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Chapter 19
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Silmarillion, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Unity vs. Division
Fate, Doom, and Free Will
Pride and Arrogance
Greed, Jealousy, and Obsession
Inevitable Loss
Myth and Memory
Summary
Analysis
Beren and Lúthien return to Doriath, and Melian, realizing Lúthien is mortal, faces the heavy grief of their permanent separation beyond the end of the world. They then travel alone to Ossiriand, where history loses track of them. Dior, their son and Thingol’s heir, is born there.
Melian, as a Maia, is bound to the world until the end of time and faces eternal separation from Lúthien. This separation begins not with Lúthien’s death, but with her departure from Doriath and her disappearance from the elven world.
Themes
Maedhros, hearing about the deeds of Beren and Lúthien, realizes that Morgoth isn’t invulnerable. Maedhros begins to gather a united force of elves to fight him, but Fëanor’s oath and the curse of Mandos work against him. Orodreth, angry at the sons of Fëanor, won’t send help. Only a small company from Nargothrond, led by Gwindor, joins the union. Thingol also refuses to join, since the sons of Fëanor want his Silmaril. The dwarves aid Maedhros, as do Fingon and the houses of men. Though the united armies drive back the orcs from northern Beleriand, Morgoth sends many spies among them.
Maedhros attempts to unite Beleriand against Morgoth, since Beren and Lúthien have proven that he’s fallible. Maedhros is thwarted, however, by the bitterness of some of the other elves towards the sons of Fëanor. Though a large portion of Beleriand joins the union, there are key pieces missing, and the effort is further divided by Morgoth’s interference—lies, spies, and suspicion.
Themes
Maedhros plans for them to attack Angband with his armies advancing from the east and Fingon’s from the west from Hithlum. On the day of the attack, Maedhros’s forces are delayed by the treachery of a man named Ulfang, but Turgon leads Gondolin’s army to join the siege. Morgoth knows the elves’ plan and sends orcs towards Hithlum to draw Fingon’s army out of the hills, but it holds its position.
Even before the battle has begun, Maedhros’s efforts are subverted by the interference of spies and traitors—both Morgoth’s meddling and the curse of the Noldor at work. Morgoth’s spies have informed him of the plan of the armies, and he seeks to ruin their dual ambush by delaying one group and goading the other into a premature fight.
Themes
Morgoth’s captain rides up to Fingon’s fortress with a prisoner—Gwindor’s brother, Gelmir—and warns the army that he’ll begin killing the prisoners in Angband as soon as he returns. He mutilates and kills Gelmir, leaving his body, and rides away. Gwindor leads the charge from the fortress and the army rides out after the orcs, killing them quickly and bursting through the gates of Angband. An ambush is waiting for them inside. All the first men through the gate except Gwindor are killed and the host of Fingon is driven into a retreat.
Gelmir’s death is only the first of many. By exploiting Gwindor’s love for his brother and his desire for revenge, Morgoth is successful in drawing Fingon’s army out of their defensive position and into an ambush. The battle is off to a bad start for Fingon’s army as it becomes clear that Morgoth was prepared for them. By delaying Maedhros’s army, Morgoth has isolated Fingon, making his army an easier target.
Themes
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A battle begins on the fourth day that the elves call the battle of Unnumbered Tears. Most of the men of Brethil are killed, and the armies of Hithlum are surrounded until Turgon arrives with reinforcements. Maedhros and his army finally arrive to attack the enemy from the rear. At the same time, Morgoth sends all his creatures out from Angband, separating Maedhros and Finrod’s armies. Ulfang’s men turn on Maedhros’s army, and other armies of men appear from the eastern hills to attack. Maedhros’s army is scattered, though all the sons of Fëanor escape.
The arrival of Maedhros’s army—and the surprising appearance of Turgon, who has finally decided to make the existence of Gondolin known to the world—turns the tide of the battle briefly in Beleriand’s favor. Morgoth, however, has the advantage of the spies and traitors he planted in Maedhros’s armies, and extra forces still in Angband that he sends out to divide the Union, preventing them from collaborating and crushing Morgoth’s forces between them.
Themes
Gothmog attacks the western battlefront and drives Turgon and Húrin to the east. Fingon faces him alone until another Balrog attacks him from behind. Gothmog strikes Fingon’s helmet with his axe, killing him.
Morgoth’s servants don’t fight honorably—they fight to win at any cost, turning traitor and betraying the rules of single combat. With Fingon dead, the Noldor lose their High King and the battle loses one of its leaders.
Themes
Turgon and Húrin hold the pass of Sirion together until Húrin, believing he’s about to die, urges Turgon to flee to Gondolin. Húrin covers Turgon’s retreat. The final stand of Húrin’s men is the most renowned deed of the early men. Húrin’s brother Huor and all his men are picked off until only Húrin stands. He wields his axe with both hands, killing orcs and shouting, “day shall come again,” a modified version of Fingon’s earlier battle cry, until he’s taken captive.
The fact that Húrin’s last stand is so revered by the elves reveals what qualities they value among men. Húrin is stubborn, selfless, and hopeful. His sacrifice means that Turgon’s forces survive the battle with a chance to defeat Morgoth another day, even if he won’t be there to see it happen.
Themes
Morgoth has successfully corrupted some groups of men and destroyed Fingon’s kingdom. The forces of Maedhros’s union are scattered or dead. Morgoth sends more men and orcs to harass the remaining allies. Many flee to the Havens, which Morgoth destroys the following year, killing or enslaving Círdan’s people. A few escape by sea to an island, including Círdan and Gil-galad. Círdan sends ships to the west seeking aid, but none reach Valinor, and only one messenger, Voronwë of Gondolin, ever returns.
After they lose the battle, Beleriand is profoundly divided. Scattered forces and settlements remain, plagued by Morgoth’s creatures. Some, led by Círdan, flee Middle-earth entirely, seeking shelter on the sea. As Beleriand is internally separated, it also remains cut off from Valinor’s aid by the enchantments the Valar placed on the coast.
Themes
Morgoth is troubled by the idea that Turgon (now technically the High King of the Noldor) escaped him. When he seeks information from Húrin, Húrin mocks him. As punishment, Morgoth curses him and his descendants with sorrow, then curses him again with a spell that forces him to watch his children suffer. Still, Húrin doesn’t ask for mercy or death. The orcs pile the bodies of the men and elves into a hill, and, eventually, grass grows over it—the only green place in Morgoth’s land.
Gondolin is the last untouched elven city, and Morgoth seeks to find and corrupt it. Húrin is not only undaunted while meeting Morgoth—he is openly scornful, and it earns him a dreadful curse. The curse is not self-fulfilling like the curse of the Noldor, however. Morgoth must carry it out or have his agents do so.
Themes
