The Accidental King: Five Reasons Why Finarfin Deserves an Appreciation Month

[dawn_felagund]

When I first considered the notion of celebrating a Finarfin Appreciation Month, I brought up the subject to my friends in the online Tolkien community as well as the members of the Silmarillion Writers' Guild, to see if such an event would actually be something in which people would want to participate. The responses I received could basically be dichotomized as such:

1) "Yes! Finarfin deserves an appreciation month! Why hasn't Finarfin Appreciation Month been declared before??"

...and...

2) "Finarfin? Why Finarfin?"

So I am taking on this second question--"Why Finarfin?"--in hopes of convincing those non-Finarfanatics out there why the current High King of the Noldor is deserving of greater attention in stories and why January has been declared Finarfin Appreciation Month.


1. "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt."
Abraham Lincoln

Take a minute and peruse just the first couple of pages on the Silmarillion section on fanfiction.net. Look at the stories posted there, particularly the characters featured in the stories. Who gets overwhelmingly the most press, especially out of the House of Finwë? To save you time, I've gone and done it for you. Going by characters mentioned in the summaries, on the front page, there are four stories about Fëanor, two stories about Fingolfin, one story about Maedhros, and one story about Maglor. Yes, there is a story about Finarfin, but it is mine and was posted in honor of Finarfin Appreciation Month.

When fanged_geranium did a character profile on Finarfin, my first thought was how little is said about him. How little he does in the book. Truly, many people, I think, will admit that Finarfin is a little boring, especially compared to his older brothers. I've seen him called a wimp and portrayed as a coward; I've even taken advantage of his lack of ambition in some of my own comedy pieces. It is said of Finarfin in "Of the Flight of the Noldor" that "Finarfin spoke softly, as was his wont, and sought to calm the Noldor, persuading them to pause and ponder ere deeds were done that could not be undone."

Like Fëanor and Fingolfin, Finarfin's father had been murdered by Melkor. Like Fingolfin, he had heard the treacherous words of Melkor regarding his half-brother's ambitions. Yet he alone of the Finwions asks that the Noldor stop to consider their actions and the possible repurcussions. He does not tell them specifically that going to Middle-earth and defying the Valar are wrong; he does not try to talk them out of pursuing vengeance, but he alone recognizes that deeds done in angry haste are often done foolishly or thoughtlessly, resulting in errors that cannot be undone. While Fingolfin and Turgon speak against Fëanor following the oath, their words are harsh and likely exacerbate a situation that needs anything but that, and no mention is made of them seeking to calm the Noldor and ask that logic and thoughtfulness prevail over a decision that will be the biggest many of the Noldor have made--or ever will. While there is truth to the popular notion that hindsight is 20/20, it does seem that Finarfin is the only one of the Finwions to set his emotions aside long enough to recommend a reasonable course of action.



2. "An intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius -- and a lot of courage -- to move in the opposite direction."
Hoshang N. Akhtar

When debating Finarfin's courage--or lack thereof--what I commonly see brought up as evidence of his cowardice is the fact that he returned to the "gilded cage" of Valinor while his brothers and kinsmen went on to live wild and free, fighting Melkor, in Middle-earth.

What were Finarfin's reasons for turning back while the others went on? The Silmarillion ("Of the Flight of the Noldor") cites "being filled with grief, and with bitterness against the House of Fëanor, because of his kinship with Olwë of Alqualondë." Although it is mentioned in a previous paragraph that the Doom of Mandos caused many to "quail" and return to Valinor, Finafin's choice is not mentioned here but later, leading me to interpret that his own forsaking of the journey--although occuring shortly after others did the same for reasons of fear--was in fact for other reasons. If fear was the reason for Finarfin turning back, why did he not turn back right away, as soon as the Doom was spoken? Why did he continue on--albeit for only a short time--and increase the likelihood that the Valar would turn him away at his return?

And did Finarfin, in fact, forsake the initial goal of the Noldorin departure to Middle-earth? Or did he forsake what that journey became, following the kinslaying? "Of the Flight of the Noldor" gives Finarfin the same initial reasons for departing Tirion as his brother Fingolfin: "...he would not be sundered from his people that were eager to go, nor leave them to the rash counsels of Fëanor." While it is said that Finarfin was most loathe to depart of the brothers, he is attributed no hesitation, despite making plain his wishes to wait until less emotional, more reasonable counsel. (Imagine, on the other hand, if Fingolfin or especially Fëanor was so heartily denied his wishes! He would probably remain in Tirion just to be spiteful.) Once the kinslaying occured, though, the journey that began as an attempt to avenge the evil forces directly responsible for the unjust death of Finwë turned into something much more malevolent--an attack on innocent people--and it was this journey that Finarfin forsook. For him to continue, he was lending his support to the murder of his wife's people.

