Fingon's Nirnaeth Arnoediad

[Maédhros]

In those days Maedhros son of Fëanor lifted up his heart, perceiving that Morgoth was not unassailable; for the deeds of Beren and Lúthien were sung in many songs throughout Beleriand. Yet Morgoth would destroy them all, one by one, if they could not again unite, and make new league and common council; and he began those counsels for the raising of the fortunes of the Eldar that are called the Union of Maedhros.

Fingon, being the High King of the Noldor, to me it seems as the logical person to begin drawing this Union of Elves against Morgoth. He could have probably have gathered more people against Melkor. I wonder why he didn't involved himself more and sent messangers to Orodreth to assail Morgoth.

[Kuruharan]

Interesting question!

I'll have to do a little reading before giving you a more complete answer, but talking off the cuff I'd say that Maedhros was there first, and it became something of his own little project. He might not have welcomed "help" from Fingon.

Considering the rather rocky relationship that the two houses had in the past, it may have been more a matter of policy by Fingon to not be so involved and thus avoid antagonizing the House of Feanor. Fingon might have felt that causing that sort of split in the leadership that early might doom the cause before it begun, and the Union looked fairly hopeful (from their point of view) at the time.

And I'm not certain that Orodreth would have taken too kindly to being ordered by the High King to become involved with the House of Feanor considering his familiy's rather unpleasant past. And Fingon did not really have the means, short of a really wasteful war, to force Orodreth to do anything. (It's a chronic problem with this sort of feudalistic kingship structure.) So Fingon avoided antagonizing Orodreth.

Perhaps doing nothing seemed like the best way of keeping everyone reasonably satisfied.

[Legolas]

Hmm...

Though Fingon rescued Maedhros, I think he should have (and wisely so) waited for Maedhros to make the first move to unite with Fingolfin/Finarfin's side of the family, given the traits of Feanor and his sons. Also, I'm not sure Orodeth would've been so reluctant to help out. It's possible, but he did seem to have enough respect, faith, or patience to follow Feanor back to Middle-earth.

If that sounds a little off, forgive me. Interesting question that I'm going to look further into in hopes of establishing a more qualified opinion.

[Kuruharan]

Well, actually Orodreth was one of the ones that was stranded out in the middle of nowhere when Feanor burned the ships. They had to go on to Middle earth or go back to Valinor, and going back to Valinor would have been bad for the ego so they went on to Middle earth.

And considering that Celegorm and Curufin had tried to oust Orodreth I think that it's a pretty safe assumption that he would not want to become involved in an enterprise started by their brother, nor would he appreciate Fingon ordering him to cooperate with them.

Orodreth would not march forth at the word of any son of Feanor, because of the deeds of Celegorm and Curufin...

The company of elves under Gwindor went against Orodreth's orders.

Take all this together and I don't think it would have done any good for Fingon to order Orodreth to do anything.

[ June 15, 2002: Message edited by: Kuruharan ]

[Maédhros]

He might not have welcomed "help" from Fingon.

Hmm. You may have a point but Fingon and Maedhros have forever being friends.

Moreover in the west Fingon, ever the friend of Maedhros

Take all this together and I don't think it would have done any good for Fingon to order Orodreth to do anything.

Yes, you're right, but if the idea of the Union had come from Fingon instead of Maedhros, would Orodreth or even Thingol would have joined them to form a more united front against Morgoth.
(I'm ignoring the part of the Silmarils, for arguments sake).

[Legolas]

Duh...

It was late [img]smilies/redface.gif[/img]

[Lothiriel Silmarien]

Well, I was planning to give a really good answer, but a couple people beat me to it! But maybe Fingon didn't involve himself more because he wasn't as close to Morgoth's territory as Maedhros was, and he felt that Morgoth's armies wouldn't reach him fast since his land was pretty much surrounded by mountains. That still doesn't say much though because Maedhros and Fingon were friends.

I'm not sure if that was a question about why Thingol didn't involve himself, but he wouldn't of anyway because of his grudge against the Noldor for the kin-slaying and he wasn't particulary fond of the sons of Feanor. Besides from the obvious, he felt that the others should take care of it because all of the bad things that started happening came from the return of the Noldor. He also felt that his region was safely protected by the Guard of Melian, so that's another added reason.

[Kuruharan]

I think that if the idea had come from Fingon, then Orodreth would have been more likely to cooperate, at least a little bit. At least as long as he did not have to deal too much with the Sons of Feanor.

Remember also that by this time the Elves of Nargothrond had pretty much decided to keep to themselves.

I doubt that anything could have moved Thingol. He had never been particularly fond of the Noldor except for Finrod, and he always had 'isolationist' tendencies anyway.

Then there was the matter of the Silmarils which we are convieniently ignoring.

[ June 15, 2002: Message edited by: Kuruharan ]

[Maédhros]

Besides from the obvious, he felt that the others should take care of it because all of the bad things that started happening came from the return of the Noldor.

That is not entirely true. I would say that all the bad things that happened where the result of Melkor. The first battle happened before the arrival of the Noldor.

Now the Orcs that multiplied in the darkness of the earth grew strong and fell, and their dark lord filled them with a lust of rain and death; and they issued from Angband's gates under the clouds that Morgoth sent forth, and passed silently into the highlands of the north. Thence on a sudden a great army came into Beleriand and assailed King Thingol. Now in his wide realm many Elves wandered free in the wild, or dwelt at peace in small kindreds far sundered; and only about Menegroth in the midst of the land, and along the Falas in the country of the mariners, were there numerous peoples. But the Orcs came down upon either side of Menegroth, and from camps in the east between Celon and Gelion, and west in the plains between Sirion and Narog, they plundered far and wide; and Thingol was cut on from Círdan at Eglarest. Therefore he called upon Denethor; and the Elves came in force from Region beyond Aros and from Ossiriand, and fought the first battle in the Wars of Beleriand. And the eastern host of the Orcs was taken between the armies of the Eldar, north of the Andram and midway between Aros and Gelion, and there they were utterly defeated, and those that fled north from the great slaughter were waylaid by the axes of the Naugrim that issued from Mount Dolmed: few indeed returned to Angband.

But new tidings were at hand, which none in Middle-earth had foreseen, neither Morgoth in his pits nor Melian in Menegroth; for no news came out of Aman whether by messenger, or by spirit, or by vision in dream, after the death of the Trees. In this same time Fëanor came over the Sea in the white ships of the Teleri and landed in the Firth of Drengist, and there burned the ships at Losgar.