Finwëans That Never Were

[Inderjit Sanghera]

In his compiling of the Published Silmarillion, C.T made many alterations from ideas put forward by his father in various essays that contradicted long-running ideas in his fathers work. Some made more sense then others, though some of the omissions seem rather senseless, that is if the faux pas on C.T's part in leaving out Findis for example can be seen as imprudent, though I suppose, hindsight is a useful tool , and if he had envisaged the general brouhaha that would be associated with his (in)accurate picture of Tolkien's later views on who was the son of whom, and who the fattest Elf was (Or to spare the Elf's blushes a more conservative phrase surely would have been used by Tolkien-diet intolerant maybe?). Anyway, apart from boring you to death-this essay DOES have a purpose, to discuss the various Finwëans that were left out or whose progeny’s or parentages differ from the Published Silmarillion in regards to Tolkien's later view on the subject.

To begin, I will discuss the absence of some Finwëans from the Published Silmarillion. Now, we hear in the Published Silmarillion that Finwë had three sons, Fëanor from Míriel Þerinde and Fingolfin and Finarfin from Indis, niece (though sometime sister) of Ingwë Ingweron, High King of the Eldar. Simple, yes? Three Kids-that's all? Well, no. Finwë varyingly had something between 4-6 children. The first instance of this is Finrun Felageomor (HoME 4) but he was dropped from the genealogies. We then hear in LQII (HoME 10) that Finwë had a daughter, or rather three. 'Findis' and he sisters, 'Irimë' and 'Faniel' are here mentioned for the first time. Findis is noted as being the eldest of his children with Indis. As the Shibboleth of Fëanor (HoME 12) shows us, 'Faniel' was dropped, though both Findis and Irimë were kept. 'Findis' remained with her mother Indis and siblings in Tirion after Finwë went to Formenos with his banished son Fëanor. After he was slain by Melkor, they dwelt with the Vanyar, presumably on the slopes of Oiolosse where Indis's kin resided and where Finwë first met Indis. Irimë, on the other hand, did go on exile and was said to be close to her elder brother Fingolfin. Presumably she resided with him in Hithlum. We never hear whether or not Findis or Irimë have any children or marry, but I will pick up on that later. 'Irimë' like all the Etyañgoldi had a Sindarin name-Lalwen. Her mother name was 'Lalwendë' (Q. 'laughing maiden') and when it was Sindarinized, her name became 'Lalwen' which was a loose fitting of the Sindarin form 'Glaþwen'. We have no record of her fate though presumably she was slain after the Bragollach or may have died of grief from the death of Fingolfin. So already we have two 'missing' children of Finwë, Findis and Irimë Lalwendë. We also have two that were dropped. Why didn't C.T include Findis and Irimë? Well it could be because the version that Finwë only ever had two sons from Indis, Finarfin and Fingolfin (apart from the version in the Qenta Noldorinwa (HoME 4) where he has a son named Finrun, as I have mentioned) was so deeply embedded in the mythos that he didn't wish to make a drastic alteration of the Quenta, esp. considering the daughters of Finwë entered the genealogies at such a later stage (LQII circa. 1958-9) and the fact that they weren't really central characters to the story.

Next we get Arakáno, son of Fingolfin. Now, wait! Hold on you say, Fingolfin only had two sons-Fingon and Turgon. The emergence of Arakáno (S. 'Argon', 'High-Commander, also Fingolfin's mother name, re-used) comes in the Shibboleth of Fëanor (circa. 1968) and was thus a late addition to the family tree. Pretty much the same excuse can be used for Arakáno's exclusion as Findis's and Irimë's, and the fact that the final story on Arakáno perishing in a Battle with the Orks at Lammoth contradicts the statement that Fingolfin and Finarfin's host weren't attacked upon entering Beleriand plus of course the fact that he was such a late addition.

That, is all the Finwëans who were left out of the Published Silmarillion. We then move on to those Elves whose parentages differ from Tolkien's final thoughts on the matter.

