Feanor and Nerdanel's family

I’m emotional again about how much Feanor and Nerdanel wanted a family. Elves conceive by choice only; there were no accidental pregnancies (although it is unclear whether the twins were a surprise or not...). Elves are immortal, so they had every reason to think Finwe would rule the Noldor forever, and even if that were not the case, they had the line of succession secure in Maedhros, and backed up in Maglor (the heir and the spare) so they had no reason to keep having children except that they wanted them, and they loved the ones they had, and they enjoyed parenthood.

These were not babies they had because they couldn’t keep from getting pregnant, or because they needed extra hands around the house, or to really be sure the line of succession did not pass from Feanor’s line--these were babies they had because they wanted them. And that makes what happens to their family all the more tragic.

That’s also why I don’t fuck with some fanon vision of Feanor as an asshole quasi-abusive father who strong-armed his kids into taking the Oath. In The Silmarillion, Tolkien says Feanor’s sons “leapt straightaway to [Feanor’s] side” to take the Oath when Feanor was done. These were the acts of Elves who admired and respected their father, and, lacking direct knowledge about his corruption by Melkor, believed that if Feanor said he was doing something just and righteous, than it was, and they should do it also.

That’s not to say I don’t think there was a contentious element to their relationship--I think with someone like Feanor that’s almost unavoidable--but I do believe the text supports a reading that he genuinely and sincerely loved his children, enjoyed fatherhood, and wanted to be part of a family.

And that makes their family’s story so much sadder.