# Fëanor's Sons - The Best and Worst



## Jalinoár (Nov 28, 2009)

I read Silmarillion a long time ago, and a couple of weeks ago I picked it up and decided to re-read it again. And I've got to say: I think it's probably my favorite of Tolkien's stories.
The point here is that, over the years I had _actually_ forgotten just how incredibly evil some of Fëanor's sons _really_ were. But I want to see what people on here think. Of Fëanor's seven sons (Maedhros, Maglor, Celegorm, Curufin, Caranthir, Amrod, and Amras), who do you believe was the best, and who the worst?

My personal choices...
For best I would go with either Maedhros or Maglor, and for worst I would say Celegorm, Curufin, and Caranthir all are pretty much tied; though, bear in mind, since I am not yet finished re-reading the story, and it has been truly a _very long_ time since I first read the thing, my decision is likely to change.
Anyway, just looking to see what other people think of the matter...

I, the YayGollum person, stuck the poll up there. Vote for the best with the first set, and the worst with the second.


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## YayGollum (Nov 29, 2009)

I am not a large fan of any of them. I feel a bit sorry for them. None of them even came close to becoming as cool as their father. *sniff* I really wanted to make a case for Celegorm being the best, but he had a pet dog, so he was clearly evil, despite all of his awesome points. Curufin was just his sidekick, and Caranthir, Amrod, and Amras are all pretty uninteresting, so it looks as if Maglor will have to be the best, unless Celegorm just took the dog to be polite to Orome. Yay for Maglor, then, due to cleverly making a deal with some water Ainur type thing. He figured that he'd be pursued, everybody thinks that they deserve a silmaril, so he tricked everyone into thinking that he felt bad about reacquiring his property by tossing it to his water buddy, who he met up with and went into hiding with, obviously.

The worst is easily Maedhros, and not just because he is most people's favorite. Besides being a whiny loser, pathetic in battle and always needing to be rescued, we find that he is exactly as evil as Morgoth, since he is burned, when he touches the silmaril. Refusing to even attempt a bit of redemption, he then decides to kill himself and keep the silmaril from going back into the family vaults, the way it's supposed to. Pure evil. Poor Feanor. So disappointed.


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## Alcuin (Dec 2, 2009)

Can we convert this into a poll? Who’s the worst, who’s the best – or least worst?

My pick for “least worst” is Maglor, who argued with Maedhros over whether or not to attack the guardians of the two Silmarilli recovered by the Host of the Valinor from Morgoth:


> If none can release us, … then indeed the Everlasting Darkness shall be our lot, whether we keep our Oath or break it; but less evil shall we do in the breaking.


(Does that put me in agreement with *Yay’* on Maglor?)

In _Peoples of Middle-earth_, toward the end of “Shibboleth of Fëanor”, Tolkien tells that Amrod was accidentally killed by his father in the burning of the ships at Losgar, for which Amras his twin condemned their father. (_Silmarillion_ does not repeat this, but has Amrod and Amras dying in the assault on the refugees at the Mouths of Sirion.) I don’t know if that alters Amrod’s status as particularly good or bad or not, although Tolkien suggests that he might have been preparing to return to Valinor and presumably face the consequences of his actions.

My choice for worst is Celegorm. He lusted for Lúthien and with Curufin’s help attempted to seize her against her will (did he intend to woo her or force her?) and murder Beren; then the two of them usurped Orodreth in Nargothrond. Perhaps after the Slaying at Alqualondë, killing a lone Man (and so a lesser being to a Noldo in his view, no doubt) and seizing a beautiful princess (to which he was rightfully entitled, in his own mind) was no stretch; as for replacing Orodreth as king of Nargothrond, he had the support of the people of the city, right? 

Celegorm is the most selfish of the brothers, in my view, and Maglor the least.


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## AmrothofArnor (Dec 3, 2009)

I like Caranthir the most because he is other than al other elves, except his brothers. The worst I think is one of theb twins.


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## YayGollum (Dec 3, 2009)

Attempting to add the requested poll. There, it is accomplished! When I was attempting to do that, yesterday, the power went out. oh well. I fixed it, crazy Confusticated lady. 

