Túrin Turambar

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Character from Tolkien's Legendarium Túrin Turambar from a book cover by Alan Lee
Name	Túrin
Other names	Neithan (the wronged), Gorthol (The Dread Helm), Agarwaen son of Úmarth (Bloodstained son of Ill-fate), Thurin (the secret), Adanedhel (Man-Elf), Mormegil (Black Sword), Turambar (master of doom)
Race	Men
Culture	Edain, House of Hador
Date of birth	Y.S. 463
Date of death	Y.S. 498
Realm	Dor-lómin, Doriath
Book(s)	The Silmarillion, The Children of Húrin

Middle-earth Portal

"Túrin" redirects here. For the Stewards of Gondor of this name see Túrin I and Túrin II.

In J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy writings, Túrin Turambar was a Man from Dor-lómin, who became a tragic hero (or anti-hero) of the First Age. It is said that he was the fairest man who ever lived. It was also stated that he was the mightiest warrior of his age, although his father, Húrin, was sometimes given this honour.

The story of his life is told in the tale called Narn i Chîn Húrin (The Tale of the Children of Húrin) and the epic poem The Lay of the Children of Húrin. After the author's death his son Christopher published a shortened version of the tale called Of Túrin Turambar in one chapter of The Silmarillion and the full story in Unfinished Tales. The conclusion of the story called The Wanderings of Húrin became a part of the book The War of the Jewels. The epic poem was published in The Lays of Beleriand. Christopher is also publishing a newly edited, stand alone novel entitled The Children of Hurin. The novel is based on Tolkien's unfinished drafts, which Christopher edited into a complete version.

[edit] Biography

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details about The Silmarillion follow.

Túrin was the only son of Húrin Thalion and Morwen Elfsheen. He had a younger sister Urwen called Lalaith (laughter), who died in childhood of a plague. After Húrin was captured in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, Túrin remained with his mother Morwen, who hid him from the Easterlings that Morgoth, the dark enemy, had sent to Hithlum, fearing they would kill Túrin or enslave him. Unknown to Túrin, Morgoth had placed a curse on Húrin's family.

When Túrin was seven years old Morwen sent him to Doriath secretly, where he was adopted by Thingol as a son. After this Túrin's second sister, Nienor was born. Túrin was restless, and as soon as he was permitted he joined Beleg Cúthalion on the marches of Doriath, fighting the Orcs of Morgoth. He wore the Dragon-helm of Dor-lómin, and the Orcs began to fear him more than any other.

After dwelling in Doriath for twelve years, Túrin accidentally caused the death of Saeros, one of Thingol's counsellors who had provoked and attacked him. Before he could be either punished or absolved, he fled, eventually meeting up with a band of outlaws that dwelt south of Brethil. There he identified himself only as Neithan (the wronged), and became their leader.

In the meantime Beleg Cúthalion obtained leave by Thingol to seek out his friend. Thingol had pardoned Túrin for the death of Saeros after learning of the circumstances. Beleg found Túrin's outlaws at Amon Rûdh. When he could not persuade his friend to leave them, he returned to Doriath. But Beleg's quest was not entirely in vain; after this Túrin stopped the outlaws from raiding houses of Men and only hunted Orcs. While they were parted, and after a long time living in the wild, Túrin's band captured Mîm the Petty-dwarf, while two other dwarves were able to escape. One of Túrin's men shot an arrow in the darkness at the fleeing dwarves, killing Khîm, the son of Mîm. After this Mîm was forced to share his halls on Amon Rûdh with them.

In Doriath, Beleg asked for leave to join his friend. Thingol allowed this and also gave him the black sword Anglachel, and Melian gave him lembas. Beleg returned to Túrin that winter, healing those of the band that had become sick with cold. He brought with him the Dragon-helm, and the area around Amon Rûdh became known as Dor-Cúarthol, the Land of Bow and Helm" (since Beleg was known as a mighty bowman). There Túrin took the name Gorthol, The Dread Helm. Many warriors joined them, and much of West Beleriand was freed from evil for a while.

