Maglor
Encyclopedia
In J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...

's legendarium
Legendarium
Legendary may refer to:*A hagiography, or study of the lives of saints and other religious figures**The South English Legendary, a Middle English legendary*A legend-Entertainment:*Legendary, an album by Kaysha*Legendary...

, Maglor is a fictional character
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...

, the second son of Fëanor
Fëanor
Fëanor is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium who plays an important part in The Silmarillion. He was the eldest son of Finwë, the High King of the Noldor, and his first wife Míriel Serindë...

 and Nerdanel. He was the greatest poet and bard of the Noldor
Noldor
In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Noldor are Elves of the Second Clan who migrated to Valinor and lived in Eldamar. The Noldor are called Golodhrim or Gódhellim in Sindarin, and Goldoi by Teleri of Tol Eressëa. The singular form of the Quenya noun is Noldo and the adjective is Noldorin...

 and was said to have inherited more of his mother's gentler temperament.

Maglor is a Sindarin
Sindarin
Sindarin is a fictional language devised by J. R. R. Tolkien, and used in his secondary world, often called Middle-earth.Sindarin is one of the many languages spoken by the immortal Elves, called the Eledhrim or Edhellim in Sindarin....

 rendering of his Quenya
Quenya
Quenya is a fictional language devised by J. R. R. Tolkien, and used in his Secondary world, often called Middle-earth.Quenya is one of the many Elvish languages spoken by the immortal Elves, called Quendi in Quenya. The tongue actually called Quenya was in origin the speech of two clans of Elves...

 mother name Makalaurë (or Macalaurë), which means "Gold-cleaver" — alluding to his skill with the harp
Harp
The harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...

, and possibly the power of his voice. (He was also known as "Strong-voiced" and "the Mighty Singer".) The meaning behind Maglor's father name, Kanafinwë (or Canafinwë), is uncertain, but probably contains the prefix kana/o (commanding) + Finwë
Finwë
Finwë, sometimes surnamed Noldóran, is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. He was the first High King of the Elven Noldor to lead his people on the journey from Middle-earth to Valinor in the blessed realm of Aman. He was a great friend of Elu Thingol, the King of Doriath...

.

As with the other Sons of Fëanor
Sons of Fëanor
In J. R. R. Tolkien's world of Middle-earth, the seven sons of Fëanor, the eldest prince of the Noldor, led their people from Valinor to rule over kingdoms in the Northeast of Beleriand:...

, Maglor was bound by the Oath of Fëanor to recover his father's Silmarils, from whoever possessed them, as the jewels had been stolen by the Dark Lord Morgoth
Morgoth
Morgoth Bauglir is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth legendarium. He is the main antagonist of The Silmarillion, figures in The Children of Húrin, and is mentioned briefly in The Lord of the Rings.Melkor was the most powerful of the Ainur, but turned to darkness and became...

. This oath took Fëanor and his seven sons to Middle-earth
Middle-earth
Middle-earth is the fictional setting of the majority of author J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place entirely in Middle-earth, as does much of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....

 during the First Age
First Age
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the First Age, or First Age of the Children of Ilúvatar is the heroic period in which most of Tolkien's early legends are set...

 where the sons established realms in exile, waged war against the armies of Morgoth, fought their own Elvish
Elf (Middle-earth)
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, Elves are one of the races that inhabit a fictional Earth, often called Middle-earth, and set in the remote past. They appear in The Hobbit and in The Lord of the Rings, but their complex history is described more fully in The Silmarillion...

 kind, and eventually brought ruin upon themselves and their followers.

Maglor was briefly the leader of the Fëanorians after Fëanor had died in Dagor-nuin-Giliath
Dagor-nuin-Giliath
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth, the Dagor-nuin-Giliath is the second battle of the Wars of Beleriand, but the first involving the Noldor....

 and his oldest son Maedhros
Maedhros
Maedhros is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. First introduced in The Silmarillion and later mentioned in Unfinished Tales and The Children of Húrin, he is one of the most enduring characters in The Silmarillion, and has been the subject of paintings by artists such as Jenny...

 had been imprisoned by Morgoth after he was trapped and captured in a phoney parley. It is not known if Maglor tried to rescue his elder brother. Under his leadership, the Noldor built a fortified camp on the northern shore of Lake Mithrim, after Maglor had refused Morgoth's demands. The Noldor had their first contact with the Grey-elves
Sindar
In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the fictional Sindar are Elves of Telerin descent. They are also known as the Grey Elves. Their language is Sindarin...

 and the Falathrim during this, and these meetings were "glad".

