Glorfindel1235, It has been a while since I've last visited this part of the forums. What about Hurin Steadfast as a loyal friend? Not even after 29 years on Thangorodrim did he reveal the whereabouts of Gondolin, and still kept his word to King Turgon. (Tolkien Forums > The Silmarillion > your favorite Silmarillion character > Glorfindel 1235 > June 11th, 2008) Hurin would be a good choice too. I guess part of my reason for not choosing him is because of Morwen, Tùrin, and Nienor. My heart wishes he had staid on with his familybut that wouldnt have been as good a story. Also the slaying of Mim in Nargothrond isnt exactly heroic. What is the deal with giving Thingol the Nauglamir? I think I stick with Eru. (but my dark side says Eol)
-- Edited by Bear at 05:17, 2008-07-19
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Vocatus atque non vocatus, Deus aderit Called or uncalled, God is present
Well Mim did betray his son, Turin, and the other outlaws to the Orcs. After that amount of time of torment, seeing things through 'Morgoth's Eyes', I think Mim should have been lucky death is all he got. And I think Hurin gave Thingol the Nauglamir in payment for Thingol's keeping of his family? Might be wrong on that though.
Bilbo Baggins, Good points. And Hurin is a loyal friend...honors his commitments and has endured torture and brain washing. I just struggle with the revenge thing. Frodo is speaking to Gandalf of Gollum, "...Now at any rate, he is as bad as an Orc, and just an enemy. He deserves death." Gandalf responds and admonishes Frodo, "Deserves it! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. For even the very wise cannot see all ends..." (Lord of the Rings; Fellowship of the Ring, Book I, Chapter 2 -"The Shadow of the Past", pg. 85 )
Still I think you are right. I judged Hurin too harshly. His choices change the world and his family is noble...not always and not always good...and I am not of the very wise and have much to learn.
-- Edited by Bear at 23:01, 2008-07-20
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Vocatus atque non vocatus, Deus aderit Called or uncalled, God is present
lomoduin, I like the hound too. Wish I had one just like him. I really liked the way Tolkien endowed him with speech and also how Tolkien limited to 3 times. I think his loyalty to Luthien and their pursuit to help Beren is one of Tolkiens best. Their are lots of depth psychologists who embrace C.G. Jung's work of archetypal myths and the universal expression of certain archetypes in every culture. The Heroines journey often includes a character like Haun. It shows up in Greek, Eygyptian, Assyrian, Celtic, and Germanic to name a few. Anybody else want to jump on this?...I think it has potential...
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Vocatus atque non vocatus, Deus aderit Called or uncalled, God is present
I would have to say my favourite character in the book would be Beleg Cuthalion, 'truest of friends, and greatest in skill of those whom harboured in the forests of Middle-Earth'. I find his loyalty touching, to Thingol, to Doriath, to Turin. Reading the passage about Beleg chasing the orc host bearing a captured Turin through the forest Taur-nu-Fuin still gives me chills... :)
Fingolfin is probably my favorite character, although there are many others I find very interesting.
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But Fingolfin gleamed beneath it as a star; for his mail was overlaid with silver, and his blue shield was set with crystals; and he drew his sword Ringil, which glittered like ice.
'Lonely men are we, Rangers of the wild, hunters - but hunters ever of the servants of the Enemy; for they are found in many places, not in Mordor only.'
Aye Hurin takes some beating if you're into the mighty warrior thing. Though some of the High Elves could compete with him in that vein, like Fingolfin and Feanor.
I feel absolutly idiotic for posting a thread that already exists. Truely sorry for the rash posting... but since this thread does exist..
As much as my opinions have changed growing up, my favorites in this book were those like Huan, who's purity led to the help in one of the greatest feats of all time. And Elendil the tall, who in my mind showed the greatest strength in leadership in all of man kind.
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But no wizardry nor spell, neither fang nor venom,nor devil's art nor beast-strength, could overthrow Huan of Valinor;
Where to begin? Galadriel, whose fiery words helped stir the Noldor out of Valinor yet she gained wisdom enough to guide the Council in later Ages. Turin because of his feats in arms and the terrible anguish he bore. But I feel that the oath fulfilled by Finrod Felagund, knowing it would bring him to Mandos, puts him at the top of my list.
It is in deed why I choose the name my lady. And thos are very good picks Finrod.
