Everything about Maedhros totally explained
Maedhros is a
fictional character in
J. R. R. Tolkien's
legendarium. First introduced in
The Silmarillion and later mentioned in
Unfinished Tales and
The Children of Húrin, he's one of the most enduring characters in
The Silmarillion, and has been the subject of paintings by artists such as
Jenny Dolfen and
Alan Lee.
In the books, Maedhros was the first son of
Fëanor, the creator of the
Silmarils that were essential to the plot and the history of
Middle-earth. Following his father in swearing to keep the Silmarils from being taken by anyone, he led the war against
Morgoth and others, and brought eventual ruin upon
him and his brothers.
Literature
Appearances
The Silmarillion
Little is mentioned about Maedhros's youth in
The Silmarillion. Born to Fëanor and Nerdanel during the Years of the Trees in
Aman, he was the eldest of their seven sons:
Maglor,
Celegorm,
Caranthir,
Curufin, and twins
Amras and
Amrod. With their father, they often travelled far and wide in Valinor, always seeking the unknown. During this time Maedhros befriended
Fingon, son of
Fingolfin, whose family Fëanor had no love for.
Following his father’s banishment from
Tirion, Maedhros lived in
Formenos with his family. They returned to Tirion, however, after Maedhros brought tidings of Finwë’s murder and the theft of the Silmarilli to his father and
Manwë in . Fëanor’s fiery words led the
Noldor to Middle-earth and the Fëanorians to swear their father’s terrible
oath to pursue anyone who kept the Silmarilli from their possession.
Although he participated in the
Kinslaying at Alqualondë, he stood aside at the burning of the ships at
Losgar; for when Fëanor and his sons secretly sailed to
Middle-earth, Maedhros had thought they'd return for Fingolfin and his host.
Although Fëanor was killed in the
Dagor-nuin-Giliath in,
Morgoth's forces suffered a crushing defeat. He sent peace emissaries and Maedhros agreed to treat with them. He brought more forces than had been agreed to the parley — for Maedhros wasn't fooled by Morgoth’s peace offers, but unknown to him,
Balrogs were among Morgoth’s party, and the Elven company was overwhelmed. Maedhros was taken captive and hung by the wrist of his right hand upon
Thangorodrim in great pain. For many years, he languished there while Fingolfin brought his hosts into
Middle-earth. In, Fingon found him, but Maedhros begged his friend to end his torment by shooting him with his bow. However, with the help of
Thorondor, Fingon freed him by cutting off Maedhros’s right hand. This daring rescue, along with Maedhros’ repentance for the desertion of Fingolfin's hosts in
Araman and relinquishment of his claim as Finwë’s heir to kingship over all the Noldor in favour of his uncle (which last caused the Fëanorians to be known as “the Dispossessed”), did much to repair the ill feelings between the
House of Fingolfin and the
House of Fëanor.
His brothers, however, were not all pleased by their eldest brother’s actions, and Maedhros, sensing that they'd cause feuds with their kinsmen, moved them out of
Mithrim and to the lands around the
Hill of Himring, which became known as the
March of Maedhros. Allied with Fingolfin, he won the battle of
Dagor Aglareb and set the
Siege of Angband. The siege was broken, however, in the
Dagor Bragollach in which many Elven kingdoms were destroyed. Due to Maedhros's valour and deadly skill with the sword, Himring was successfully defended, though it was surrounded by the enemy. This led many of the survivors from
East Beleriand and
Dorthonion to rally to Maedhros. He would be the first Noldor Lord to recapture lost lands when he regained the pass of Aglon and closed it to the hosts of Angband.
Taking hope upon hearing the deeds of
Beren and
Lúthien, he gathered his brothers, and united with other Elven Houses to create the
Union of Maedhros, an alliance of Elves,
Men, and
Dwarves to drive the
Orcs from
Beleriand and lay siege to Morgoth’s fortress of
Angband. Under his leadership, the Union won several battles and regained the territory lost in the
Dagor Bragollach. When the joint attack on Angband itself was to be launched, Maedhros was delayed due to the treachery of an
Easterling,
Uldor the Accursed, who was a spy of Morgoth in the service of Caranthir, and the forces of the Union were utterly destroyed in the
Nírnaeth Arnoediad. Himring was taken by the Orcs and the Sons of Fëanor were wounded. They retreated to
Mount Dolmed, and eventually came to live with the
Nandor in
Ossiriand.
During, the brothers learnt of the possession of the
Silmaril recovered by Beren and Lúthien in the hands of
Dior, the new King of
Doriath. Maedhros restrained his brothers’ urge to attack, and instead, sent a message to Dior demanding that he yield the Silmaril to them, but Dior ignored it. Celegorm’s words convinced the Fëanorians to launch an assault. Thus Doriath was destroyed and Dior was killed and the brothers emerged victorious, but the brothers Celegorm, Curufin and Caranthir were slain and the Silmaril wasn't recovered. Upon learning that Celegorm’s servants had sent Dior’s twin sons,
Eluréd and
Elurín, to starve in a dark forest, Maedhros went on a long search for them, but it proved to be fruitless.
