the chapter, a number of important characters are dead (most notably Fingolfin) and Beleriand has ceased to be a place of peace and safety.

Several important threads in the battle are given particular attention and may be seen as the germs of some of the later stories. Chief among these are the rescue of Finrod by Barahir and his men and the sojourn of Hurin and Huor in Gondolin; the former is really the beginning of the tale of Beren and Luthien and the latter can be seen as the beginning of both the Turin and the Tuor sagas.

The other incident that recieves particular attention in this chapter is the duel of Fingolfin and Morgoth. This is surely one of the most dramatic and vivid scenes in the Silmarillion. I’ve noticed that there seem to be two common reactions to the scene; some readers are surprised that Fingolfin’s prowess is such that he is able to wound Morgoth at all, while others are surprised that Morgoth has become so weak as to be vulnerable to the attack of a lone Elvish warrior. But either way you look at it, it is no surprise that Morgoth is the victor and that, like the Leaguer of Angband itself, the king who presided over it is dead.

Several of the events in this chapter are recounted with greater detail elsewhere, and I would urge anyone who has only read the somewhat dry, annalistic text found here to seek these out. The second canto of the Geste of Beren and Luthien (both pre- and post-LotR versions) begins with a short but poetically vivid account of the sudden onset of Morgoth’s forces and (in the later version) the rescue of Felagund by Barahir and his men. Another excursus on these events is found as a sort of retrospective in canto VI. Similarly, canto XII begins with a retrospective account of the battle between Fingolfin and Morgoth. Further material concerning the episode of Hurin and Huor exists in connection with the Turin saga (cf. the first few pages of the published Children of Hurin), though little is found there that is not present here.

Additional Readings

HoMe III – Contains the ‘Geste of Beren and Luthien’, which includes the passages mentioned above.
HoMe IV, V – ‘Sketch of the Mythology’, ‘Quenta Noldorinwa’, and ‘Quenta Silmarillion’ all contain early versions of this chapter.
HoMe XI – Post-LotR ‘Grey Annals’ and ‘Quenta Silmarillion’ versions.
The Children of Hurin – The first few pages of chapter 1 cover the sojourn of Hurin and Huor in Gondolin.

[Galadriel55]

Fingolfin's death is one of the most tragic scenes in The Sil, as Aiwendil said. In a way, though, it resembles the fate of all the Exiles. Fingolfin, desparate and despairing, challanged Morgoth, when deep down his comon sense probably screaed that he cannot overcome him. The same way the Noldor went to ME, even if all they would earn is songs. Just as the Noldor would begin to take the lead, something would happen, and Morgoth would win in the end; Fingolfin wounded Morgoth, but didn't have any strength left to strike the final blow, so Morgoth won. When Fingolfin died and all hope was lost, Manwe's eagles take his body away to the last stronghold of the Elves. Similarly, when the elves were reduced to almost nothing and had no hope of defeating Morgoth, the Valar and Eldar (of Valinor) help to battle Morgoth and win the War of Wrath. Then the Valar 'invite' the Elves to the place that will most likely last the longest in all of Ea.

Also, Fingolfin's last thing that he does is a desparate strike against Morgoth that wouldn't change the outcome of the duel. Not giving up, even when the defeat is obvious. However, it is that last strike that affects Morgoth the most - now he limps. The last thing you do is the most important one; whatever happens, the elves would get revenge on Morgoth - and the longer the more they had to avenge for.
Even though Fingolfin's last blow might have been physically weak, it is his strongest blow emotionally. Not only emotionally for us, but for himself as well. All his life was concentrated in this blow (like Glaurung's last glance). It was so powerful that even Morgoth felt it - and he is usually oblivious to people's desparation, he only enjoys it. Not only he felt it, but he was maimed forever because of its force.

[Galadriel55]

I wonder why Fingolfin is the only Elf-lord whose death is so grieved. Of course, his death (and the manner of his death) was a tragedy, but not the only one! Elves still don't sing songs about this duel, but there were other duels as well. What made Fingolfin more special than other elves and men who died/were killed by Morgoth? I mean, there were many desparate people who despaired, many those who entered a combat they knew they wouldn't win, etc.

Maybe because only Fingolfin died directly at the hands of Morgoth. But why should that affect lamenting?

[Nolwë_Namiel]

Fingolfin wasn't the only Elf-Lord to die directly by Morgoth's hand. He was the second Elf-Lord to die in such manner. The first, killed in Valinor, was his father Finwë whom Morgoth slew outside the doors of Formenos.

I suspect the reason that most readers are drawn to Fingolfin's death has as much to do with the prose itself, as the act. Regardless of whether or not you are a Silmarillion fan, the description of Fingolfin's wrath and battle, is beautifully and compellingly written. Also, unlike his father before him, he chose to fight Morgoth. It was a willful act of heroism, some may say stupidity, not a "murder".

Did the murder of his father spur him on? I suspect as much as the devastating events that saw the death of so many Noldor.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Nolwë_Namiel

Also, unlike his father before him, he chose to fight Morgoth. It was a willful act of heroism, some may say stupidity, not a "murder".

Good point there.

Did the murder of his father spur him on? I suspect as much as the devastating events that saw the death of so many Noldor.

Possibly. Mybe it was every devastating event that happened in his life, magnified under his despair. Or maybe the memmory of the Doom of Mandos, and the consequences of not following Finarfin. It's the thought that nothing could save te Noldor. I don't want to say that he payed to much heed to the Doom, but I don't know how to word it properly.

The book descrides him as "fey", and he probably looked so, and probably was so (I mean, no sane person would challenge Morgoth to a combat). But on the other hand, he's as sane as ever, evn if desparate and despairing. Interesting. I'll think about that in my spare time.