The infamous case of Gil-Galad, naturally crops up. In the Published Silmarillion Gil-Galad is the son of Fingon, High-King of the Ñoldor who was sent to live with Círdan at Falas after the Dagor Bragollach

He is also mentioned as being the son of Fingon in Of The Third Age and The Rings of Power and Aldarion and Erendis in the letter addressed to Tar-Meneldur. The original statement concerning Gil-Galad in Of The Third Age and The Rings of Power listed him a son if Finrod Felagund, eldest child of Finarfin. This matches the story given in the 'Making of Appendix A' (HoME 12) in which he is named as a son of Finrod and the story in the Grey Annals whereby his mother is Meril, one of the Falathrim and Gil-Galad sends him and Meril to Círdan. He is also the son of Finrod in Annals of Beleriand (HoME 5) The statement in Aldarion and Erendis whereby he is named as a son of 'Fingon' is also altered from the original statement 'Finnelach Gil-Galad of the House of Finarfin' which C.T altered to keep in consistence with the Published Silmarillion. Gil-Galad is also briefly a descendant of Fëanor, in the drafts writings to the chapter 'At Rivendell' which later became 'Many Meetings'. This is found in HoME 6, The Return of The Shadow.

The version whereby he is a son of Fingon is found in the Grey Annals. in which a late pencilled note for the Year 456. C.T later claims this was a 'ephemeral’ (short-lived) idea. Now I must digress a little, if I may.

'Orodreth' is listed in the Published Silmarilion as being the son of Finarfin. This was at variance with Tolkien's latter views on the subject. 'Orodreth' is first moved down a generation in the LQI. (HoME 10) when he is struck out of the list of Finarfin's children. In the essay The Ellesar which was included in the series of essays entitled History of Galadriel and Celeborn Galadriel doesn't mention him amongst her brothers to Celebrimbor, here a Elf of Gondolin. We later hear that Tolkien dropped him down a generation, though a parentage is not specified. In the Shibboleth of Fëanor (HoME 12.) It turns out that in the Genealogical Tables of the Finwëans Finrod was given a son, thus contradicting the story that he had no child and the 'Amárië' story. His son's name was Artanáro Rhodothir. Tolkien then made him into a son of Angrod (Aegnor had fallen in love with a Bëorian lady named Andreth) and his name was changed to 'Artaresto' and later to 'Artaher' (noble lord)and his Sindarinized name was Rodreth, though it was changed to 'Orodreth' because of his love for mountains. (S. 'Orod'; mountain.)

Gil-Galad is made into a son of Orodreth in a note which is given in the Shibboleth of Fëanor (HoME 12.) Here Gil-Galad is given his fathers original name of 'Artanáro' (S. Rodnor) and Gil-Galad is given as a epessë in reference to his bright mail (His mail is also mentioned in Sam's rendition of the 'Fall of Gil-Galad, which was translated by Bilbo). This is a change from the version whereby 'Gil-Galad' is his mother-name. (The 'Grey Annals' (HoME 11) says it was a refernce to the brightness of his eyes). The name 'Ereinion' (S. 'Scion of Kings') is also first used in the Shibboleth of Fëanor as well as the statement about his mail so any reference to 'Ereinion' is a editorial one was well as the statement about his mail given in Of The Rings of Power and the Third Age. So C.T knew about the changes to Gil-Galad's parentages, he used things from the essay where it is discussed when working on the Silmarillion. He claims it was to problematic to include it and it would have been best if he left his parentage obscure. On the change of Orodreth's parentage, the reason may be that Orodreth as son of Finarfin was a long running idea in the mythology.

