Statistics

Names:  Maedhros (possibly glitter of metal)
Maitimo (well-formed one)
Nelyafinwë (third [in generation] Finwë)
Russandol (copper-top)
Title(s): "the Tall"
Division/race: Noldor Elf
Born during: Years of the Trees
Born in: Valinor
Died: First Age 583
Family: House of Fëanor
Parents: Fëanor and Nerdanel
Grandparents: Finwë and Míriel
Siblings: younger brothers (in this order) Maglor, Celegorm, Caranthir, Curufin, Amrod, Amras
Appearance: either reddish-brown or "copper" hair, and presumably had the grey eyes of most of the Noldor. He also apparently wore a circlet of copper around his head.
Marital status: "appeared to be unwed"

Additional info

Basically, Maedhros was born in the bliss of Valinor before Morgoth screwed everything up. And had Fëanor not been so proud and obsessed with his Silmarils, I believe he would have led a much happier life.

He was the eldest son of Fëanor, greatest of the Noldor, and his wife Nerdanel. He, like the rest of his brothers (hah), was a dutiful son who followed his father into exile first from Tirion and later from Valinor, eventually ending up in Middle-earth where his world promptly turned even more upside down. And, like the rest of his brothers, he suffered a tragic fate thanks to his father's accursed Oath.

Throughout the later part of his life, he was faced with war, death, Kinslayings, and a lot of torture, most of which is documented below:

Significant events

  • The swearing of the Oath with his father and brothers - a deadly oath which would bind the taker till the end of the world - vowing to pursue with vengeance and hatred any form of being other than themselves who possesses a Silmaril. And that's how he got into this big mess.
  • The first Kinslaying and burning of the ships which were taken by force from the Teleri. After the Kinslaying in which the hosts of Fëanor and Fingonfin (the latter by mistake) partook, Fëanor and his sons seized the ships and sailed to Middle-earth in secret at night, leaving behind the host of Fingolfin and Finarfin. Upon landing in Middle-earth, Maedhros, thinking that they were going back for the rest, asked his father who he would return for first. Little did he know that Fëanor had other plans; he and his six younger sons burned the ships while Maedhros alone stood aside.
  • His imprisonment by Morgoth, who captured, tortured and hung him by the right wrist from the heights of Thangorodrim, which is Morgoth's, er, place of dwelling. Some time later the rest of the Elves arrived (via the much more torturous Helcaraxë) and Fingon, Maedhros's great friend at one point of time, managed to rescue him but had to cut off his right wrist, being unable to free Morgoth's bond. The rescue, together with Maedhros's repentance and relinquishment of his rightful (well, technically) place as High King of the Noldor to Fingon's father Fingolfin, repaired the ill feelings between the hosts of Fëanor and the others.
  • The forming of the Union of Maedhros, where he tried to unite the Houses of the Noldor.
  • The Battle of Unnumbered Tears, in which the lives of many Elves (including Fingon) and Men were lost and Maedhros and Fingon's battle plans failed to work due to the treachery of some of Maedhros's followers.
  • The second and third Kinslaying, where in both cases an "outsider" had possession of a Silmaril and the Fëanorians were trying to win it back.
  • The recovering by force of the two remaining Silmarils - one was already "lost" and - with Maglor, and ultimately his death by casting himself into a gaping chasm of fire, unable to take the pain the Silmaril was giving him. (the Silmarils burn the bearer if he is evil, or has done evil)

All for the want of three shiny jewels.

Thoughts about Maedhros

From what I have read, I get the impression that he, together with Maglor, was one of the more... shall we say, gentle-tempered of Fëanor's seven sons. Indeed, he was often the one to restrain his younger brothers - whether out of duty as the eldest brother, due to his aforementioned temperament or both, I have no idea. I do think, however, that if he were born into a more... normal family, and had not been constrained something as powerful the Oath, he would have been a much nicer and well-liked (albeit less "great" and renowned) person. I do think that he's just a good person stuck in the wrong circumstances.

I personally feel that the only reason why swore the Oath and committed those atrocious deeds was out of duty as Fëanor's heir, the eldest of the brothers, and subsequently the one who has to set the example. Nowhere in The Silmarillion did I read that he enjoyed committing all those slayings and deeds; or rather I should say that, he was at least more repentant than most of his brothers. Like Maglor, there are indications in the book about his kinder side. Celegorm's servants left Dior's twin sons to die in the forest, whereas Maedhros went on a long and fruitless search to bring them back to safety.

He, unlike certain brothers, had the humility to accept the fact that he went wrong, repent, beg forgiveness from the very people his father despised - the house of Fingolfin - to the extent of renouncing his Kingship to Fingolfin, knowing that the House of Fëanor had brought unmeasurable grief to them. He had the consideration to wonder how Fingon, his friend of old, was going to get to Middle-earth after Fëanor stole the ships, and the courage to defy his father and stand aside alone as the ships burned. (Sadly, that courage was not enough to stop him swearing that crazy Oath.)

One thing that I wonder about, however, is why Tolkien only mentioned Maglor taking in the sons of Elwing - wasn't Maedhros there too? But oh well.