Also id feel remise if I did not mention two of the more evil type now. Sauron had so much wisdom leading his every move it was incredible. Even in failure. He prooved himself wise. Like turning into a great werewolf to face Huan. He new the fate of Huan and so went before hime in great wolf form. To no avail obviously but it was most certainly a good plan.
The other is Carcharoth. Of all of Morgoth's servants, it was Carcharoth, the red maw, that sat before the doors of Angbad.
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But no wizardry nor spell, neither fang nor venom,nor devil's art nor beast-strength, could overthrow Huan of Valinor;
You've put things in perspective for me, loyal hound. I never held beasts, whether good or evil, in the same regard. Until now! Your namesake as well as Thorondor, who saved the bodies of Fingolfin and Glorfindel from being defiled are on my list. And of the Enemies, Sauron's guile and vileness rank him slightly beneath Glaurung. To me, the dragon's deeds after the Battle of Unnumbered Tears show that he was the greatest achiever of evil that Morgoth released into Beleriand.
And if you were to ask who was the most powerful dragon in tolkien's tales? Two names would arise; Glaurung, and Ancalagon. Ancalagon was so great that when he fell he broke the towers of Thangorodrim! But in all of this he played such a small part in the silmarillion, three lines in all were of his tale, even tho he was considered the greatest dragon, second greatest at the least but I feel the ability to fly surpased any non-winged dragon.
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But no wizardry nor spell, neither fang nor venom,nor devil's art nor beast-strength, could overthrow Huan of Valinor;
I'd have to throw my vote in for Turgon. He was one of the most instrumental characters in the Silmarilliion being the founder of the Encircling Mountains in the realm of Tumladen that later became Gondolin. Before that he led his people across the Helcaraxe and I believe he was the original possessor of Glamdring, the sword later owned by Gandalf.
All very impressive characters. You guys wouldn't be interested All very impressive characters. You guys wouldn't be any chance be interested by any chance in an RPG we started several months ago that went dead because some of us were too busy with real life?
-- Edited by ArwenLegolas on Tuesday 30th of August 2011 12:45:51 AM
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Hey dol! merry dol! ring a dong dillo! Ring a dong! hop along! fal lal the willow! Tom Bom, Jolly Tom, Tom Bombadillo!
Like stalwart Huan, i'm not familiar with RPG, but my fire for MiddleEarth has been rekindled and i am willing to try! My feet are treading new paths and will accept any well intentioned guidance.
Here are 2 links. The first on is in the Forum "Gather your Players" The 2nd one is the RPG itself. Go and take a look if you are interested. This RPG plays before there was a sun. Orcs roaming and destroying villages and a band of Elves is forming to combat the thread
btownhobbit, are you on a phone or a PC or MAC typing these posts. Huan is on a Phone and can't use accents, but if you are not using a mobile device, would you please accentuate? Do you know how? Because it changes the meaning of a word if you don't use the accents.
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Hey dol! merry dol! ring a dong dillo! Ring a dong! hop along! fal lal the willow! Tom Bom, Jolly Tom, Tom Bombadillo!
I'm generally on a PC at work. I'm sorry, I hope it is not too un-PC (politically correct) of me to describe myself as a technotard. As I'm at work I have to usually type quickly between phone calls, and at a quick glance I can't see a way to accentuate things.
So, sorry about no accentuation here, (see my above comment), but as to the question of why these are my favorite characters: First, favorites are really hard to single out. I think of The Silmarillion as a single, sweeping narrative, with each element of equal importance to the overall meaning, even if not necessarily to the "plot," if you're with me on that. So why one character would be a favorite over another really comes down to an individual perception to me. So, simplistically enough: Huan because I love dogs -- have two myself; Earendil because I like characters who seem to fulfill destiny points, or are important to the destiny of things that happen in LOTR. I guess that would go for Tuor as well. I know what you're thinking by now -- can't that be said for about every character in The Silmarillion? Yes. That's why it's hard to pick out a favorite. Turin is also a favorite. And then there's kind of the question of, I don't quite know how to say it, "negative" favorites, perhaps? That is, characters I don't like, but are still great characters. (Again, please forgive the lack of accentuation): Mim, Ungoliant, Morgoth. Anyway, hope that answers the question.
Finrod Felagund is not just my favorite Tolkien character, but just about my favorite literary character. My reasons are many, but the main reason being the honor that he exhibited by fulfilling his oath to Barahir and aided Beren even though he knew it would bring him to his death.
Morgoth against Fingolfin?