It seems Maglor chose neither to confront nor to reconcile with the House of Fingolfin, his uncle, who was forced to lead his followers and those of the House of Finarfin
Finarfin
Finarfin is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, featured in The Silmarillion.-Personality:Unlike the warlike Fëanor and Fingolfin, Finarfin was something of a pacifist...

 into Hithlum
Hithlum
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth, Hithlum is the region north of Beleriand near the Helcaraxë.Hithlum was separated from Beleriand proper by the Ered Wethrin mountain chain, and was named after the sea mists which formed there at times: Hithlum is Sindarin for "Mist-shadow";...

 through the Helcaraxë (grinding ice of the north) because Maglor's father ordered the ships of the Teleri
Teleri
In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Teleri, Those who come last in Quenya were the third of the Elf clans who came to Aman...

 to be burned that had carried Fëanor's house across the sea. The Fëanorians left their camp and withdrew to the Southern shore of Lake Mithrim. Maglor did not act on the feelings of shame and repentance of his followers.

Maglor went east with his brothers and was responsible for defending a plain between mountain ranges Maglor's Gap with a large force of riders. His relationship with the other Noldor
Noldor
In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Noldor are Elves of the Second Clan who migrated to Valinor and lived in Eldamar. The Noldor are called Golodhrim or Gódhellim in Sindarin, and Goldoi by Teleri of Tol Eressëa. The singular form of the Quenya noun is Noldo and the adjective is Noldorin...

 princes seemed to mirror that of his older brother Maedhros who desired to unify against Morgoth. Maglor was present with many warriors from east Beleriand at the "Feast of Reuniting", Mereth Aderthad, hosted by Fingolfin
Fingolfin
Fingolfin is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, appearing in The Silmarillion.-Internal history:He was a High King of the Noldor in Beleriand, second eldest son of Finwë, full brother of Finarfin, and half-brother of Fëanor, who was the eldest of Finwë's sons. His mother was...

 in near the Pools of Ivrin. Daeron, the greatest bard of the elves was also there, but nothing is said of the meeting of Maglor and Daeron. Finrod, son of Finarfin, hunted with Maedhros and Maglor in Estolad just before he met the Edain
Edain
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Edain were men who made their way into Beleriand in the First Age, and were friendly to the Elves....

 for the first time. Maglor's Gap, the March of Maedhros and Dor Caranthir (Thargelion) seem to be the only places that had been named after Fëanorian lords in Beleriand.

Maglor's Gap was breached during Dagor Aglareb
Dagor Aglareb
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth, as told in the Silmarillion, the Dagor Aglareb was the third battle of the Wars of Beleriand during the First Age, known as the Glorious Battle....

, although the Fëanorians managed to destroy the Orc
Orc (Middle-earth)
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings, Orcs or Orks are a race of creatures who are used as soldiers and henchmen by both the greater and lesser villains of The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings — Morgoth, Sauron and Saruman...

 bands that had passed south. Maglor and Maedhros beat back an attack by Morgoth in Y.S. 402 aided by Angrod
Angrod
In J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth universe, Angrod was a son of Finarfin and lord of the Noldor.Angrod was the elder brother of Galadriel and Aegnor, and the younger brother of Finrod Felagund. He joined the Exile of the Noldor to Middle-earth, where together with Aegnor he held the highlands of...

 and Aegnor, sons of Finarfin. In Dagor Bragollach
Dagor Bragollach
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth, the Dagor Bragollach was the fourth battle of the Wars of Beleriand...

