The Texts

Abstract

The lengthy and tragic tale of Túrin Turambar, son of Húrin, is one of the great stories from the First Age of Middle-earth contained in The Silmarillion, but also repeated several times in Tolkien’s writings (notably in the ‘Narn I Hîn Húrin’ in Unfinished Tales, The Lays of Beleriand, and The Children of Húrin). With his family cursed by Morgoth, Túrin’s tale is a lengthy one of a man spiralling downwards through a series of tragedies and ill-fated choices. Most notably in one important episode he seduces and marries a beautiful young woman only to discover from the dragon Glaurung, as Túrin slays him, that the woman is in fact Túrin’s long-lost sister — Nienor Níniel. Unable to live with the news Níniel kills herself, and Túrin, upon hearing this, slays himself by his own sword.