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BerenBeren is a fictional character, created by J. R. R. Tolkien. He was a Man of Middle-earth, a hero whose romance with the Elf Lthien was one of the great stories of the Elder Days. Story Beren was the son of Barahir and Emeldir. He was a Man of the royal House of Bor of Dorthonion, and the most accomplished hero and adventurer of the First Age. The battle of the Dagor Bragollach befell during his youth, bringing about the ruin of his kingdom. The young Beren lived with his father and ten loyal followers in the highlands of Dorthonion, and the twelve of them performed many acts of bravery, to the great frustration of Morgoth, the Dark King of Angband. After the ruin of the Outlaws of Dorthonion, Beren was forced from the land of his birth by Sauron and Draugluin. He crossed into Doriath, where he saw and fell in love with Lthien, princess of the Sindar and daughter of Thingol and Melian. Thingol haughtily refused to give Lthien's hand in marriage. He said that he would allow the marriage to take place only if Beren brought back a Silmaril from the Iron Crown of Morgoth. The task was intended to be impossible, but Beren and Lthien, with the aid of Finrod of Nargothrond and Huan the Great Hound (both of whom died protecting Beren), braved many perils (even besting Sauron, then Morgoth's most powerful lieutenant) and captured a Silmaril. However, as they escaped from Angband, the great wolf Carcharoth, whom Morgoth had personally bred, awoke. Beren held out the Silmaril, hoping that its radiance would avert the beast, but he was mistaken. Carcharoth bit off his hand swallowed it and the Silmaril (thus Beren was called Erchamion, One-hand), and proceeded to run rampant through Doriath. Lthien and the unconscious Beren were rescued by the Eagles of Manw. Beren participated in the hunting of Carcharoth, where the beast was slain and the Silmaril recovered; the quest was accomplished, but in the process Beren was mortally wounded. Lthien's love for Beren was so strong that, hearing of his death, she laid down and died. Her soul went to the Halls of Mandos, where she managed to charm Mandos into granting her a wish. Both she and Beren were restored to life, but both of them would die the death of Men, and go beyond the walls of Arda to a place unknown. Thus Beren and Lthien lived again, and dwelt on Tol Galen in the middle of the river Adurant in Ossiriand. There they stayed apart from other mortals; Beren was involved with the events of the First Age only one further time, when he waylaid a group of Dwarves who had destroyed Doriath and stolen the Nauglamr (and the Silmaril with it). Lthien bore Beren a son, named Dior, Thingol's heir, considered to be one of the fairest beings to ever live, for in him flowed the blood of Men, the blood of Elves, and the blood of the Ainur. Through his descendants, the blood of Beren and of Lthien was preserved among the Eldar and the Edain. The name of Beren's sword was Dagmor. Evolution The story of Beren and Lthien, though mentioned only briefly in The Lord of the Rings, was a central part of the legendarium. Tolkien once referred to it as "the kernel of the mythology" (The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien, 165). He went on to say that it "arose from a small woodland glade filled with 'hemlocks'", which he visited while serving in the Humber Garrison in 1918 (during World War I). In the earliest versions of the legendarium (see: The Book of Lost Tales), Beren was a Gnome (a oldorin Elf), son of Egnor (which might have been an early name for Aegnor). Tolkien was buried in Wolvercote Cemetery (North Oxford) and this name appears on the stone: - JOHN RONALD REUEL TOLKIEN Beren 1892 – 1973
The name of Lthien also appears on the stone: - EDITH MARY TOLKIEN Lthien 1889 – 1971
The Line of Beren Bregor | -------------- | | Bregolas Barahir = Emeldir | | ---------------- | | | | Baragund Belegund Beren Erchamion = Lthien | | | Morwen = Hrin Ran = Huor Dior = Nimloth | | | --------------- | -------------- | | | | | | | Trin Lalaith Nienor Tuor = Idril | | | | | | | Erendil = Elwing Elurd Elurn | ------------------------------------- | | Elros Elrond = Celebrian | | ------------------------ ---------------- | | | | | Kings of Nmenor Lords of Andni | | | | | | | Elendil | | | | | | | ------------------- | | | | | | | | Kings of Gondor Kings of Arnor | | | | | | | Kings of Arthedain | | | | | | | Chieftains of the Dnedain | | | | | | | Aragorn = Arwen Elladan Elrohir | ---------------------- | | Eldarion Numerous daughters | Kings of Gondor and Arnor Other characters named Beren An earlier Beren, son and youngest child of Belemir and Adanel, was the father of Emeldir, and grandfather of Beren Erchamion. Another Beren was a Steward of Gondor in the years 2743–2763 of the Third Age. Under his rule the fortress of Isengard was given to Saruman to guard for Gondor. See also
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