Túrin son of Húrin

[superwizard]

I think you probably should Jn. It started out as a serious thread but I doubt it can regain any of its seriousness.

[Alatar]

It is a little known fact that much of Túrin's misfortune came from the pronunciation guide in the Appendices.

Upon finding out that his fathers name was pronounced "Hoorin" instead of "Hyoorin", Túrin fell into despair. Everyone sniggered when he introduced himself as Túrin son of Whorin' and thus began his quest for a cool name that wouldn't be embarassing.

He had little success. Neithan made him sound like a nasal New Yorker and Gorthol made him sound like an orc. Deciding that the double barrelled names were intrinsically more impressive he named himself Agarwaen son of Úmarth. Unfortunately, most of the people he met spoke Elvish and "Bloodstained son of Ill-Fate" doesn't exactly inspire confidence.

When he fell in love with his best mates girlfriend (a common theme in Tolkien and teen comedy movies) he named himself Thurin which means "the secret". Hmm. Didn't think that one out much didya Túrin? Kind of like wearing an eyepatch to disguise a pirate.

To further his confusion he changed his name to Adanedhel, or "Man-Elf". Perhaps he was going for a supehero angle... The mighty Elfman! Deciding that this Alter ego thing was a real superhero trick he started going by the name Mormegil, or "The Black Sword" which is much more impressive than "The Black Vegetable", "The Mauve Sword" or indeed "The Mauve Vegetable".

His final name change was to Turambar, which means "Master of Fate". Quite ironic really that he subsequently shagged his sister and caused her suicide before murdering himself on his surprisingly chatty sword.

[Jnyusa]

Thou art moved.

(shadow left in Shibboleth forum)

Jn

[Old_Tom_Bombadil]

Where did the thread go?


The Shadowknows.

[superwizard]

Really reading the tale of a man from a book made by elves is not a very smart thing. You see even though elves feigned friendship with men in reality they were very jealous of the fact that men were so smart. What a man did in his short lifetime elves could not do in five times that much time. Therefore the consequences of letting the Edain into their kingdoms was severe. The men (being infinitely smarter and quicker) quickly became the real leaders of the kingdom but left the elves as puppets. Haven't you ever wondered why almost every time we hear of a man going to live with elves he gains enourmous power (Túrin in Nargothrond, Tuor in Gondolin...). So what really hapened in Doriath was not what is written in the books of elves. In reality after Túrin gained power and ruled for many years the slow dim-witted elves staged a coup against poor Túrin and he was forced to flee for his life. Túrin then decided to found his own kingdom but when that too failed (treachery again) he decided to try taking over one of the few remaining elf kingdoms Nargothrond (he left Gondolin for his cousin). At the end however he caused the ruin of yet another kingdom (Túrin just couldn't seem to get the hang of controling and maintaing a kingdom and so at they end he was forced to rule over a bunch of poor men. So in reality Túrin wasn't actually trying to stop Melkor but instead he was searching for power...

[Lidless]

Getting back to a more serious note for a change...

I found this passage in Unfinished Tales illuminating.

When Túrin awoke he was told by Brandir what had happened. He killed Brandir, refusing to believe. When he learned from Mablung of Doriath who had come to seek him that Brandir had told the truth, he killed himself on Gurthang, his black sword. Túrin is one of the few characters in the Middle-earth legendarium to have committed suicide and several of the others are connected to his story.

Túrin was buried near Finduilas' grave, and on his tomb stone the Haladin wrote in the Cirth of Doriath:

TÚRIN TURAMBAR DAGNIR GLAURUNGA

(Túrin, Conqueror of Fate, Slayer of Glaurung)
Beneath that they also wrote:

NIENOR NÍNIEL

though her body could not be found.

However, after the upheavals and changing of Arda at the end of the Second Age Túrin's grave was found broken and empty. There are many stories told in Middle Earth as to why this would be so. One such tale purports that the earth refused to reclaim his body out of revulsion for his deeds and spewed it out. Another is that he was given life anew, Eru having been moved by his penitence for his foul deeds. The latter has gained the most currency among Elves due to their closer understanding of Eru and the Valar. Indeed, alongside the portrait of Isildur defeating Sauron that hangs upon a wall in the House Of Elrond is a simple linen cloth that was said to have been found next to the graveside. The Elves pay respect to it and honour it as a reminder to their kin that Eru can be merciful to the Children Of Ilúvatar. However, Men are sceptical about the legitimacy of the artefact. The authenticity of the Shroud Of Túrin is debated to this day.

[superwizard]

Yes it is a very illuminating passage Lidless thank you for posting it

[axordil]

I still think this is the one they should have made into an opera.

[vison]

Lidless, you are a natural wonder.

[Jnyusa]

That one had me going all the way to the last sentence.



Tell us about the portrait of Isildur. Is it painted in code, or just paint-by-number pretending to be code?

And who was the wife of Isildur ... I mean, who was she really.

Jn

[Lidless]

Yes, I must get back to Part 3 of The Tolkien Code at some point. I researched it in depth, but have let it fall by the wayside.

[Old_Tom_Bombadil]

The authenticity of the Shroud Of Túrin is debated to this day.

Groan!

Did you all know that Túrin is supposed to return for the Final Battle, or Dagor Dagorath, with Morgoth? It's true! So maybe that's why his tomb is empty?

In any case, be sure to purchase a good seat for the battle now before they're all gone.

[Athrabeth]

That one had me going all the way to the last sentence.

Jny, Jny, Jny...........at the end of the Second Age, Túrin's grave lay under the sea, along with pretty much all of Beleriand.

Sheesh.