The Silmarillion

by J.R.R. Tolkien

Lúthien Character Analysis

Lúthien is the daughter of Thingol and Melian who falls in love with the mortal man Beren. Despite her father’s disapproval, she escapes captivity enforced by both Thingol and Celegorm, insistent on helping Beren. Resourceful and powerful, she rescues Beren from Sauron with the help of the hound Huan and refuses to be left behind for her own protection. Lúthien is a famous beauty and an excellent singer; her voice puts Melkor to sleep, allowing Beren to steal a Silmaril and complete the quest Thingol assigned him. When Beren is killed soon after, Lúthien’s spirit travels to the Houses of the Dead where she sings a tragic song and petitions the Vala Mandos for Beren’s return. By loving Beren, Lúthien becomes entangled in his doom—both his fate to complete the quest for the Silmaril and his fate, as a mortal, to die. Still, through the Valar, Ilúvatar allows her to freely choose to return with Beren to Middle-earth and become mortal. When the Silmaril returns to her possession after Thingol’s death, the sons of Fëanor don’t dare to attack her for it. She doesn’t become caught in the Noldor’s conflict over it or become overwhelmed by greed as her father does, but it’s possible that carrying the Silmaril hastens her natural death.

Lúthien Quotes in The Silmarillion

The The Silmarillion quotes below are all either spoken by Lúthien or refer to Lúthien. 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 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), Melkor/Morgoth, Ilúvatar, Lúthien
Related Symbols: Light, The Silmarils
Page Number and Citation: 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, Finrod Felagund, Melian, Sauron, Beren, Lúthien
Related Symbols: Darkness , The Silmarils
Page Number and Citation: 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: Námo/Mandos, Ilúvatar, Beren, Lúthien
Page Number and Citation: 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, Beren, Lúthien
Related Symbols: The Silmarils
Page Number and Citation: 233
Explanation and Analysis:
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Lúthien Character Timeline in The Silmarillion

The timeline below shows where the character Lúthien appears in The Silmarillion. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 10. Of the Sindar
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Inevitable Loss Theme Icon
...rule over all the elves of Beleriand, called the Sindar, and have a daughter named Lúthien. Though much of Middle-earth is still sleeping under Yavanna’s spell, Melian fills Beleriand with life. (full context)
Chapter 19. Of Beren and Lúthien
Fate, Doom, and Free Will Theme Icon
...the Girdle, “grey and bowed” from his difficult road. In the summer woods he sees Lúthien (Thingol and Melian’s daughter) dancing and falls in love. With dark hair and grey eyes,... (full context)
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Near spring, Beren hears her singing and calls out to her. When Lúthien turns to look at him, she falls in love, and her “doom” falls on her.... (full context)
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“Beyond his hope,” Lúthien returns to Beren in the woods and visits him secretly through the spring and summer.... (full context)
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...as proof of his nobility, but Thingol demands that Beren retrieve a treasure to win Lúthien—he must bring Thingol a Silmaril in his own hand. With that request, Thingol becomes ensnared... (full context)
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...Finrod recognizes him, and Beren explains the death of his father and his quest for Lúthien. Finrod realizes that, as he predicted to Galadriel, his oath to give aid to Barahir... (full context)
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...imprisons them, Finrod shields their thoughts so Sauron can’t discover their goal. Meanwhile, Melian tells Lúthien about Beren’s captivity. Lúthien plans to go and rescue him herself, but Daeron again reveals... (full context)
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...are hunting with the chief of the wolfhounds, Huan, given to Celegorm by Oromë. Though Lúthien is nearly imperceptible in her cloak, Huan notices her and brings her to Celegorm, who... (full context)
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...redeeming his oath to Barahir. Wounded in the effort, he dies. At the same time, Lúthien arrives and begins to sing outside the tower. Beren hears and answers her before he... (full context)
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Sauron recognizes Lúthien as the daughter of Melian and sends a wolf out to capture her to deliver... (full context)
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Lúthien casts a spell to break the gates and the walls, freeing the captives. She and... (full context)
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Celegorm and Curufin see Beren and Lúthien, and Curufin snatches Lúthien onto his horse. Beren leaps up and shoves Curufin from the... (full context)
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After Lúthien heals him, Beren sneaks away in the night to return to his task, leaving her... (full context)
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Huan reveals to Beren that he can’t protect Lúthien anymore, since her love ties her life to his. Huan also can’t travel further with... (full context)
Pride and Arrogance Theme Icon
Greed, Jealousy, and Obsession Theme Icon
...distracted by his “evil lust” and his plan for a terrible and unnamed punishment for Lúthien, allows her to sing. She suddenly disappears and begins to sing a song so lovely... (full context)
Fate, Doom, and Free Will Theme Icon
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...Beren’s knife breaks. A shard slices Morgoth’s cheek, making him groan and stir. Beren and Lúthien flee, but their way is blocked by Carcharoth, the wolf Morgoth placed to guard the... (full context)
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...which burns him from the inside, Carcharoth flees Angband and kills everything in his path. Lúthien, exhausted, tries to heal Beren with her fading powers as Angband wakes up from her... (full context)
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Huan helps Lúthien heal Beren, who nearly dies from the poison in his wound. Doriath has been in... (full context)
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...hand. Beren revives, hands the Silmaril to Thingol, and announces that his quest is finished. Lúthien, who meets them in the woods, begs Beren to wait for her in Valinor, and... (full context)
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Beren’s spirit waits in the halls of Mandos in Valinor, as Lúthien asked him. Lúthien’s spirit leaves her body and travels to the Houses of the Dead... (full context)
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Because of her labors, Lúthien is given the choice to live among the Valar forever without Beren (since the Valar... (full context)
Chapter 20. Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad
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Beren and Lúthien return to Doriath, and Melian, realizing Lúthien is mortal, faces the heavy grief of their... (full context)
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Maedhros, hearing about the deeds of Beren and Lúthien, realizes that Morgoth isn’t invulnerable. Maedhros begins to gather a united force of elves to... (full context)
Chapter 21. Of Túrin Turambar
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Morwen, Húrin’s wife, has a son, Túrin, the year that Beren and Lúthien meet. At the time of Húrin’s capture, Túrin is eight years old and living in... (full context)
Chapter 22. Of the Ruin of Doriath
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...to attack without the protection of the Girdle. She instructs Mablung to contact Beren and Lúthien, then disappears from Middle-earth back to Valinor. The dwarf army invades Doriath, kills Mablung, and... (full context)
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At that time, Beren and Lúthien still live in Tol Galen in Ossiriand. Their son Dior is married to Nimloth, a... (full context)
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It’s said that Lúthien wearing the Silmaril is the greatest beauty ever seen outside of Valinor and that Tol... (full context)
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...plan to attack Doriath and reclaim it, though they didn’t dare to take it when Lúthien wore it. During the attack, Dior kills Celegorm, and Curufin and Caranthir both die. Dior... (full context)
Chapter 24. Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath
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...to choose for both of them, and Elwing chooses the fate of the elves, since Lúthien was an elf. (full context)