Finrod Felagund

[Nóm]

Finrod was the first son of Finarfin son of Finwe. His mother Earwen was the daughter of Olwe, brother od Elwe. His sister was Galadriel, and brothers were Aegnor, and Angrod, and Orodreth(?see near end of my second post)

A look at Finrod's personality:

PoME, Shibboleth of Feanor
Finrod was like his father in his fair face and golden hair, and also in noble and generous heart, though he had the high courage of the Noldor in his youth and their eagerness and unrest; and he had also from his Telerin mother a love of the sea and dreams of far lands that he had never seen.

HoME X, Athrabeth Finrod Ah Andreth
Firnod (son of Finarin, son of Finwe) was the wisest of the exiles Noldor, being more concerned than all others with matters of thought (rather than with making of with skill of hand); and he was eager moreover to discover all that he could concerning Mankind.

But he had skill in carving...
On the name Felagund:

HoME XII
This name was given because of Finrod's skill in lighter stone-carving. He cut many of the adornments of the pillas and walls in Nargothrond.

And he of course had skill in song.


Major movements and events of Finrod during War of the Jewels:

Finrod, Son of Finarfin and Earwen daughter of Olwe, was born in the Noon of Valinor, and he went into exile with his siblings; Aegnor, Galadriel ,Orodreth, and Angrod, though he was oppossed to Feanor in the begining when he spoke before the Noldor in Tirion. Finrod along with his sister and Fingolfin and his sons were leaders in the crossing of the Helcaraxe. Not long after the Feast of Reuniting and during a time of peace Ulmo put dreams in Finrod and his cousin Turgon's head while they slept and each woke thinking they should establish realms, and with the aid of Thingol Finrod found a location of caves and began Nargothrond with the aid of the dwarves who he payed in treasure from Valinor. After the Dagor Aglareb it was decided to form a seige on Angband and Finrod and Orodreth rules the land at the Pass of Sirion and Finrod buil Minas Tirith upon Tol Sirion but when Nargothrond was full-wrought he left it in the rule of Orodreth and dwelt in Nargothrond as King, and his realm was the biggest, encompassiong most of the land west of Sirion and South of Ered Wethrin. There was friendship between the Noldor and the Falathrim, and the elves of Nargothrond aided in the the building at Brithombar and Eglarest, and explored the Isle of Balar thinking it could be a last refuge if needed. One day while Galadriel was visiting Finrod, foresight of his oath, death, and the fall of Nargothrond came to Firnod. Later during the long peace Finrod discovered Men in Ossiriand, and he had great friendship with them, and he later talked Thingol into letting the people of Haleth dwell in Brethil. With the Dagor Bragollach was the breaking of the seige and during this time Finrod hurried into the North to join his brothers, but was cut off and surrounded and would have been slain but for Barahir and his men happening upon the scene just in time and rescuing him with much loss. Finrod swore an oath of frienship and aid, and gave Barahir his ring in token of this. Around this time Curufin and Celegorm joined Nargothrond. Eventually the time came when Beren came to Nargothrond, and with Finrod went only ten of his people, for Curufin and Celegorm held sway over the people of Nargothrond, turning their hearts from Finrod. They were taken captive at Tol-in-Gaurhoth and Firnod was defeated in a battle of song against Sauron, and the company was imprisoned and killed off one by one until at last only Finrod and Beren remained alive, and Finrod broke his bonds and killed the werewolf with his hands and teeth, but he was wounded and died after some last words to Beren. He was, however, restored to life again.

Dates:

1500 YT - crossing Helcaraxe (this is the final year in the tree reckoning - one is which equals approximatey 10 Sun Years)

50 - Ulmo sends dreams to Finrod and Turgon

52 - Finrod tells Thingol about his dreams for his own realm, and Thingol gives him guides to the caves where he begins to build Nargothrond.

60 - Third battle 'Dagor Aglareb', seige on Angband established, Finrod and Orodreth at the pass of Sirion, Minas Tirith on the isle of Tol Sirion, Angrod and Aegnor to the east in Dorthonion.

67 - Thingol Confronts Finrod and Angrod after having heard about the Kinslaying. Firnod is silent but Angrod tells all.

102 - Nargothrond is full-wrought by now, Galadriel visits and Finrod has foresight of his oath.

*310 - Finrod meets men

409 - Conversaton between Firnod and Andreth

420 - Firnod talks to Thingol about men, Thingol says men are permitted to dwell only in the north

422 - Thingol, at the prayers of Firnod, grants permission to Haleth's people to dwell in Brethil

455 - Breaking of the seige, Finrod's life saved by Barahir's men and goes back to Nargothrond, Sauron takes Tol Sirion for his own, having driven Orodreth out.

465 - Beren reaches Nargothrond, Finrod dies in Tol-in-Gaurhoth

* - In Grey Annals the date for this event is 400, but in a note in Athrabeth this was moved back 90 years.