Maedhros and his surviving brothers then dwelt on
Amon Ereb in
East Beleriand. When they heard that Elwing, who had escaped from Doriath with the Silmaril, was now living at the Havens of
Sirion. Maedhros, repenting of his deeds at Doriath, foreswore his oath and counselled against trying to regain the jewel by force. But the unfulfilment of the oath came to torment the brothers heavily, so they sent messages of friendship but with firm demands to surrender the Silmaril. However, the people refused, arguing that they couldn't negotiate while their leader and Elwing's husband,
Eärendil, was away at sea. In, the Fëanorians attacked Sirion — but
Elwing cast herself and the jewel into the sea and they didn't gain what they sought. Elwing was ultimately rescued by the power of
Ulmo and reunited with Eärendil in the West. Of
Eärendil and Elwing's sons,
Elrond and
Elros, Maedhros and Maglor took captive, but treated them gently and kindly.
After the
War of Wrath, Maedhros and Maglor, the last of the sons of Fëanor, told
Eönwë that the remaining two Silmarils captured from Morgoth should be given to them, but Eönwë replied that the Silmarils wouldn't suffer them to hold them and that the brothers had to face judgement from the
Valar in Aman. Maglor was willing to listen, but Maedhros reminded Maglor that in their oath, they'd sworn that none, even the Valar, could release them from their oath, and because of this, it would curse them into committing evil deeds in Aman. Resigned, the brothers stole the Silmarils, but the jewels burned their hands because of all the evil deeds they'd committed. Unable to endure the suffering, Maedhros threw himself, and the Silmaril that he bore, into a fiery chasm of the Earth, thus ending his life.
Characteristics
In
Aman, he was of the
Noldorin line for kingship — hence his father-name,
Nelyafinwë, which was
Quenya for "
Finwë the third [insuccession]" — but unlike his royal kin, Maedhros had
auburn hair inherited from his maternal grandfather,
Mahtan, whom Maedhros was said to be alike in face and disposition. He was mostly referred to as
Maitimo — his mother-name for "well-shaped one", for he was noted for his comeliness, but was known as
Russandol, his
epessë for "copper-top", to his friends and family. His tremendous height earned him the appellation,
the Tall, but his far more notable deeds in
Middle-earth made him a crucial player as one of the Seven Sons of Fëanor in the
Quenta Silmarillion.
Concept and creation
Etymology
Maedhros's
Old English name is
Doegred Winsterhand (Ang. 'Doegred'=dawn, daybreak, 'Winsterhand'=left-handed).
Christopher Tolkien thinks that Doegred is a reference to the colour of Maedhros's hair, though this isn't certain. Tolkien, when deciding Maedhros’s name, came up with the sound of it first, and then decided a suitable meaning for the word. The translation of Maedhros was originally “glitter of metal”, but was later changed to “well-formed/shapely copper” . Tolkien explained that the translations of the
Sindarin roots were meant to match the meaning of Maedhros’s Quenya names,
Maitimo and
Russandol. However, around the last four years of his life, Tolkien encountered a problem when he realized that he'd stated that
ros, which was meant in reference to Maedhros’s reddish-brown hair, translated into “spray/spindrift”. He later made a note suggesting that he might change Maedhros to Maedron instead.
Tolkien wrote Maedhros's name as 'Maedros' or 'Maidros' in early versions. When the latter name first appears in drafts, however, it doesn't designate the eldest son of Fëanor, but his grandfather: Fëanor's father was originally named Bruithwir-go-Maidros.
Character arc
The Dragon-helm of
Dor-lómin was given to Maedhros by
Azaghâl during the First Age, in gratitude for saving the life of the Dwarf-lord, with whom Maedhros forged an alliance. Maedhros later passed it on to Fingon in proof of their friendship. In earlier drafts, it isn't the Dragon-helm Maedhros gives to Fingon, but the
Elfstone, which Maedhros received from his dying father.
The fate of the Silmarils undergo changes through all three drafts (in which Christopher Tolkien dubs S, QI, QII) of
The Silmarillion. In S, Maglor alone steals the Silmaril and casts himself into a pit after Maedhros and Maglor submit themselves to Eönwë, while Maedhros breaks the lost Silmarils retrieved and restores the light back to the
Two Trees. In QI, it's Maedhros who is convinced by Maglor to regain the Silmarils, but is captured by Eönwë. Maedhros, in his imprisonment, then slays himself and throws the Silmaril on the ground, which is then taken to the Valar. Maglor, however, throws his Silmaril in the fiery pit and wanders by the shore. In QII, the fate of Maedhros and Maglor remains the same as in the published
Silmarillion. Although it was Maglor who, in
The Silmarillion, took pity on the sons of Elwing, earlier versions portrayed Maedhros as the one who saved Elrond (Elros not appearing until later drafts).
Further Information
Get more info on 'Maedhros'.
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