Túrin Turambar

Túrin was the son of Húrin Thalion, Lord of the Folk of Hador, and Morwen Eledhwen of the House of Bëor. He was born in the month of Gwaeron (March) of the Year of the Sun 464.[T 3] He had a younger sister, Lalaith, but she died of a plague at the age of three, when a pestilent wind came from Angband. Túrin was also taken sick at that time, but recovered. His closest childhood friend was Sador One-foot.

Sketch map of Beleriand. Doriath is at the centre; Dor-lómin, upper left.

The Siege of Angband was already broken at that time, but Túrin's homeland of Dor-lómin was still contested by the Folk of Hador against Morgoth's forces. When Túrin was eight years old, Húrin led most of his Men to war, and all were slain during the Battle of Unnumbered Tears. Húrin himself was captured alive, and cursed by Morgoth together with his family. Dor-lómin was invaded by the Easterlings at Morgoth's command. Túrin remained with Morwen, who hid him from the Incomers, fearing that they would enslave or kill him as the heir of both Dor-lómin and Ladros. She sent him secretly and under protection of Grithnir and Gethron to the Elven-realm of Doriath; Morwen remained in Dor-lómin herself, and shortly afterwards Túrin's second sister, Niënor, was born.

Túrin and his guides eventually reached Doriath, and were enmeshed in the Girdle of Melian. There they came near to death, but the marchwarden Beleg Strongbow found them and led them to the halls of Menegroth. King Thingol adopted Túrin, in memory of Húrin's heroism and because of his kinship with Beren. One of Túrin's friends there was an elven-lady Nellas, who watched over him at Queen Melian's bidding and taught elven-lore. Túrin became esteemed and renowned for his prowess and bravery, and Beleg became his teacher of warfare.

When after eight years[T 4] Dor-lómin was cut off and tidings from Morwen and Niënor ceased, Túrin decided to pit his strength against Morgoth's forces, hoping to avenge thus the sorrows of his kin. Thingol appointed him to be one of his "knights of the sword",[T 5] and Túrin departed to the northern marches of Doriath to fight the Orcs, where he was joined by Beleg. His chief weapon for ever after became the sword, and in addition he wore now the Dragon-helm of Hador, so that the Orcs began to fear him.

At the age of 20,[T 5][T 6] Túrin accidentally killed Saeros, one of Thingol's counsellors, who had scorned him for his attire and mortal lineage. Túrin injured him for this, but later was ambushed by Saeros. Túrin overpowered him, chasing him at sword point to a ravine where, in an attempt to jump, Saeros stumbled and died on the rocks below. Heedless of Mablung's counsels, and before Túrin could be either punished or absolved, he fled from Doriath, fearing imprisonment. Thingol, after learning of the circumstances from Nellas, eventually pardoned Túrin, and Beleg obtained leave to seek out his friend.

Túrin was unaware of this and fled westward, eventually meeting up with a band of outlaws called Gaurwaith that dwelt in the woods south of the river Taeglin. He proved his worth for them by killing one of their best warriors, and thus earned himself a place in the band. At that moment he wished neither to depart anywhere else, nor to strive with them, and so he did little to restrain other members from their evil deeds, such as harassing scattered homesteads of Men. A year later, in an attempt to save the daughter of Larnach, a woodman, Túrin accidentally killed Forweg, the leader of the band. He then claimed his place, and this was granted to him as "the best man" among the outlaws.[T 7]

Soon Beleg found the band in the wild, while Túrin was absent spying upon the Orcs. The outlaws treated the Elf badly, and this, as well as the counsels of Beleg, made Túrin stop the lawless way of the band's life, hunting hereafter only the servants of Angband. He rejected Beleg's advice to return to Doriath, and the Elf then departed to Menegroth. Later Túrin's band captured Mîm the Petty-dwarf; his two sons escaped, but one of them, Khîm, was mortally wounded by an outlaw Andróg. In order to save his own life, Mîm was forced to share his dwellings upon the hill of Amon Rûdh with the band.

Beleg returned to Túrin after a time, healing those of the band that had become sick with cold and delivering them lembas of Melian. He also brought the Dragon-helm, and the area around Amon Rûdh became known as Dor-Cúarthol, the "Land of Bow and Helm". Many warriors joined them, and much of West Beleriand was freed from evil by the prowess of the "Two Captains", Beleg and Túrin. Túrin by wearing the Helm revealed his identity to Morgoth, who sent a host of Orcs against Amon Rûdh two years later.[T 6] These found Mîm, and he once again bought his life by leading them up the hill. Túrin was captured and all his men slain, except Beleg and Andvír.[T 8]

Beleg followed the Orcs through the forest of Taur-nu-Fuin, where he met Gwindor, a slave who had escaped from Angband. Together they rescued Túrin upon the confines of Anfauglith. Unfortunately, when Beleg was cutting the sleeping Túrin free from his bonds, he pricked Túrin's foot with the sword Anglachel, and Túrin, mistaking Beleg in the darkness for an orc come to torment him, took the sword and slew Beleg. Túrin became dazed with grief after this, but Gwindor led him to the Pools of Ivrin, where he returned to senses.

