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maitimo:
I’ll try to write something more coherent and analytical about this later, perhaps but right now I’m just… casually contemplating the fact that I read Maedhros as Such A Better Person than Thingol….. despite having actively murdering thousands of innocent people.
Mostly because all of Maedhros’s crimes were the result of his best effort to avoid them not being enough? And even though those actions were horrific, the fact that he put everything he had into trying to keep his family together, and the Noldor together, and honestly the whole continent together, for as long as he could, is really compelling to me.
But Thingol was just going around being an ass with very little provocation. I think about the sealed borders of Doriath, shutting out not only forces of the Enemy but innocent mortal men and all of the Noldor, while still presuming kingship over those lands that he refused to protect, and I think about how, at that very same time, Maedhros was putting himself at the very front lines of the war against Morgoth, in sight of Angband, after being tortured for thirty years, and taking responsibility for that fight despite having ceded his crown.
I also sometimes compare their respective approaches to not only elf politics, but elf-dwarf politics! Maedhros personally performed some heroic act for Azaghal’s benefit, presumably coming to the aid of dwarves in battle, and crafted a valued military alliance. (Plus he got a classy dragon helm as a freebie, #foreignpolicywin.) Doriath’s relationship with the dwarves started out on a very rough note, and I don’t blame Thingol for that specifically, but Doriath’s relationship with the dwarves ended with Thingol trying to cheat them of a cultural artifact and getting murdered. This doesn’t show Thingol to be a monster, and not even a criminal - certainly not on the scale of the Sons of Feanor. It just… kind of shows him to be a dick?
My biggest grudge against Thingol is role in the Beren and Luthien’s silmaril theft escapade. Taking the Oath was a huge error in judgement on Maedhros’s part, and that had horrendous consequences, but arguably there were some reasonable motivations in play that could make the oath seem like a good idea at the time!
But here Thingol goes, throwing the weight of Maedhros’s oath at his not-yet-son-in-law just because? He feels like it? He wanted to threaten Beren with death at the hands of not only Morgoth, but the sons of Feanor for extra security. Not only is that obviously rude to Beren, but he is using Maedhros and his brothers to fight his battles, weaponizing their ruthlessness even as he condemns them for their willingness to kill. Should Beren miraculously succeed, Thingol was prepared to manipulate the Feanorians through their binding oath into carrying out his dirty work, keeping his own hands clean.
To be clear: Maedhros still absolutely bears responsibility for the people that he killed, and moreso the people that he ordered to kill, but I also hold Thingol accountable for willingly and deliberately forcing his hand.
Essentially: From what I have seen and interpreted of his character, Maedhros would have a much a better king than Thingol if he weren’t a mass murderer, but he is, so he’s not, and I resent that!
@urloth @greenekangaroo
(Your picture was not posted)
maitimo:
I’ll try to write something more coherent and analytical about this later, perhaps but right now I’m just… casually contemplating the fact that I read Maedhros as Such A Better Person than Thingol….. despite having actively murdering thousands of innocent people.
Mostly because all of Maedhros’s crimes were the result of his best effort to avoid them not being enough? And even though those actions were horrific, the fact that he put everything he had into trying to keep his family together, and the Noldor together, and honestly the whole continent together, for as long as he could, is really compelling to me.
But Thingol was just going around being an ass with very little provocation. I think about the sealed borders of Doriath, shutting out not only forces of the Enemy but innocent mortal men and all of the Noldor, while still presuming kingship over those lands that he refused to protect, and I think about how, at that very same time, Maedhros was putting himself at the very front lines of the war against Morgoth, in sight of Angband, after being tortured for thirty years, and taking responsibility for that fight despite having ceded his crown.
I also sometimes compare their respective approaches to not only elf politics, but elf-dwarf politics! Maedhros personally performed some heroic act for Azaghal’s benefit, presumably coming to the aid of dwarves in battle, and crafted a valued military alliance. (Plus he got a classy dragon helm as a freebie, #foreignpolicywin.) Doriath’s relationship with the dwarves started out on a very rough note, and I don’t blame Thingol for that specifically, but Doriath’s relationship with the dwarves ended with Thingol trying to cheat them of a cultural artifact and getting murdered. This doesn’t show Thingol to be a monster, and not even a criminal - certainly not on the scale of the Sons of Feanor. It just… kind of shows him to be a dick?
My biggest grudge against Thingol is role in the Beren and Luthien’s silmaril theft escapade. Taking the Oath was a huge error in judgement on Maedhros’s part, and that had horrendous consequences, but arguably there were some reasonable motivations in play that could make the oath seem like a good idea at the time!
But here Thingol goes, throwing the weight of Maedhros’s oath at his not-yet-son-in-law just because? He feels like it? He wanted to threaten Beren with death at the hands of not only Morgoth, but the sons of Feanor for extra security. Not only is that obviously rude to Beren, but he is using Maedhros and his brothers to fight his battles, weaponizing their ruthlessness even as he condemns them for their willingness to kill. Should Beren miraculously succeed, Thingol was prepared to manipulate the Feanorians through their binding oath into carrying out his dirty work, keeping his own hands clean.
To be clear: Maedhros still absolutely bears responsibility for the people that he killed, and moreso the people that he ordered to kill, but I also hold Thingol accountable for willingly and deliberately forcing his hand.
Essentially: From what I have seen and interpreted of his character, Maedhros would have a much a better king than Thingol if he weren’t a mass murderer, but he is, so he’s not, and I resent that!
@urloth @greenekangaroo
(Your picture was not posted)