But Orodreth's parentage change causes problems to the story. Orodreth is said to be the warden of Minas Tirith after Finrod leaves for Nargothrond. Of course there is no reason for this story to change when Orodreth is dropped down a generation. But a note in the Shibboleth of Fëanor (HoME 12) that he dwelt with Angrod in Dorthonion and there fled to Nargothrond. Angrod and Aegnor both always stay in Dorthonion. In the map that accompanies Of Maeglin (HoME 11) (circa. about 1972-3) Orodreth is given the land in the far-west of Dorthonion, close to the River Rivil. Could Orodreth's land stretch beyond the Western Mountain Range of Dorthonion and include Minas Tirith? Or was there a different Elf in charge? Edrahil, maybe? Gil-Galad is also said to have escaped from the sack of Nargothrond-was he at the battle or did he remain in Nargothrond? Maybe he escaped with Celebrimbor?
Another question that arises is the possibility of other Finwëans in M-E. 'Gildor Inglorion' the Elf encountered my Sam, Pippin and Frodo at Woody End is a possible Finwëan. The name 'Inglorion' means 'Scion of Inglor'. At the time of the writing of LoTR, 'Inglor' was the name if 'Finrod' (Finrod was the name of Finarfin) and so the name translates as 'son of Inglor' (Finrod)). He also claims to be 'of the house of Finrod'. Finrod should imply Finrod Felagund, not Finarfin, since Tolkien would have altered this in the S.E unless this was a overisght? But it seems probable that at one time, Gildor was descended from Finrod in some form or another. This is of course contradicts the statement in the Shibboleth of Fëanor that Elrond and Gil-Galad were the only male descendents of Finwë. But it seems this is a reference to the S.A Gildor may have crossed the sea with Glorfindel in the S.A (he is said to have come with a 'small group') and what about Elladan and Elrohir? It seems probable that Finrod would have had children in Aman

'Voronwë', friend of Tuor is also a possible Finwëan. He tells Tuor that he holds kinship with Turgon, king of Gondolin. His mother is a unnamed Sindarin lady who is related to Círdan. His father's name is 'Aranwë'. 'Aran' is Sindarin for 'King' whilst the 'wë' suffix is said to be C.E for 'person'. So could the name 'Aranwë' imply some kind of royal lineage? Could Aranwë be the son of Lalwen? Of course when Of Tuor and His Coming to Gondolin was written the charcter of 'Lalwen' didn't exist, Finwë had no daughters. Could he be related to Turgon's wife, Elenwë. Of course Elenwë was a Vanya and Voronwë a Ñoldor but his father may have been half-Vanya and inter-marriages did take place between Vanya and Ñoldor. Or maybe he was related to Anairë?

Glorfindel is also said in Last Writings (HoME 12) to be the kin of Turgon. Could he be the relation of either Elenwë or Anairë? But Glorfindel was a Ñoldo, and it is said in Last Writings (HoME 12) that all his kin had either perished or were in M-E. How could this be if he was half Vanya? Gandalf also says he is from a house of Princes. Could he be descended from Tatyar (But we never actually know if Finwë was descended from Tatyar) or related to Finwë in some other way. (i.e one of Finwë's cousins) but we never hear about Finwë having any siblings wheras Elwe Þindikollo, Olwë Ciriáran and Ingwë' all had relations.

Another aspect about the Finwëans that was left out of the Published Silmarillion was the altered fate of the twin sons of Fëanor- Amrod and Amras.

In the Published Silmarillion they are both slain in the Third Kinslaying. But Tolkien had thought of a different fate for them. This concept fitst emerges in the Annals of Aman but the full story is told in the Shibboleth of Fëanor when Fëanor unwittingly burns his youngest son, Amras was killed, after he sets fire to the ships.

Thank you and I hope you enjoyed my essay.

[Finwe]

C.T. has a history of simplifying elements in the Silmarillion to make things easier for newer readers. An example is the change from "Narn i Chin Hurin" to "Narn i Hin Hurin" and then back to "Narn i Chin Hurin" (in the Unfinished Tales). C.T. said he did that to keep the pronunciation relatively the same.

He probably "left out" many Finwëans because the ones that you mention were minor characters. People like Fingon, Fingolfin, etc. were main characters in the First Age, and readers needed to know who they were. As it is, for a new reader, it is confusing to remember the names of all the Elves. It would have been far worse to remember the names of characters who appeared once or twice, and then "vanished."

[Falagar]

Thank you for a very interesting essay! I was confused by the different stages of Gil-galad's parentage as presented in PoME, you have made it much clearer.

[ October 22, 2003: Message edited by: Falagar ]