Anyways, to defend poor Celegorm, lust is not evil. It actually seems to make him less creepy, more like a human than a stinking elf. Also, it has been said that the Luthien lady was supposed to be some brand of exceptionally attractive, even if she was a stinking elf.  Sure, we can probably all guess that he wouldn't have been the greatest husband, but we can't know how he would have treated her, so suspicions do not equal evil. Whatever he intended to do with her, it was still plenty sensible. Bringing powerful elfish families together, making more powerful tools versus Mel, and preventing kinslayings. He certainly should have had the people's support. 

If it had been a bit earlier, I might try to defend him, when it comes to being mean to Beren, since supposedly wise elves thought that Dwarves were animals, but oh well. I wouldn't even postulate that he was too sheltered to know humans very well, since he wandered and dealt with Dwarves, at the least, I think. Okay, so it was a heat of the moment thing. A royally shocked, "Ew! She is hanging out with one of those things?"


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## Alcuin (Dec 3, 2009)

Do we cast one vote for 'best' and one for 'worst'? Two votes?


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## YayGollum (Dec 3, 2009)

Yes. Whoops. I shall edit the original post to point that out.


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## FeyFeaofFeanor (Jan 18, 2010)

Maedhros is my favorite among the seven, Caranthir the least.
None of them is better than the other, but Maedhros is far more interesting than the other five (save Maglor, who is only slightly less interesting). The fact that he befriended Fingon is one of the things that made me hold my opinion of him.


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## Alcuin (Feb 5, 2010)

Um, I, ah, um, screwed up my vote. I voted “best” for “worst” and “worst” for “best”. Sorry.


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## Confusticated (Feb 6, 2010)

I voted Curufin worst, only because there was no 'Celegorm and Curufin' option. I refer to them as C&C, and dislike equally. They did a long list of rotten deeds without once showing desire for redemption. This is made worse by the fact of their royal status. In fact the brothers seemed to have felt that they were entitled to everything they wanted, even to Luthien. Finrod and Orodreth gave them better than they deserved or would ever earn.

Most liked is Maglor.


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## Astrance (Feb 6, 2010)

I agree, Celegorm and Curufin are the worst pair, but I think Celegorm is worse than Curufin. He's more prone to rash actions, at least, and is probably the leader of the pair (after all, he _was_ the one who wanted to marry Luthien).
However, with the RP Noldolantë, I'm starting to like Curufin. He's an interesting character, much more complex than Celegorm.

My favourite one is Maedhros. He's the most diplomat of the brothers, and not so dark-hearted.


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## Ithrynluin (Feb 6, 2010)

Nóm said:


> I voted Curufin worst, only because there was no 'Celegorm and Curufin' option.



The poll is multiple choice, so you can vote for as many as you like! 

Worst: Celegorm & Curufin (no contest)
Best: Amrod & Amras (they were alright and no one has voted for them yet)


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## Confusticated (Feb 6, 2010)

Sharkey said:


> ...and no one has voted for them yet)



I think they'll get over it.

I opened a thread a few years back which asked who was most admirable between M&M. 
Here.


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## ltnjmy (Feb 9, 2010)

The best - the noble Maedhros

The worst - Curufin, Celegorm & Caranthir


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## r.j.c. (Feb 10, 2010)

The Best: Maybe Maglor My favorite was always Maedhros

The Worst: Curufin & Celegorm definitely


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## Aredhel Alatàr (Mar 18, 2010)

In my opinion 'the best' is Maedhros. Not necessarily strictly on moral grounds, but because he is a noble and tragic figure, and an extremely interesting character. He appears to be constantly torn between his own ideas and feeling - a closer friendship with his cousins than the others, a sincere desire for peace - and the binding power of the terrible oath he uttered. On one hand he shows great humility and a sincere repentance for his actions, and, in a world like Tolkien's where power is no trifle, he renounces his claim to be High King to try to mend fences with the other branch of the family. He also constantly tries to avoid the use of violence in regaining the Silmarils. On the other hand, when possibility of forgiveness by the Valar is offered, he recognizes that his destiny is sealed, that he cannot escape the oath he pronounced, and chooses a terrible, flaming death as last act of defiance and despair. A death in the perfect picture of Greek tragedy. There is something intriguing about the opposites battling in him, and the decisions he eventually makes.

For the worst, I'd say Celegorm. He persuaded them to the Second Kinslaying.

Aredhel


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