Let us now turn to Thingol’s stubbornness and Melian’s Prophecy.
It is said that in all these matters none save Finrod Felagund took counsel
with King Thingol, and he was ill pleased, both for that reason, and because he
was troubled by dreams concerning coming of Men, ere ever the first tidings of
them were heard. Therefore he commanded that Men should take no lands to dwell
in save in the north, and that the princes whom they served should be
answerable for all that they did; and he said: ‘Into Doriath shall no Man come
while my realm lasts, not even those of the house of Beor who serve Finrod the
beloved.’ Melian said nothing to him at that time, but afterwards she said to
Galadriel: ‘Now the world runs on swiftly to great tidings. And one of Men,
even of Beor’s house, shall indeed come, and the Girdle of Melian shall not
restrain him, for doom greater than my power shall send him; and the songs that
shall spring from that coming shall endure when all Middle-earth is
changed.’
Q1: Why do think Thingol had troubled dreams of Men, even before he had
heard tidings of them. What kind of 'troubles' do you think he envisions? How
do you think he came to know of the Secondborn? Melian? Rumor from other Elven
lands? The Noldorin?
Q2: Do you think Melian refers only to Beren? Or also Hurin ?
Q3: Do you think the ‘doom’ is the parting with Luthien, the coming of the
Silmarils, the Fall of Doriath, or all of these? Other thoughts?
~Eowyn.
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"How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on when in your heart you begin to understand there is no going back."
--Frodo
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