The Silmarillion, Then Fëanor swore a terrible oath. His seven sons leapt straightway to his side and took the selfsame vow together, and red as blood shone their drawn swords in the glare of the torches. They swore an oath which none shall break, and none should take, by the name even of Illúvatar, calling the Everlasting Dark upon them if they kept it not; and Manwë they named in witness, and Varda, and the hallowed mountain of Taniquetil, vowing to pursue with vengeance and hatred to the ends of the World Vala, Demon, Elf or Man as yet unborn, or any creature, great or small, good or evil, that time should bring forth unto the end of days, whoso should hold or take or keep a Silmaril from their possession.
An earlier version of this oath from around 1925 appears in The History of Middle-earth, volume 3, which says:
Be he friend or foe or foul offspring
of Morgoth Bauglir, be he mortal dark
that in after days on earth shall dwell,
shall no law nor love nor league of Gods,
no might nor mercy, not moveless fate,
defend him for ever from the fierce vengeance
of the sons of Fëanor, whoso seize or steal
or finding keep the fair enchanted
globes of crystal whoso glory dies not,
the Silmarils. We have sworn for ever!
How does Fëanor's Oath haunt the rest of The Silmarillion? Why is the concept of making and/or breaking an oath or vow so important in Tolkien's works?
1 comment:
Fëanor's Oath haunts the rest of The Silmarillion because it leads to the kin-slayings. It's the primary reason for strife among the elves, isn't it? I think it's because this oath was made in revenge, and revenge has consequences.
I think making and breaking oaths in Tolkien's works is so important because in his world oaths are taken seriously. When someone makes an oath, they mean to do what they say. There's this medieval idea of honor in Middle-earth, and it's part of what makes some of the characters so admirable. Upholding an oath can take a lot of personal sacrifice. This sacrifice can make a character a hero, or it can force a character to commit atrocities.
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