Fëanor

Fëanor, or Fëanáro in Quenya, is a central character in Tolkien’s legendarium. He is the eldest son of Finwë and Míriel and the greatest craftsman among the Noldor. He forged the Silmarils, three jewels that captured the light of the Two Trees of Valinor, making him of unparalleled renown and envy.

Fëanor’s pride and singular devotion to his works led to the Oath of Fëanor: he and his seven sons vowed to recover the Silmarils and to pursue anyone who kept or misused them. The oath helped spark the Noldor’s exile from Aman, the Kinslaying at Alqualondë, and a long age of war in Middle-earth against Morgoth.

Following the oath, Fëanor led many of the Noldor back to Middle-earth, crossing the dangerous Helcaraxë, where he died early in the journey. His death left his sons to bear the oath and continue the struggle against Morgoth, shaping much of the tragedy of the First Age.

Fëanor’s legacy is complex: his artistic genius and the beauty and power of the Silmarils are celebrated in Tolkien’s world, but his oath and the subsequent bloodshed are cited as the root cause of much misery among Elves and their allies. He is the father of seven sons who remain major figures in later events: Maedhros, Maglor, Celegorm, Caranthir, Curufin, Amrod, and Amras.