Finarfin

Finarfin (IPA: [fiˈnarfin]) is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, featured in The Silmarillion.

Personality

Unlike the warlike Fëanor and Fingolfin, Finarfin was something of a pacifist. This could be attributed in part to his Vanyarin heritage from his mother Indis.

His wife Eärwen was of the Telerin people and their marriage was one of the ties of friendship between the two kindreds. Eärwen's best friend was also Anairë, Fingolfin's wife.

Though faithful to his brothers, Finarfin did not travel to Middle-earth due to the guilt he felt after the Doom of the Noldor was pronounced and over the murder of many of his wife's people in Alqualondë by his own people, despite his personal innocence.

Family

Finarfin was the third son and youngest child of Finwë. Finarfin's mother was Finwë's second wife Indis. Fëanor was his half-brother and Fingolfin his full brother. His sisters were Findis and Irimë. He married Eärwen, princess of the Teleri. He had four children: Finrod Felagund, Angrod, Aegnor and Galadriel. Orodreth appears as one of Finarfin's sons in the published Silmarillion; in Tolkien's later writings however he clearly is Angrod's son. Christopher Tolkien used an older version of the genealogy in the Silmarillion, but later described this as a mistake.^[1] Finarfin was said to be the fairest and wisest of Finwë's sons. Like all of Finwë's sons, Finarfin founded his own house. Uniquely among the Noldor he and his descendants all had golden hair inherited from his mother, so his house was sometimes called "The Golden House of Finarfin".

Finarfin was the Sindarin form of his name. His name in Quenya was Arafinwë, "Noble-Finwë".

Earlier versions

Finarfin was called Finrod in earlier versions of the Middle-earth mythology (even in the First Edition of The Lord of the Rings); his son Finrod Felagund was called Inglor Felagund. This was changed in later editions, but not all references to Finrod were changed to Finarfin, nor all references to Inglor removed; see Gildor Inglorion.

Eventual fate

After the death of Finwë, he departed with his brothers Fëanor and Fingolfin for Middle-earth, but turned back when Mandos pronounced the Doom of the Noldor. Finarfin became King of the residual Noldor and presumably still rules from Tirion on Túna. He was the captain of the Noldor of Aman in the decisive War of Wrath against Morgoth.

House of Finarfin

See also

• Gil-galad
• House of Finwë

References