[Nóm]

Meeting with men:

The people of Beor grew in wisdon because of the song of Finrod, and his love for them and them for him was the seed of the consequent alliances between men and elves which was necessary for the defeat of Morgoth, and an uplifting of the race of men on the whole was lasting. A specific consequence was the Elf+Men unions, one of which lead to Earendil and the other was the beginning of the line of Luthien of which it is said will never fail. Both of things being directly necessary for the recovery of a silmaril and the answering of the prayers of men and elves by the Valar.

Conversation with Andreth:

I couldn't do this justice in summary, but I can say that it is, to me, the most amazing single piece of work. A part of the whole that stands apart in it's nature, but is intwined with the entire mythology. They discuss Eru and Valar, and Morgoth, and they discuss men and elves. Here we see the heart and mind of Finrod, like we see no other Elda, in my opinion. He spoke with a despairing woman of hope, and the doubts and fear that she had are representative of the doubts that must afflict most all men at some time, and the hope that Finrod spoke of is a thing that all must like to have. In this was a hope for the victory of good over Morgoth, and hope of something beyond the departure of men from Arda, of Arda re-made, and even a hope that men and elves will meet again beyond death. Firnod also tells Andreth that unionsbetween a man and elf must only happen for very high purposes.



The Fulfillment of the oath:

Given Finrod's words to Andreth about unions between elves and men, and given that Finrod knew what Beren sought and why, he must have been aware that he was playing a role in an event that had a chance of success, and I would not be surpised if he believed it would succeed. He must also have known that the success of such a thing resulting in a union that he believed only happend for reasons of high Doom, would have been among the most crucial of events to cause the defeat of Morgoth. I do not expect he knew exactly how the recovered silmaril would play a part, but he must have known that it would, he would have known the union of Beren and Luthien ment something major was at work.

The names of Finrod:


Ingoldo - 'the Noldo, one eminent in the kindred', mother-name of Finrod, held to be prophetic, and this is also the name that Finrod's siblings usually called him

Findarato - 'Find' here refers in specific to the Golden hair from Indis, and it is from this father-name (given in Telerin form, the Quenya is Artafinde) name that the Sindarin form 'Firnod' comes

Felagund - Dwarvish felakgundu 'cave hewer'. Name often Elarized into Felagon with the first element associated with Sindari fael 'fair-minded' and Quenya faila 'having a good or dominant fea'

Edennil (Quenya is Atandil) - Called this by the Eldar, it is 'devoted to the Atani'


Some final words not touching the narratives:

Finrod was for a long time the father of Gil-galad and also of Galadriel for a bit, but this was changed and Finrod was made to have loved the Vanya Amarie who did not go with him into exile. Then in a note to Of Dwarves and Men Finrod again has a wife with him in Belereiand. But the final word from Tolkien is that Finrod left his wife in Aman and had no children in exile. This never reached narative though, so the last narrative bit we have is that he loved Amarie who was not permitted to go into exile. Finrod's spouselessness allowed for Galadriel to ask Finrod about a wife and children thus sparking Finrod's foresight of his oath, death, and ruin of Nargothrond. So who knows how Tolkien might have worked into the narratives Finrod's having a wife in Aman, or dealt with the foresight?

Can also be noted that Orodreth was for a time the son of Finrod, whereas he had long been a brother, but was finally moved over to being a son of Angrod. For this reason I have refrained from calling Orodreth Finrod's brother in my little summary, so one reading it can either suppose Orodreth is his brother or his nephew, however, when Tolkien noted Orodreth was a son of Angrod he had him coming to Nargothrond after escaping The Bsattle of Sudden flame. This brings the question: If Orodreth was with his father Angrod in Dorthonion, who ruled Tol Sirion while Finrod dwelt in Nargothrond?

It can also be noted that at the time of the writing and publication of LotR and the coming of the character Gildor Inglorion, Felagund was named Inglor.
It was in the Post LotR revisions to the Silmarillion the elf named Inglor became Finrod.

My sources, and a couple additional ones you might look into if interested:

PoME, Late Writings, Of Dwarves and Men - little info on history of Finrod's marriage. I used this here.

PoME Late Wrtings, Parentage of Gil-galad - information of the history of the relationship between Finrod with Orodreth and with Gil-galad, and final word on Finrod having a wife in Valinor. I used this here.

PoME, Late Writings, The Shibboleth of Feanor - Info on Finrod's personality and motive for going into exile. I used this here.

The Silmarillion - General information about events in Beleriand. Who's have thought it? But I did use this.

Morgoth's Ring, Athrabeth Finrod Ah Andreth - Info on Finrod's personality, the conversation with Andreth, and dating the coming on men into Beleriand, and the conversation betwen Firnod and Andreth is here. While I used some of this, is it a gold mine... if you have not read it yet, all I can say is: I really think you should!

WotJ, Grey Annals - Dating

Lays of Belereiand, Lay of the Children of Hurin - information on Nargothrond

And I'll add that Finrod is, to me, the most beloved of all immortal beings in the history of Middle-earth.

Some paintings of Finrod:

Finrod and Beren

Finrod meets men.

Another of Finrod meeting men.

Questions on this "Biography", on Finrod, or about where to find specific information on Finrod or anything contained in this post are welcomed in the Gallery of Characters Workbook.