I would argue also that the return to Valinor was an act of courage. Finarfin, after all, had no idea what awaited him there. While he was given the pardon of the Valar eventually, on the journey home, this still remained an uncertainty. He was cursed along with the rest of the Noldor, and he had carried on with them for some time after the kinslaying. The Valar, by rights, could have insisted upon his exile and forced him to return to his brothers' march. Neither did he know to what family he returned: All of his children followed Fingolfin, and after following the host that had slain the Teleri, he was not even guaranteed his wife's good regard. Nor did he know the state of Tirion following the absconding of the majority of the Noldor, the death of the Trees, and the murder of Finwë. The unknowns into which he returned were equal to those sought by his brothers.



3. "The most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders are born... in fact, the opposite is true. Leaders are made rather than born."
Warren G. Bennis

Imagine walking home from school or work tomorrow, opening your front door, and being greeted by someone waiting in your living room to tell you that you are the new leader of your people.

Imagine that person going on to tell you that your nation has just been dealt the most serious terrorist attack in its history. 90% of your people have now fled the country. The Sun has gone out, so it's uncertain how food will be grown and homes will be heated. Oh, and the 90% of the people who have fled the country have rioted and murdered on their way out, and so now you've made yourself some keen national enemies. Now how will you deal with it?

Finarfin was faced with just that upon his return to Tirion, and unlike his brothers, he never expected--nor are we given any reason to believe that he hoped--to be king. In fact, if you assume that his children, nieces, and nephews had only the children they are attributed in The Silmarillion (ignoring the fact that many who are acknowledged in HoMe as being married--such as Maglor--quite likely may have had a brood unto themselves) and you assume that females are not allowed to inherit the position as Big Cheese of the Noldor, Finarfin had twelve relatives ahead of him in line for the kingship at the time of the Rebellion. Given that Elves are immortal and marriage and children are the natural course of life for them, by the time those twelve relatives would have gotten bored of their duties as king--if this happened at all--they would have enough descendants to assure that Finarfin was never forced to wear the crown.

Still, Finarfin took on the duties of high king at one of the most volatile and difficult times in the history of the Noldor. He did so, presumably, without preparation. (I maintain this based on the fact that Finwë had no reason to believe his third-born would ever be king and so likely would not have prepared him as he would have prepared Fëanor and Fingolfin, as well as the fact that--never in The Silmarillion--is Finarfin mentioned as harboring the same ambitions as his brothers, even after he is told of Fëanor's supposed treachery by Melkor.) Still, judging by the fact that the Noldor survive to battle Melkor at the end of the First Age, he didn't botch his duties terribly, and the Noldor not only survived but seem to restore relations with the other Eldar, including the Teleri, given their willingness to serve beside the Noldor at the end of the First Age.



4. "The greater difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests."
Epicurus

In talking to people about Finarfin this month, I often make a brave admission: I think that Finarfin had the toughest job of any of the kings of the Noldor. Yes, tougher than Finwë, who brought his people to Valinor. Certainly tougher than Fëanor and Maedhros, who--despite my love and sympathy for these characters--punctuated their respective kingships with one foolish deed after another. Yes, even more difficult than Fingolfin, who maintained the Seige of Angband--and need I even then bring up Fingon, Turgon, and Gil-Galad, in the wake of such luminaries?

On the surface, it seems like running back to the relative safety of Valinor and hiding out in the beautifully wrought Tirion would make Finarfin's job the easiest. But, as I mentioned earlier, to what did he actually return? Most of his people were gone--including, presumably most of the leaders (considering that the track record wasn't so hot among the princes and princesses, including his own children)--and the Trees were dead. Imagine an attack by an enemy strong enough to take out the Moon or sink an entire continent...I imagine this to be equivalent to the shock that the Elves felt when the Two Trees were annihilated by Melkor and Ungoliant. Any notion of safety in Valinor had been destroyed, and the lack of the Light of the Trees poses interesting dilemmas that--as far as I know--are not addressed in the canon. True, it is canonically within the power of the Valar to put "sleep" upon living things and prevent their deaths from lack of light ("Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor"), but this does not address the psychological effects of being plunged suddenly into darkness, nor the chaos that might have ensued in a land where there was never darkness and never reason to prepare for it.

Furthermore, I have often heard the number "ninety percent" given as the percentage of Noldor who fled Valinor (although, checking my sources, I cannot find a canon source for this number). Assuming this is at least approximately correct, imagine the essential work being left undone (and likely, much needed) by farmers, craftsmen, and healers who had left with Fëanor and Fingolfin's people; imagine further the psychological effects upon those people remaining whose families had chosen exile. While Fëanor and Fingolfin had the bulk of labor and skill in their company, Finarfin was left with little with which to work, including no "support staff" of princes, princesses, and family members.

In addition to that, I do not imagine that the Noldor were viewed favorably by the other Elves following the kinslaying. Doubts might have arisen that some who had "quailed" at the Doom of Mandos played a role in the tragedy at Alqualondë; others--including Finarfin himself--were present and did not immediately forsake the journey, calling into question their own roles in the kinslaying. Certainly, both the Teleri and the Noldor were suffering gravely at this time, and I do not think it an unreasonable assumption that the Teleri were more likely to earn general sympathy and assistance in the times immediately following the Rebellion and first kinslaying.