They journeyed to the hidden fortress of Nargothrond, where Gwindor had formerly been a lord. He gave Beleg's black sword Anglachel to Túrin now, who had it reforged and renamed as Gurthang, "Iron of Death". Túrin hid his own name, eventually becoming known as Mormegil or the Blacksword of Nargothrond, because of his prowess with Gurthang. Gwindor met there again his beloved, Finduilas daughter of King Orodreth, but she unwillingly fell in love with Túrin; however, Túrin did not perceive this and held her in awe.

Túrin was extremely influential in Nargothrond, becoming a chief counsellor of Orodreth and eventually overruling both him and Gwindor. He encouraged the Elves to abandon their practice of secrecy, and they built a great bridge before the Doors of Nargothrond and managed to clear the land between the River Sirion and Falas from enemies. However, Túrin became arrogant, ignoring even a warning from the Vala Ulmo, brought by Gelmir and Arminas, to destroy the bridge and return to secrecy.

When Túrin had dwelt in Nargothrond for five years,[T 6] Morgoth sent a great host of Orcs led by the dragon Glaurung against Nargothrond, and Túrin encouraged Orodreth to send his forces to fight them in the open. During the ensuing Battle of Tumhalad, Nargothrond's forces were destroyed and Orodreth was slain, while the bridge helped Morgoth's forces to locate the fortress and cross the river Narog. Túrin fought valiantly and was able to withstand Glaurung, but he forsook the battle to carry away the mortally wounded Gwindor. Before Gwindor died, he instructed Túrin to save Finduilas, prophesying that she alone could save Túrin from his doom.

Hastening to save the captives of Nargothrond, Túrin was caught by the powerful gaze of Glaurung, and stood by enspelled and immobile as Finduilas was dragged away, calling to him. The dragon deceived him into believing that Morwen and Niënor were suffering in Dor-lómin, and Túrin abandoned Finduilas to seek out his kin.

The next year he reached Dor-lómin,[T 9] but found his old house empty and went to the halls of Brodda the Easterling, who had taken Húrin's lands and possessions. There Túrin learned from Brodda's wife Aerin that Morwen had already left for Doriath before the fall of Nargothrond, as Túrin's own efforts had made the way passable. In his rage he killed Brodda and his followers, rising a revolt. As he left, Aerin burnt herself alive in her halls, and the remnant of the Folk of Hador was persecuted even more cruelly from that time.

Túrin next tried to find Finduilas and followed the trail towards the forest of Brethil, but came too late: the woodmen informed him that she had been killed by the orcs when the Men of Brethil had ambushed them in an attempt to rescue the prisoners. Túrin collapsed in grief upon her grave, and was brought to Ephel Brandir. There he took up his life again, now calling himself Turambar ("Master of Doom") and renouncing his descent, hoping to overcome his curse. The Folk of Haleth dwelling there were ruled by Brandir the Lame, who hoped to preserve his people by secrecy. Turambar quickly gained the favour of the Folk and once again overruled Brandir, gathering companies to fight Orcs upon the borders. He stopped wielding Gurthang and fought rather with a spear and a bow.

Meanwhile, Morwen and Niënor dwelt in Doriath, but when the news of Nargothrond's destruction had reached them, they rashly went to look for Túrin, aided by a small company of Elves. Glaurung, who now lived in the ruined halls of Nargothrond, descended into the river so that a fog rose and enmeshed the company. Morwen was lost, but Niënor met the dragon and was enspelled by him, forgetting her past. Eventually she fled from both the Elves and the Orcs that pursued her and reached Brethil.

Turambar found her at Finduilas's grave, naked, unable to speak and remembering nothing. He named her Níniel, "Maid of Tears", and took her to Ephel Brandir. There she was healed by Brandir, who fell in love with her; however, Níniel and Turambar came to love each other. Túrin asked her in marriage, but Brandir managed to dissuade her, foreboding evil; yet when Turambar had vowed to forsake war for her sake unless to protect her, Níniel finally married him. Turambar was forced to go back to war when Glaurung sent Orcs to attack Brethil: taking the sword up again, Túrin drove them away, taking control of the Folk from Brandir. Next year Níniel conceived; however, soon Glaurung attacked Brethil himself.

Turambar decided to ambush the Dragon as he crossed the ravine of Cabed-en-Aras and to try stabbing him from beneath. He took two companions with him, Dorlas and Hunthor, but the first deserted them and the other was slain by a stone. Turambar mortally wounded Glaurung with Gurthang, but was hurt by the venom of the Dragon's blood and fell in a swoon. When Níniel came to search for him, Glaurung with his last words undid his spell, and she remembered who she was and realized that Turambar was her brother. Horrified, Niënor cast herself over the brink of the ravine into the river Taeglin and died.

