Was feanor evil?

[sirfiggin]

Feanor was sort of like an express train; not in himself evil but once he heads in a particular direction and gains momentum, he's almost impossible to stop, no matter what gets in the way. Also, in a way, the silmarils were like the Ring, in that their power was so great that they could drive even the strongest wills to do terrible things, even against their better judgement.

[Stabbyman]

thats an interesting thought, but the silmarils were self concious in a limited way and pure, thus them hurting beings of evil but not those who are good. i.e. beren luthien, morgoth having a screaming headache 24/7 while wearing them.
lust for they're beauty was all that drove people to want them. that and the curse of mandos that becamse so wrapped up in they're fate.

[Harabec]

Feanor's decision to not use the silmarils to save the trees of light was a real dick move imo
I think they only needed one or two silmarils, so he'd still be left with one, and everyone would be praising him for saving the world from darkness
then theres the whole kinslaying and burning of the boats and such...

[JorisofHolland]

Feanor's decision to not use the silmarils to save the trees of light was a real dick move imo
I think they only needed one or two silmarils, so he'd still be left with one, and everyone would be praising him for saving the world from darkness
then theres the whole kinslaying and burning of the boats and such...

He did not refuse to hand over the Silmarils: Morgoth slayed his father and took them before he could make a decision.

[Harabec]

I remember it differently, but read it so long ago I could be wrong. At the least he was seriously considering not handing them over.

[A_Dane]

Feanor wasn't gonna give up the silmarils unless he was forced. (He said so when questioned after the tress died).

Anyway, no i would not Feanor was evil. He's actions were at best, questionable, at worst truly horrid, but from his own point of view, the others had all betrayed him.

[Stabbyman]

Feanor wasn't gonna give up the silmarils unless he was forced. (He said so when questioned after the tress died).

Anyway, no i would not Feanor was evil. He's actions were at best, questionable, at worst truly horrid, but from his own point of view, the others had all betrayed him.

feanor is perhaps the greatest tragedy of the noldor. had he been able to restrain his wrath they would have been able to present a united front and perhaps the wars against angband would have gone alittle better

[JorisofHolland]

I remember it differently, but read it so long ago I could be wrong. At the least he was seriously considering not handing them over.

It's not mentioned (at least, not in the Dutch version) for when Aulë says: 'wait, he hasn't decided yet' messengers arrive carrying word of the theft of the Silmarils, giving Fëanor no choice at all.

[A_Dane]

feanor is perhaps the greatest tragedy of the noldor. had he been able to restrain his wrath they would have been able to present a united front and perhaps the wars against angband would have gone alittle better

Don't think so to be entirely honest, he had a vision on his deathbed, that they would never succeed without help. I think it would apply if he had restrained himself too

[Stabbyman]

Don't think so to be entirely honest, he had a vision on his deathbed, that they would never succeed without help. I think it would apply if he had restrained himself too

you misread me.
i did'nt say they would have won. i said they would have gone a little better. i.e. perhaps not every last single kingdom would have been burnt and crushed by the time the valar showed up.

[A_Dane]

Oh my bad :p well, who knows? they might not have come at all, as what happened in the silmarillion wouldn't have happened in that "alternative" timeline.

[The Edain]

Feanor, I wouldn't say he was evil as such. He was a genius amoung elves, one of the most powerful and gifted to ever of existed, but due to this he was over-confident and arrogant. A flawed man, with his pride in his work over-shadowing anything else such as logic, it lead to major events like the Kin-slaying and the burning of the ships.

I'd say a flawed, confused and mentally unstable man; Not evil per say.

[ArmyCharger]

getting slain by even an army of balrogs still sucks when your babybrother scared the out of one of the most powerful Valar AND his entire army, including all his damned balrogs, and went on to chop that Valars foot off. Balrogs aren't all that badass, a single human can kill them.

I think this pretty much sums it up:

he was not evil, he was just an arrogant dickhead

[Stabbyman]

getting slain by even an army of balrogs still sucks when your babybrother scared the out of one of the most powerful Valar AND his entire army, including all his damned balrogs, and went on to chop that Valars foot off. Balrogs aren't all that badass, a single human can kill them.

I think this pretty much sums it up:

]single human killed balrog when?

[Vaul]

Everybody says that he was not evil, but rather flawed, arrogant, impulsive, cruel, brilliant but misguided etc...

What's the difference between that and evil, really? Broadly speaking, we're talking about the same flaws of character that facilitates "evil", as an effect of an action rather that the cause...

Sauron wants to take over the world - evil motivation
Sauron kills people - evil action (by most standards)
People are dead because of Sauron - evil effect of an action

Feanor wants his Silmarils back - good motivation?
Feanor kills people (not counting orcs, they deserve it) -
People are dead -

Can we really take the risk of loose standards when considering evil?

[delra]

I think Silmarils would burn his hand if he ever got them back. Anyone disagrees? :-)

[Mikail Mengsk]

They did burn the hands of Maglor and Maedhros, didn't they?

[delra]

Yup, they had to throw them away which is among lamest endings of books I've ever read. ;-)

[sirfiggin]

Yup, they had to throw them away which is among lamest endings of books I've ever read. ;-)

I think only Maeglor threw his away while Maeglin jumped in a volcano

[Mikail Mengsk]

Maeglin was already died long ago. Maedhros.