Curufin
| Curufin | |
|---|---|
| Noldo | |
 | |
| "Curufin the Crafty" by Marya Filatova | |
| Biographical Information | |
| Pronunciation | S, [ˈkʊrʊfɪn] |
| Other names | "the Crafty" Curufinwë (Q, fn), Atarincë (Q, mn) |
| Titles | Lord of Himlad |
| Location | Eldamar, Himlad, Nargothrond, Himring, Amon Ereb |
| Affiliation | Oath of Fëanor; Union of Maedhros |
| Language | Quenya, Sindarin, Khuzdul[1] |
| Birth | Between Y.T. 1190 & 1362 Tirion |
| Rule | F.A. 7 - 455 |
| Death | F.A. 506 Second Kinslaying: Menegroth |
| Family | |
| House | House of Fëanor |
| Parentage | Fëanor & Nerdanel |
| Siblings | Maedhros, Maglor, Celegorm, Caranthir, Amrod and Amras |
| Spouse | Unnamed Noldorin wife |
| Children | Celebrimbor |
| Physical Description | |
| Gender | Male |
| Height | Tall |
| Hair color | Black |
| Weaponry | Angrist |
| Gallery | Images of Curufin |
- "[Curufin] inherited most his father's skill of hand."
- ― Quenta Silmarillion, "Of Eldamar and the Princes of the Eldalië"
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[edit | edit source]
Flight of the Noldor[edit | edit source]
Curufin was born in Tirion during the Years of the Trees.[2] There he married at some point, and had a son named Celebrimbor, who followed him into exile, although his wife did not.[3]
As with his brothers, Curufin bound himself by the Oath of Fëanor to recover his father's Silmarils, which had been stolen by the Dark Lord Morgoth. The Oath led him and his brothers into exile, commiting the Kinslaying of Alqualondë in order to obtain ships to sail to Middle-earth.[4]
Life in Beleriand[edit | edit source]
The host of the House of Fëanor reached the shores of Beleriand, and they camped in the Firth of Drengist. Overnight, Fëanor roused Curufin and other men, and burned the ships.[5]:354
After the death of their father, Curufin dwelt with his brother Celegorm in the Pass of Aglon, that led into the Kingdom of Doriath, and they fortified the pass, protecting it and the lands of Himlad.[6] Apparently, living there allowed Curufin to have good relationships with Dwarves, as he became interested in their language Khuzdul, being the only Noldo who won their friendship.[1]
When Eöl was chasing Maeglin and Aredhel for leaving his home in Nan Elmoth to seek refuge in Gondolin, Curufin intecepted him and stated his intent to slay him. However, Curufin decided against this because it was against the laws of the Eldar. In the end, he counseled Eöl to return home, foreseeing his venture will end in death. Eöl did not heed this counsel and eventually entered into Gondolin, leading to both Aredhel's and his own death.
Following the Dagor Bragollach, the two brothers were defeated and had to flee with their people to Nargothrond, where their cousin Finrod welcomed them.[7]
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.[8]
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[edit | edit source]
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.[8]
Because of Celegorm and Curufin's evil deeds, Thingol and Orodreth would not join the Union of Maedhros against Morgoth.[9]
Death[edit | edit source]
Curufin fell in the Second Kinslaying, when the Sons of Fëanor attacked Doriath to seize a Silmaril in the possession of the King Dior. Celegorm and Caranthir died with him during the assault.[10]
Etymology[edit | edit source]
Curufin is the Sindarized version of his name Curufinwë, being a combination of curu ("skill") and fin (Sindarized "Finwë").[11]
Other names[edit | edit source]
Curufin's father-name was Kurufinwë ("Skillful Finwë"), the same father-name given to Fëanor. Because Curufin was Fëanor's favorite son, he chose to give him the same name. The short form of this name was Kurvo.[5]:352
His mother-name was Atarinkë ("Little Father"), chosen because of his physical resemblance to his father, resulting being also a resemblance in his mind.[5]:353 Of all the sons of Fëanor, only Curufin did not prefer to use his mother-name.[5]:355
Genealogy[edit | edit source]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "XI. The Shibboleth of Fëanor", "Notes", p. 358, note 22
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Fëanor and the Unchaining of Melkor"
- ↑ 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, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Flight of the Noldor"
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 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 Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin"
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Beren and Lúthien"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Ruin of Doriath"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "From The Shibboleth of Fëanor" (edited by Carl F. Hostetter), in Vinyar Tengwar, Number 41, July 2000, p. 10
| Curufin House of Fëanor Cadet branch of the House of Finwë | ||
| None Title established | Lord of Himlad F.A. 7 – 455 (with Celegorm) | None Realm destroyed |