Eventually Túrin was betrayed by Mîm, and he was captured and all his men slain. Beleg survived and rescued Túrin from the Orcs in Taur-nu-Fuin with the help of Gwindor, an escaped slave of Morgoth. Unfortunately, when Beleg was cutting the sleeping Túrin free from his bonds, he pricked Túrin's foot with Anglachel, and Túrin, mistaking Beleg for an orc come to torment him, took the sword and slew Beleg. Gwindor led Túrin, who was dazed with grief after this, to the Pools of Ivrin, where he returned to his senses.

Gwindor then led Túrin to Nargothrond, where once he had lived. Túrin hid his name, calling himself Agarwaen son of Úmarth (Bloodstained son of Ill-fate). He had Anglachel reforged and named it Gurthang, Iron of Death. Finduilas, daughter of Orodreth, fell in love with him, but he avoided her because she had previously been the beloved of his friend Gwindor. Túrin refused to tell her his name, so that she called him Thurin (the secret). He was also called Adanedhel (Man-Elf) because he was so like an Elf, though he was human.

Túrin became a chief counsellor of the weak Orodreth, and was extremely influential in Nargothrond. He encouraged the Nargothrondrim to abandon their practice of secrecy, and they built a great bridge before the gates. Because of his prowess with Gurthang, he became known as the Mormegil (Black Sword), or the Black Sword of Nargothrond. However, Túrin became arrogant, ignoring a warning from Ulmo himself passed on from Círdan to destroy the bridge.

Morgoth sent the dragon Glaurung to Nargothrond, and Túrin encouraged Orodreth to send his forces to fight the Glaurung. During the ensuing Battle of Tumhalad, Nargothrond's forces were destroyed, the bridge that Túrin had built helped Morgoth's forces cross the river of Narog, and Gwindor was slain. When he died, he instructed Túrin with his last words to save Finduilas. While hastening to do this, Túrin was caught by the powerful gaze of Glaurung, and stood by idly as Finduilas was dragged away, calling to him, a captive for Morgoth. Glaurung deceived him into believing Morwen and Nienor were suffering in Dor-lómin, and Túrin abandoned Finduilas to seek out his kin. Actually Morwen and Nienor were safely in Doriath, as Túrin's own efforts had made the way passable.

When news of Nargothrond's destruction reached Doriath, Morwen and Nienor rashly went to look for Túrin, aided by a large company of Elves. Unfortunately, Glaurang, who now dwelt in the ruined halls of Nargothrond, attacked. Morwen was lost, the Elves fled, but Nienor met the dragon and fought with him in a battle of wills. She lost, and Glaurang maliciously put a spell on Nienor, making her forget all of her memories. The March-Warden Mablung, seeing her in this state, sadly guided her on the road to Doriath. More misfortune befell as Orcs attacked and Nienor fled before the Elves could stop her and disappeared for a time.

Meanwhile in Dor-lómin, Túrin found his old home empty. He went to the halls of the Easterling lord Brodda, who had taken Húrin's kinswoman Aerin as a wife and had taken Húrin's lands and possessions. From Aerin, Túrin learned that Morwen had left, and in his rage he killed Brodda, thereby also sealing Aerin's fate. As Túrin left again, Aerin burnt herself alive in her halls, and the remainder of the House of Hador now was persecuted even more cruelly. Because of this, Túrin's kin were glad to see him go away.

Túrin next tried to find Finduilas, but by the time he picked up the Orc's trail he came too late: the woodsmen of Brethil informed him she had been killed as they had tried to rescue the prisoners of Nargothrond. Túrin collapsed on the mound she was buried in, and was brought to Brethil.

In Brethil Túrin again took up his life, now calling himself Turambar (master of doom) in an act of bravado, deciding that his curse was now finally over. He stopped wielding the Black Sword in the forest, but rather fought with a spear and bow. One day he found Nienor on Finduilas's grave, who did not remember her name, and therefore they did not recognize each other. Calling her Níniel Túrin later took her as his wife. Brandir lord of the Haladin of Brethil fell in love with Níniel, but she only loved Túrin.

