Guide to The Silmarillion: Of Túrin Turambar (Ch. 21)
Chapter Twenty-one: Of Túrin Turambar
Rían, wife of Huor, gave birth to a son named Tuor in the months after her husband died. He was fostered by the Grey-elves of Mithrim, and she died shortly after.
Morwen, wife of Húrin, had three children: Túrin, Lalaith (who died at age 3), and Nienor. In this time, the Easterlings oppressed the people of Hador, and Morwen feared that Túrin would be enslaved, so she sent him to Doriath. Túrin was fostered by Thingol, who sent messengers to Hithlum asking Morwen to join them in Doriath, but she would not leave the house in which she had lived with Hurin. When Túrin grew up, he became friends with Beleg Cuthalion.
The Flight of Túrin
One day Saeros, one of the Nandor, taunted Túrin, and Túrin lashed out at him. The next day, Saeros died by accident after getting into a fight with Túrin. Túrin left Doriath, thinking himself an outlaw, despite Thingol’s promised pardon. Túrin lived in the wilderness with a band of criminals.
Beleg sought out Túrin and tried to persuade him to return to Doriath, but Túrin refused. Beleg returned to Thingol and resolved to go back out again to seek out Túrin. Beleg was given Anglachel, a sword of great worth, and a store of Lembas.
Túrin and his companions took a dwarf named Mîm captive, but Túrin pitied him and spared his life and told him to bring them to his home. Túrin realized that he had killed Mîm’s son, and he repented and promised to pay Mîm a ransom of gold for his son. After that he lived in Mîm’s home.
After some time, Beleg and Túrin met once more. And since Túrin would not return with him, Beleg remained with their company.
Every so often, Morgoth would send out his forces across Beleriand. Túrin bore his father’s dragon-helm in battle, and by this, Morgoth knew that he had found Hurin’s son and sent out his spies to find him.
Mîm was taken captive by orcs and was forced to lead them to his home, where they captured Túrin and slew many of his company. However, Beleg was left alive and looked desperately for Túrin. Beleg met up with Gwindor and they searched together for Túrin. Beleg and Gwindor found Túrin and cut him free, but Túrin — seeing someone above him with a knife — mistook Beleg for an orc and killed him. When Túrin realized what he had done, he repented bitterly.
Túrin in Nargothrond
Gwindor and Túrin went to Nargothrond together. But Túrin did not tell them his real name. There, Finduilas, who had loved Gwindor, fell in love with Túrin instead. Gwindor then told Finduilas Túrin’s real name. However, Túrin did not love her and was angry at Gwindor for revealing his name.
Túrin became a great warrior in Nargothrond and counseled the King to fight in open battle, rather than in stealth, and to build a bridge over the Narog.
Mowen and Nienor fled, at last, to Doriath but were saddened to learn that Túrin was not there anymore. Nevertheless they remained in Doriath. Ambassadors came to Nargothrond and urged the king to cast down the great bridge, but Túrin would not allow it.
Morgoth sent out his forces against Nargothrond, and Gwindor died. As he died, he warned Túrin and urged him to return to Nargothrond and save Finduilas. “And this last I say to thee: she alone stands between thee and thy doom. If thou fail her, it shall not fail to find thee. Farewell!’”
Túrin fled to Nargothrond, but Glaurung (the Dragon) got there before him. Glaurung blocked Túrin from the bridge. Túrin fell under the spell of the Dragon’s eyes, and the Dragon told Túrin to go to his kin, cursing him as he fled away.
Túrin came to Dor-lómin seeking his mother, but he learned that they had gone to Doriath. He decided not to go to Doriath because he brought doom with him wherever he went. Instead he decided to search for Finduilas, but it was too late for she had already died. Because of this, he fell into a grief that was like death.
Turambar and Níniel
He was taken in by the people of Haleth, and they gave him a new name, Turambar, which meant “Master of Doom.” Morwen left Doriath in search of Túrin, and Nienor fled as well.
Nienor met Glaurung. He cast a spell of forgetfulness upon her so she couldn’t even remember her own name. He left her standing alone upon Amon Ethir and went back to Nargothrond. Turambar found Nienor and brought her into a lodge nearby. Since she didn’t know her own name, Turambar named her Níniel, Tear-maiden. After three years, Turambar and Níniel were married.
After a while, Turambar went off once more to fight Glaurung. Turumbar killed Glaurung but was burned by his venomous blood, and he swooned and “lay as one dead.”
Níniel came to find Turumbar, and Glaurung spoke to her: “Hail, Nienor, daughter of Hurin. We meet again ere the end. I give thee joy that thou hast found thy brother at last….” Nienor was freed from Glaurung’s spell and remembered who she was, then in despair she cast herself off a cliff into the waters and died. Turumbar awoke and killed Brandir, but he later understood that this was unjust. After this, Turumbar killed himself.
Discussion Questions
Reflect on the differences of the names of Morwen's daughters, Lalaith and Nienor. What do these names mean?
What lies does the Dragon tell Túrin?
What name does Túrin take?
What do you make of the love between Níenel and Túrin? What's going on here?
What happens when Nienor realizes the truth of her relationship?
Why does Túrin kill Brandir?
What is the source of all the discord in this chapter?
