Do Elves Dream of Eclectic Sleep? - Page 4
© Michael Martinez
Miriel's decision was made at least in part as a result of regret. And though permitted to live again, she elected not to live among her people, the Elves, but instead was admitted to the service of one of the Valar. Miriel from that time forward documented the deeds of her people. Rather than doing new things and seeking new knowledge, she became engrossed in recording the events of her people's history. Miriel was therefore the first Elf (among the Eldar, at least) to succumb to regret, choosing to live again out of regret, and perhaps devoting her life to remembering that regret.
Some of the rebellious Noldor gave in to regret -- a health regret -- before going too far along the road to Exile. These Noldor, led by Finarfin, returned to their city of Tirion and were forgiven their part in the rebellion by the Valar. But the majority of the Noldor continued on their path with resolution, perhaps mostly because of Fëanor's determination.
In Middle-earth most of the Noldor tried to look forward despite the hopelessness of their war against Melkor. But Turgon, who was inspired to build the greatest city of all, seems to have become mired in regret. Gondolin was modelled after Tirion, and Turgon's people seldom went to war. Ulmo warned him that the time would come when Turgon would have to give up everything to save his people, but when that day came Turgon proved unwilling to make the sacrifice. Rather than lead his people safely out of Gondolin, Turgon trusted to the city's natural defenses. He wanted to preserve his way of life at the risk of losing his life.
After the fall of Gondolin the Noldor squandered their last resources in the bitter conflicts over possession of the Silmaril which Beren and Luthien had recovered from Melkor. The Sons of Fëanor, unable to recover the other jewels, destroyed first Doriath and then Arvernien in fruitless attempts to seize the gem. They no longer dreamed of avenging their father and grand-father's deaths, nor of recovering the Silmarils. Instead, they merely focused on what they felt was theirs by right, failing to realize they had lost that right through their misdeeds. Their minds were trapped in a past which could not be recovered.
After the First Age the Noldor began anew. Gil-galad established a kingdom in what had been Ossiriand, and some of the Noldor migrated eastward to establish Eregion. But as the centuries rolled by the Elves succumbed to worries about fading. The Noldor of Eregion decided to do something about the fading when Sauron (in disguise) offered them an opportunity to stop or delay the effects of Time.
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