The Silmarillion

The Silmarillion

by

J.R.R. Tolkien

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Beren, the son of Barahir, is the man foretold by Melian whose fate will allow him to break through her enchantments around Doriath. He falls in love with the elf Lúthien, and her father Thingol sends him on a quest to retrieve one of the Silmarils from Melkor’s crown to win her hand. Though Beren is frightened of Thingol, he is steadfast in his devotion to Lúthien and finds the courage to undertake the quest. Beren can’t accomplish the task alone and receives help from Finrod, Huan, and Lúthien herself. Since Beren doesn’t want to keep the Silmaril for himself, though he successfully steals one and becomes involved in the conflict over them, he isn’t possessed by greed and doesn’t fall victim to betrayal as those touched by the Doom of the Noldor do. As he and Lúthien flee Melkor’s tower with the Silmaril, the werewolf Carcharoth bites off Beren’s hand and swallows the Silmaril. Later, Beren and Huan kill Carcharoth and get the Silmaril back, but Beren dies in the attempt. Fate demands that Beren and Lúthien be separated by death, since Lúthien, as an elf, can’t die and depart the world as Beren must. However, Lúthien’s spirit travels to Mandos and pleads for Beren’s return, and Ilúvatar makes an exception for her, allowing her to choose the fate of men and to live and die as a mortal with Beren in Middle-earth. Their romance, which does the impossible and defies fate, becomes one of the most famous stories among the elves.

Beren Quotes in The Silmarillion

The The Silmarillion quotes below are all either spoken by Beren or refer to Beren. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Unity vs. Division Theme Icon
).
Chapter 17 Quotes

Now the world runs on swiftly to great tidings. And one of Men, even of Bëor’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 has changed.

Related Characters: Melian (speaker), Beren, Bëor
Related Symbols: The Silmarils
Page Number: 144
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 19 Quotes

Farewell sweet earth and northern sky
for ever blest, since here did lie
and here with lissome limbs did run
beneath the Moon, beneath the Sun,
Lúthien Tinúviel
more fair than mortal tongue can tell.
Though all to ruin fell the world
and were dissolved and backward hurled
unmade into the old abyss,
yet were its making good, for this—
the dusk, the dawn, the earth, the sea—
that Lúthien for a time should be.

Related Characters: Beren (speaker), Ilúvatar, Melkor/Morgoth, Lúthien
Related Symbols: Light, The Silmarils
Page Number: 178
Explanation and Analysis:

Then Morgoth looking upon her beauty conceived in his thought an evil lust, and a design more dark than any that had yet come into his heart since he fled from Valinor. Thus he was beguiled by his own malice, for he watched her, leaving her free for a while, and taking secret pleasure in his thought. Then suddenly she eluded his sight, and out of the shadows began a song of such surpassing loveliness, and of such blinding power, that he listened perforce; and a blindness came upon him, as his eyes roamed to and fro, seeking her.

Related Characters: Melkor/Morgoth, Sauron, Lúthien, Beren, Finrod Felagund, Melian
Related Symbols: Darkness , The Silmarils
Page Number: 180
Explanation and Analysis:

This doom she chose, forsaking the Blessed Realm, and putting aside all claim to kinship with those that dwell there; that thus whatever grief might lie in wait, the fates of Beren and Lúthien might be joined, and their paths lead together beyond the confines of the world. So it was that alone of the Eldalië she has died indeed, and left the world long ago. Yet in her choice the Two Kindreds have been joined; and she is the forerunner of many in whom the Eldar see yet, though all the world is changed, the likeness of Lúthien the beloved, whom they have lost.

Related Characters: Ilúvatar, Lúthien, Beren, Námo/Mandos
Page Number: 187
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 22 Quotes

But Thingol perceived their hearts, and saw well that desiring the Silmaril they sought but a pretext and fair cloak of their true intent; and in his wrath and pride he gave no heed to his peril but spoke to them in scorn, saying: ‘How do ye of uncouth race dare to demand aught of me, Elu Thingol, Lord of Beleriand, whole life began by the waters of Cuiviénen years uncounted ere the fathers of the stunted people awoke?’

Then the lust of the Dwarves was kindled to rage by the words of the King; and they rose up about him, and laid hands on him, and slew him as he stood.

Related Characters: Elwë/Thingol (speaker), Melkor/Morgoth, Lúthien, Beren
Related Symbols: The Silmarils
Page Number: 233
Explanation and Analysis:
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The Silmarillion PDF

Beren Quotes in The Silmarillion

The The Silmarillion quotes below are all either spoken by Beren or refer to Beren. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Unity vs. Division Theme Icon
).
Chapter 17 Quotes

Now the world runs on swiftly to great tidings. And one of Men, even of Bëor’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 has changed.

Related Characters: Melian (speaker), Beren, Bëor
Related Symbols: The Silmarils
Page Number: 144
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 19 Quotes

Farewell sweet earth and northern sky
for ever blest, since here did lie
and here with lissome limbs did run
beneath the Moon, beneath the Sun,
Lúthien Tinúviel
more fair than mortal tongue can tell.
Though all to ruin fell the world
and were dissolved and backward hurled
unmade into the old abyss,
yet were its making good, for this—
the dusk, the dawn, the earth, the sea—
that Lúthien for a time should be.

Related Characters: Beren (speaker), Ilúvatar, Melkor/Morgoth, Lúthien
Related Symbols: Light, The Silmarils
Page Number: 178
Explanation and Analysis:

Then Morgoth looking upon her beauty conceived in his thought an evil lust, and a design more dark than any that had yet come into his heart since he fled from Valinor. Thus he was beguiled by his own malice, for he watched her, leaving her free for a while, and taking secret pleasure in his thought. Then suddenly she eluded his sight, and out of the shadows began a song of such surpassing loveliness, and of such blinding power, that he listened perforce; and a blindness came upon him, as his eyes roamed to and fro, seeking her.

Related Characters: Melkor/Morgoth, Sauron, Lúthien, Beren, Finrod Felagund, Melian
Related Symbols: Darkness , The Silmarils
Page Number: 180
Explanation and Analysis:

This doom she chose, forsaking the Blessed Realm, and putting aside all claim to kinship with those that dwell there; that thus whatever grief might lie in wait, the fates of Beren and Lúthien might be joined, and their paths lead together beyond the confines of the world. So it was that alone of the Eldalië she has died indeed, and left the world long ago. Yet in her choice the Two Kindreds have been joined; and she is the forerunner of many in whom the Eldar see yet, though all the world is changed, the likeness of Lúthien the beloved, whom they have lost.

Related Characters: Ilúvatar, Lúthien, Beren, Námo/Mandos
Page Number: 187
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 22 Quotes

But Thingol perceived their hearts, and saw well that desiring the Silmaril they sought but a pretext and fair cloak of their true intent; and in his wrath and pride he gave no heed to his peril but spoke to them in scorn, saying: ‘How do ye of uncouth race dare to demand aught of me, Elu Thingol, Lord of Beleriand, whole life began by the waters of Cuiviénen years uncounted ere the fathers of the stunted people awoke?’

Then the lust of the Dwarves was kindled to rage by the words of the King; and they rose up about him, and laid hands on him, and slew him as he stood.

Related Characters: Elwë/Thingol (speaker), Melkor/Morgoth, Lúthien, Beren
Related Symbols: The Silmarils
Page Number: 233
Explanation and Analysis: