So I explore Fëanáro a lot on this blog, but re-reading parts of The Silmarillion, this quote from Fingolfin when he’s confronting Finwë really strikes me:
‘King and father, wilt thou not restrain the pride of our brother, Curufinwë, who is called the Spirit of Fire, all too truly? By what right does he speak for all our people, as if he were King? Thou it was who long ago spoke before the Quendi, bidding them accept the summons of the Valar to Aman. Thou it was that led the Noldor upon the long road through the perils of Middle-earth to the light of Eldamar. If thou dost not now repent of it, two sons at least thou hast to honour thy words.’
Perhaps it’s just me, but reading between the lines, he almost sounds…bitter. He sounds like someone who has watched Finwë excuse a lot of shit from a clearly favoured older brother. He’s saying quite pointedly “WE are the ones who are here beside you, supporting you, while your fave is over there stirring up trouble.”
It makes me wonder if this is where ‘flawed parent Finwë’ is really the most visible. There was one line a fic I read which I think could characterise Finwë’s relationship with Indis’s children very well – “it’s very hard to please him if you’re not you.” That is, if you’re not Fëanor.
He was not cruel or harsh to them, but they could tell that he had one favourite. His eyes never quite lit up with the same joy, passion or pride at their accomplishments. He never spoke about them with quite the same verve as he spoke about Fëanor. He never seemed so happy as when he welcomed his eldest son home for a short while, and when Fëanor was there, it was very hard for anyone else to take his attention.
Meanwhile, Nolofinwë is the one who doesn’t run off to be the explorer/linguist/craftsman/whatever it is Fëanor wants to be that day. He’s the one at his father’s right hand, helping him rule the kingdom. In another life, Fëanor would gladly have handed the Crown Prince title over to him, and been free to do as he pleased.
All of this eventually leads to this slightly bitter appeal from Fingolfin to “restrain” his eldest and to see that he has two loyal sons willing to stay by his side. Then, ironically, he’s very harshly interrupted by Fëanor who is fearing the exact same thing – that Finwë is unjustly siding with his half-brother.
In conclusion, this family is still a mess.
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