Finarfin, it seems, was left with almost insurmountable tasks and very little help. While his brothers faced many of the challenges that he did, they were permitted the right to begin anew in a new land, and they had a much larger host and so much greater support. Finarfin was left to untangle the ragged threads of a ruined people and a ruined civilization...and almost entirely on his own.



5. "Children are likely to live up to what you believe of them."
Claudia Alta Taylor Johnson

Even Tolkien asserts that much evil might have been avoided had Finwë been content with the son he'd fathered with Miriel: but he adds that the world would have been denied the children of Fingolfin and Finarfin, who in their turn did deeds without which the world would be a lesser place ("Of Fëanor and the Unchaining of Melkor"). While Finarfin may have returned to serve the remnant of his people in Tirion, it is undeniable that he nonetheless impacted Middle-earth through the deeds of his children.

Without Finrod, the first Silmaril would never have been recovered from Melkor. It never would have been given to Elwing, and the Valarin assistance in bringing Melkor (at last) to justice at the end of the First Age would have been further stalled--or never happened at all. Without the work of Galadriel, the events of the Third Age would have turned out very differently, and possibly, much more gravely.

While their cousins made war, the children of Finarfin often made friendships and alliances that proved more powerful than swords in shaping the history of Middle-earth and returning some measure of dignity to the exiled Noldor. In particular, the actions of Finrod and Galadriel reflect the ideals also embraced by their father, and so Finarfin's peaceful influence also took a positive hold in Middle-earth, creating for him a legacy that surpasses a list of battles won and lands claimed.



Acknowledgements and Sources
Of course, my well worn loved copy of The Silmarillion was instrumental in compiling facts and quotes for this essay.

Thanks also to fanged_geranium for her excellent work on compiling character research for the silwritersguild, making it so much easier to find the quotes and information that I needed.

The quotes I used to illustrate each of my points were found with the help of quoteworld.org.

As usual, I am happy to accept comments and criticism on my writing, as well as disputes or additions to my use and interpretation of canon.

Comments

[kaikias.livejournal.com]

Also, it's pretty evident that women weren't allowed to have anything to do with the High Kingship—else it'd likely have fallen into Idril's or Galadriel's lap at some point (and assuming you accept the daughters of Finwe, Findis, not Finarfin, would have ruled in Valinor).

[dawn_felagund]

Yeah, I didn't think that far down the line...but I suppose that after Gil-Galad's death, it would've gone to Galadriel.

Personally, I like the ancient Egyptian notion of female Kings!

I didn't include the daughters of Finwe. I try to stick to The Silmarillion, as HoMe gets too dicey for a non-canatic like me.

[kaikias.livejournal.com]

Mm. (I'm quite fond of the idea too, but then this is Tolkien, whose idea of a gender-blind society is one where women can do anything they want except govern or get involved in wars. Ah well, that's what AU fanfic* is for.) It's too far back to dig it up now, but I once plotted out how the inheritance would've gone were women allowed to inherit the throne, and it went something like this:

Finwe

In Aman:
Findis
Finarfin
Faniel, if we accept her existence
Indis (acting)

In exile:
Feanor
Maedhros (who abdicates in favor of...)
Fingolfin
Fingon
Turgon
Idril
Earendil
Elrond (I'm going to assume Aredhel is dead and Elrond's sons not born yet, so then we bounce to...)
Lalwen
Finrod
Orodreth (if we accept him as part of Finrod's generation)
Gil-Galad (if we consider him Orodreth's son, else put him after Fingon or Finrod; I assume Angrod and Aegnor have died by this point, so...)
Galadriel
Celebrian
Elladan or Elrohir (and if they've gone through this many kings and still need more, they deserve to lose, so I'll stop)

*Dammit, now I've got a bunny for an AU fic following the lives of people like Idril or Elrond when the High Kingship devolves on them like it never would have in canon.

[dawn_felagund]

Wow.... *is impressed* I'd never thought it out so far before and certainly never with the HoMe characters like the daughters of Finwe.

As for your plotbunny...I'll let you keep that one! You've latched enough of the little buggers onto my ankles this year! ;)

*carefully lifts feet from floor*

[kaikias.livejournal.com]

(...Oh, right, after E&E it goes to Arwen and is then unified with the kingship of Gondor in her and Aragorn's descendants.)

*laughs* I'd wave my little fist at you and heap curses on your head, but my brain is where bunnies go to die, as I never actually write any of them, so it's not so bad. :)

[aramel-calawen.livejournal.com]

Middle-Earth would have been a lot more interesting if there had been High Queens-- but if they got E&E killed, they do deserve to lose. And they would have, too, because I can't really see Arwen as High Queen. I keep thinking of this potential exchange:

Messenger: Your Majesty, we need to arm our forces now!

Arwen: (vaguely) Oh... er... that's good. I'll sew you a banner.