Túrin slays Glaurung,
by Ted Nasmith

During this time, Níniel conceived. But Túrin's happiness ended when Glaurung sent orcs to Brethil. Taking up his Black Sword again, Túrin drove them away, taking control of Brethil from Brandir much like he had done in Nargothrond (people stopped listening to Brandir). However, soon Glaurung attacked Brethil. Túrin with two others set out to kill the dragon, but he was the only one to reach him. With his black sword he killed Glaurung at Cabed-en-Aras, but was hurt and fell in a swoon. As Níniel came to search for him, Glaurung with his last words undid his spell, and she remembered who she was and that Túrin was her brother. Horrified, Nienor Níniel killed herself.

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.

Morwen and Húrin later met at this site for the last time, and Morwen was also buried there. The mound they were buried beneath survived the War of Wrath and as Tol Morwen was the westernmost isle off the coast of Lindon in the Second and Third Ages.

It was prophesied by Mandos that at the End of Time Morgoth would wage the Final Battle against the Valar and the Children of Ilúvatar, and that Túrin Turambar will deliver the death blow to Morgoth, exterminating evil forever and thereby avenging the Children of Húrin and all men.

Túrin was a first cousin of Tuor, father of Eärendil. There are many parallels between the circumstances of their lives (both lost their fathers in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, were raised in part by Elves, spent time as outlaws and as prisoners, and were war-leaders in the greatest Noldorin fortresses), but the outcome of Tuor's life was quite different. Even Túrin's colouring was dark, enhancing his resemblance to the Noldorin Elves but further setting him apart from his fair-haired cousin. The two never actually met, but Tuor did once see his cousin in passing (not an everyday occurrence in the wilds of Beleriand).

Whether the tragedies in Túrin's life were the result of Morgoth's curse or of his own arrogance, or some combination of the two, is a subject of some debate among fans and scholars.

[edit] Inspiration

The supposed resemblance of Túrin to figures from medieval tales can be confirmed by part of a letter Tolkien wrote to Milton Waldman, a publisher concerning the publication of his works.

The story is based on the legend of Kullervo, a character from the Finnish folklore poems known as Kalevala.

There is the Children of Húrin, the tragic tale of Túrin Turambar and his sister Níniel – of which Túrin is the hero: a figure that might be said (by people who like that sort of thing, though it is not very useful) to be derived from elements in Sigurd the Volsung, Oedipus, and the Finnish Kullervo.

Túrin also resembles Sigmund, the father of Sigurd in the Volsungasaga, in the incestuous relationship he has with his sister, which is a parallel to the marriage of Túrin and Nienor. In Richard Wagner's opera, Die Walkure (also drawn in part from the Volsung myths), Siegmund and Sieglinde are parallels of Túrin and Nienor (one interesting resemblance of Túrin to Siegmund is that in the first act of Die Walkure, Siegmund tells Hunding is name is Wehwalt, just as Túrin tells the Elves of Nargothrond his name is Agarwaen (blood-stained).) Túrin further resembles Sigurd himself, as both achieve great renown for the slaying of a dragon of immense power and magic. In a further parallel, both dragonslayers die within a very short time of their respective wives, although such is not uncommon in heroic stories.

Túrin shares some similarities with Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melniboné, who is also based on Kullervo. Both are anti-heroes who wield sentient black swords (both one of a pair — though this detail is not yet present in the earliest version of Túrin's story, found in The Book of Lost Tales, written in the 1920s), unwittingly kill friends or lovers with them, and are killed by them. The first Elric stories were published before The Silmarillion, so the detail of the black sword(s) may have been conceived independently by both writers. Incidentally, Moorcock happens to dislike Tolkien's writings.

Preceded by Húrin	Lord of Dor-lómin	Succeeded by None; Realm destroyed by Morgoth
Preceded by Húrin	Chieftain of the House of Hador	Succeeded by Tuor