Amrod
Amrod | |
---|---|
Noldo | |
"Amrod and Amras, sons of Feanor" by Jenny Dolfen | |
Biographical Information | |
Other names | Telufinwë (Q, fn), Ambarussa or Umbarto/Ambarto (Q, mn) Atyarussa (Q, epessë) Amarthan (S) |
Location | Tirion; East Beleriand |
Affiliation | Oath of Fëanor |
Language | Quenya and Sindarin |
Birth | after Y.T. 1190 Tirion |
Death | F.A. 538 Mouths of Sirion |
Family | |
House | House of Fëanor |
Parentage | Fëanor & Nerdanel |
Siblings | Maedhros, Maglor, Celegorm, Caranthir, Curufin and Amras (twin) |
Physical Description | |
Gender | Male |
Hair color | Dark red |
Amrod (died in F.A. 538) was the sixth of the seven Sons of Fëanor.[1][2] Amras was his twin brother, and the younger of the two.[3] Although they greatly resembled each other in face and mood, Amrod's hair became a darker shade than Amras's after childhood.[3]
History
He joined his brothers in the Oath of Fëanor, but his mother Nerdanel begged that either he or Amras be left behind, believing in her heart that one would not return. Fëanor, however, refused her this kindness, and the quest for the Silmarils cost them both their lives. Though "in later days [after departing from Aman] they were great hunters in the woods of Middle-earth,"[1] and they did not greatly participate in the northern Siege of Angband,[4] both were lost in the Third Kinslaying at the Mouths of Sirion in The Silmarillion.[5]
Etymology
Amrod's father-name in Quenya was Telufinwë, "Last [of] Finwë", for he was the last of the sons of the House of Finwë and its short form was Telvo. His mother-name was originally Ambarussa ("Top-russet", referring to his hair), the same as his twin Amras, but Fëanor insisted that the twins ought to have different names and Nerdanel prophetically called him Umbarto, "The Fated" (from umbar = "fate"). His father, disturbed by it, changed it to Ambarto, "Upwards-exalted" (from amba = "upwards, top" and arta ="exalted", "lofty"). Nevertheless both twins called each other Ambarussa. Others most often called him Atyarussa, which means "Second-russa".[6]
Amrod is the Sindarization of Ambarto,[6] while Amarthan is the Sindarization of Umbarto.[6]
Genealogy
Other versions of the legendarium
In The Peoples of Middle-earth, there is a short legend of a different fate for Amrod which results in a separation of the twins that does not appear elsewhere. In this legend, which exists in a draft created as an account for the names of the sons of Fëanor, the reason for Amrod's initial mother name Umbarto 'fated' is revealed. Also, the twins were reversed in this legend, and Amrod ('Umbarto' or 'Ambarto') becomes the younger and Amras ('Ambarussa') the elder.[3]
In Y.T. 1497 Amrod was accidentally killed in the swan ships of the Teleri when his father ordered them to be burnt at Losgar. According to the Shibboleth, Amrod claimed (to Amras) to have felt uncomfortable sleeping on the ground after the Noldor landed on the Lammoth. It was thought later that he wished to return to his mother in the ship after being shocked by his father's deeds in Alqualondë. Fëanor was probably aware of his dissension, and this may have been one of the elements in his decision to burn the ships even before all the food and stores had been removed. Yet he was dismayed when he learned of his son's death but covered his pain with bravado and stated, when Amras asked if he woke up Amrod before burning the ship he was on:
"'That ship I destroyed first,' said Fëanor (hiding his own dismay). 'Then rightly you gave the name to the youngest of your children,' said Ambarussa, 'and Umbarto "the Fated" was its true form. Fell and fey are you become.' And after that no one dared speak again to Fëanor of this matter."
—J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "XI. The Shibboleth of Fëanor", "The names of the Sons of Fëanor"
In earlier stages of the Legendarium, Fëanor's sons had different slightly different names. Amrod used to be called Damrod.[7]
In the published The Silmarillion and in earlier texts, he is said to have lived south of his brother's domains in the wide-plains of East Beleriand and ruled with his twin Amras over lands west of the Blue Mountains.[source?]
There is no trace of the death of Amrod at Losgar in the published The Silmarillion, as it was a very late idea by Tolkien, omitted by Christopher Tolkien as he did not at the time see how it could be incorporated into the primary text of The Silmarillion.[source?] Even in The Silmarillion his life and death happen alongside his brother's and not as an individual role.
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Eldamar and the Princes of the Eldalië"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Flight of the Noldor"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "XI. The Shibboleth of Fëanor", "The names of the Sons of Fëanor"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Beleriand and its Realms"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, "From The Shibboleth of Fëanor" (edited by Carl F. Hostetter), in Vinyar Tengwar, Number 41, July 2000
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "IV. The Nauglafring", pp. 241, 251