Curufin
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Curufin | |
---|---|
Noldo | |
"Curufin the Crafty" by Marya Filatova | |
Biographical Information | |
Pronunciation | S, [ˈkʊrʊfɪn] |
Other names | "the Crafty" Curufinwë (Q, fn), Atarincë (Q, mn) |
Location | Tirion; Himlad |
Affiliation | Oath of Fëanor; Union of Maedhros |
Language | Quenya, Sindarin, Khuzdul[1] |
Birth | after Y.T. 1190 and before Y.T. 1497 Tirion |
Death | F.A. 506 Second Kinslaying: Menegroth |
Family | |
House | House of Fëanor |
Parentage | Fëanor & Nerdanel |
Siblings | Maedhros, Maglor, Celegorm, Caranthir, Amrod and Amras |
Children | Celebrimbor |
Physical Description | |
Gender | Male |
Hair color | Black |
Weaponry | Angrist |
Gallery | Images of Curufin |
Curufin was a Noldorin prince, the fifth of the seven sons of Fëanor and Nerdanel. Curufin was Fëanor's favorite and much like him in appearance, temperament, and skill. He was also the father of Celebrimbor, master jewel-smith of Eregion, who forged the three Elvish Rings of Power.
History
Flight of the Noldor
Curufin was born in Tirion during the Years of the Trees and he received the name Curufinwë (Q, pron. [ˌkuruˈfinwe]), same as his father. Because his father, uncles and brothers also all had father-names that ended with -finwë, Curufin was called Curvo (Q, pron. [ˈkurvɔ]) by his family. His mother-name was Atarinkë (Q, pron. [ˌataˈriŋkɛ]). While in Valinor, he married at some point, and had a son named Celebrimbor.[2]
As with the other sons of Fëanor, Curufin bound himself by an oath to recover his father's Silmarils, which had been stolen by the Dark Lord Morgoth. The Oath took him and his brothers to Endor during the First Age where they established realms in exile, waged war against the armies of Morgoth, fought their own Elvish kind, and eventually brought ruin upon themselves.
Life in Beleriand
Curufin dwelt with his brother Celegorm in Himlad, a pass that led into Kingdom of Doriath, which the two brothers fortified and held until the Dagor Bragollach. Following the battle, the two brothers were defeated and had to flee with their people to Nargothrond, where their cousin Finrod welcomed them.
Shortly after, Beren also came to Nargothrond to ask for aid from Finrod, who had made an oath to help Beren's ancestor. Finrod decided to help Beren, but Celegorm and Curufin, remembering their own oath, persuaded the people of Nargothrond not to follow him, and not to wage open war against Morgoth, making them fearful.
Finrod therefore had to leave with a handful of warriors, including Beren, and later died. His nephew Orodreth ruled in his stead.
Attack upon Beren
Later, Curufin and Celegorm went hunting with Celegorm's hound Huan and found Lúthien, daughter of Thingol, searching for Beren. Feigning to help her, they took her captive and brought her to Nargothrond, for Celegorm had become enamored and would have Thingol give him her hand. However, Huan helped Lúthien to flee, and they freed Beren and other thralls from Sauron. As these thralls returned, the people of Nargothrond perceived the two brother's treachery, and though Orodreth would not let them be slain, he cast them from Nargothrond.
The two brothers met Lúthien and Beren as they fled, and Curufin fought with the latter. Defeated, he had to flee with Celegorm, but sought to slay Lúthien even as he did, and shot Beren instead.
Because of Celegorm and Curufin's evil deeds, Thingol and Orodreth would not join the Union of Maedhros against Morgoth.
Death
Curufin fell in the Second Kinslaying, when the Sons of Fëanor attacked Doriath to seize a Silmaril in the possession of the King Dior the Beautiful. Celegorm and Caranthir died with him during the assault.
Etymology
Curufin is the Sindarinized version of his name Curufinwë, being a combination of curu ("skill") and the Sindarinized fin ("Finwë").[3]
Names
Curufin's father-name was Curufinwë ("Skillful [son of] Finwë"), the same father-name given to Fëanor. Because Curufin was Fëanor's favorite son, he chose to give him the same name. His mother-name was Atarinkë ("Little Father"), choosen because of his physical resemblance to his father. The name Curufin is the Sindarin version of his father-name. It is stated in The Shibboleth of Fëanor that of all the sons of Fëanor, only Curufin did not prefer to use his mother-name.
Genealogy
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "XI. The Shibboleth of Fëanor"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "X. Of Dwarves and Men", "Notes", p. 318 (note 7)
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "From The Shibboleth of Fëanor" (edited by Carl F. Hostetter), in Vinyar Tengwar, Number 41, July 2000, p. 10