, the forces of Angband, with Glaurung
Glaurung
Glaurung is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth legendarium. He is introduced in The Silmarillion as the first of the Dragons. He is also a major antagonist in The Children of Húrin. He was known as The Deceiver, The Golden, The Great Worm and the Worm of...

 the dragon at their head, overran Maglor's Gap, and Maglor retreated to the stronghold of Maedhros after his horsemen had been burnt in the plain of Lothlann. After the great defeat of the Union of Maedhros in Y.S. 473, he retreated with his brothers to Mount Dolmed. It is unclear whether he lived in Ossiriand or at Amon Ereb, where Maedhros chose to live. Maglor later took part in the Fëanorian attacks to recover a Silmaril on Doriath
Doriath
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth, Doriath is the realm of the Sindar, the Grey Elves of King Thingol in Beleriand. Along with the other great forests of Tolkien's legendarium such as Mirkwood, Fangorn and Lothlórien it serves as the central stage in the theatre of its time, the First Age...

 and on the Havens of Sirion, and survived these battles. After the sacking of Sirion, Maglor also saved and fostered the sons of Eärendil
Eärendil
Eärendil the Mariner is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He is depicted in The Silmarillion as a great seafarer who, on his brow, carried the morning star across the sky.-Etymology:...

, Elrond and Elros. The Silmarillion indicates that a bond of love had grown between Maglor and Elros and Elrond
Elrond
Elrond Half-elven is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He is introduced in The Hobbit, and plays a supporting role in The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion.-Character overview:...

.

After the War of Wrath
War of Wrath
The War of Wrath, or the Great Battle, is a key plot development in J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium, portraying the final war against Morgoth at the end of the First Age....

, he and his last surviving brother, Maedhros
Maedhros
Maedhros is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. First introduced in The Silmarillion and later mentioned in Unfinished Tales and The Children of Húrin, he is one of the most enduring characters in The Silmarillion, and has been the subject of paintings by artists such as Jenny...

 stole the two remaining Silmarils taken by the Valar
Vala (Middle-earth)
The Valar are fictional characters in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. They are first mentioned in The Lord of the Rings, but The Silmarillion develops them into the Powers of Arda or the Powers of the World...

 from Morgoth, even though initially Maglor tried to dissuade his older brother from doing this. But because of the evil deeds committed by the brothers to regain the jewels, they burned in Maglor and Maedhros's hands. Unable to bear the suffering, Maglor cast his Silmaril into the sea. Thereafter he wandered along the shores of the world, singing laments over the loss of the jewel, until he faded from memory. Maglor, along with Galadriel
Galadriel
Galadriel is a character created by J.R.R. Tolkien, appearing in his Middle-earth legendarium. She appears in The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, and Unfinished Tales....

, was the greatest surviving Noldo at the beginning of the Second Age
Second Age
The Second Age is a time period from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy writings. Tolkien intended for the history of Middle-earth to be considered fictionally as a precursor to the history of the real Earth....

. There is speculation that he remained even after the Third Age
Third Age
The Third Age is a time period from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy writings. The history of Middle-earth is to be taken fictionally as a history of the real Earth....

 in Middle-earth, forbidden forever from returning to Valinor
Valinor
Valinor is a fictional location in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the realm of the Valar in Aman. It was also known as the Undying Lands, along with Tol Eressëa and the outliers of Aman. This is something of a misnomer; only immortal beings were allowed to reside there, but the land itself,...

. It is also possible that Maglor did not, in fact, survive into the Second Age, but instead perished when Beleriand
Beleriand
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional legendarium, Beleriand was a region in northwestern Middle-earth during the First Age. Events in Beleriand are described chiefly in his work The Silmarillion, which tells the story of the early ages of Middle-earth in a style similar to the epic hero tales of Nordic...

 sank into the Sea in the War of Wrath.

It is curious that Maglor was assigned to guard the most vulnerable part of the Fëanorian defences, although there is no indication of his being the most gifted rider or a fierce warrior. Maglor killed Uldor the Accursed after his betrayal of the Union of Maedhros in the fifth battle.

Tolkien refers to Maglor as one of Fëanor's sons that were probably married, but we have no information on his wife or any children. Maglor composed the song "The Fall of The Noldor" (Noldolantë), although nothing but its title is known.

See also Maglor's Gap.
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