Brandir witnessed this, and when Turambar awoke, he told him what had happened and taunted him from his jealousy that Túrin had more respect than he and had had the love of Níniel. Refusing to believe and in wrath on his fate, Túrin slew the defenceless Brandir and ran in madness towards Finduilas's grave. There he was met by Mablung of Doriath, who confirmed the words of Brandir were true. In despair and shame Túrin fled back to Cabed-en-Aras and cast himself upon the point of his sword Gurthang.

Túrin was buried in a high mound near the brink of Cabed-en-Aras, together with Gurthang which had broken asunder. A great stone was set upon the grave, upon which the Elves wrote in Cirth, the runes of Doriath:

However, Niënor's body was not there and could not be found. Two years later Morwen and Húrin met at that place for the last time, and Morwen was also buried there. The mound survived the War of Wrath and the Drowning of Beleriand, and as Tol Morwen was one of the islands off the coast of Middle-earth in later ages.

Túrin is said to have been one of the fairest Men to have ever lived: "dark-haired and pale-skinned, ... his face more beautiful than any other among mortal Men, in the Elder Days."[T 19] In this he is stated to have taken after his mother Morwen,[T 20] descended from the House of Bëor, in contrast to his fair-haired father Húrin from the House of Hador.[T 3] According to Gwindor's words, Túrin was very tall, "as tall as are the Men from the misty hills of Hithlum,"[T 19] in which he supposedly took after his grandfather Galdor the Tall since both Húrin[T 3] and the Folk of Bëor[T 20] were shorter than was usual among the Men of Hador.

Tolkien was not consistent in describing Túrin's eyes. According to some texts "he had the beauty of his mother and the eyes of his father",[T 21] which were blue,[T 22] while in other Túrin is said to have inherited the grey eyes of his mother.[T 19] It is also stated that his eyes were bright,[T 7] and that "few indeed could challenge the eyes of Túrin in set will or in wrath."[T 23] Thus it is possible that he inherited the "elven-light ... hard to endure" of his mother's eyes.[T 24]

As a child of five years, Túrin is described thus:

He was dark-haired as his mother, and promised to be like her in mood also; for he was not merry, and spoke little, though he learned to speak early and ever seemed older than his years. Túrin was slow to forget injustice or mockery; but the fire of his father was also in him, and he could be sudden and fierce. Yet he was quick to pity, and the hurts or sadness of living things might move him to tears.[T 3]

A similar reference to this last trait of Túrin's character is found in Finduilas' words: "He is not yet awake, but still pity can ever pierce his heart, and he will never deny it. Pity maybe shall be ever the only entry."[T 16] His reserved nature is also said to have resulted from Morgoth's curse; thus during Túrin's sojourn in Doriath "...it seemed that fortune was unfriendly to him, so that often what he designed went awry, and what he desired he did not gain; neither did he win friendship easily, for he was not merry, and laughed seldom."[T 5]

Túrin is said to have been greatly affected by the deaths of his friends; thus after overcoming pestilence himself and the death of Lalaith, Túrin's character was hardened and he became even more reserved.[T 3] Tolkien also stated that Túrin ever after "sought in all faces of women the face of Lalaith,"[T 25] that he did not love Finduilas because "his mind and heart were elsewhere, by rivers in springs long past,"[T 16] and that Túrin did fall in love with Níniel because she reminded him of Lalaith.[T 2] The grief that he had slain Beleg "was graven on the face of Túrin and never faded";[T 19] early Tolkien's writings add that after this time "wild and black was his hair yet streaked with grey, and his face was pale and marked as with deep sorrows of the past."[T 10]

Tolkien gave another Túrin's trait which differed him from others: "his speech and bearing were that of the ancient kingdom of Doriath",[T 19] implying that he used a more archaic and 'noble' variant of the Sindarin language.[T 25]

Túrin was a cousin of Tuor Eladar, father of Eärendil the Blessed. There are many parallels between the circumstances of their lives (both lost their fathers in the Nírnaeth Arnoediad, were raised in part by Elves, spent time as outlaws, were war-leaders in great Elvish fortresses and survived their downfall), 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 at Eithel Ivrin. The cousins' respective fates – suicide and paradise – are analogous to those in Greek myth of Ajax and Achilles.

Túrin is one of the few characters in Tolkien's writings to have committed suicide, and several of the others – Aerin, Niënor, and Húrin – are connected to his story.

Several artists have created illustrations of Túrin's story. A stand-alone novel The Children of Húrin contains images by Alan Lee,[9] while various editions of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales were illustrated by Ted Nasmith.[10] Other images were made by John Howe[11] and Anke Eißmann.[12]