Beren the Renowned (F.A. 432 – 503), aged approx. 71 years at the time of his final death) was a Man of Middle-earth, a hero whose romance with the Elf Lúthien was one of the great stories of the Elder Days.
History[]
Life in Dorthonion[]
Beren was the son of Barahir and Emeldir and was named after Beren, his maternal grandfather. He was a Man of the royal House of Bëor of Dorthonion for his father was most likely the last Chieftain of the House of Bëor. The Dagor Bragollach ("Battle of Sudden Flame") befell during his youth, bringing about the ruin of his land. 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 Lord of Angband. After the betrayal and death of the Outlaws of Dorthonion due to the treachery of Gorlim the Unhappy, Beren swore an oath to avenge his father, "but wept not, for his heart was ice". He recovered the Ring of Barahir from the Orcs, and lived on as an outlaw, whose feats of daring were renown throughout the free world. Eventually, he was forced to abandon the land of his birth and the grave of his father. He crossed into Doriath, where he saw and fell in love with Lúthien, princess of the Sindar and daughter of Thingol and Melian, when he saw her dancing.
Quest for the Silmaril[]
Thingol refused to give Lúthien's hand in marriage, as Beren was a mortal. He charged Beren that he would allow the marriage to take place only if he brought back a Silmaril from the Iron Crown of Morgoth. The task was intended to be impossible, but Beren was determined. He set out on this impossible quest with the aid of Finrod Felagund of Nargothrond, but was soon captured by Sauron and imprisoned in Tol-in-Gaurhoth. Lúthien, along with Huan the great hound, eventually came to their rescue.
Using Lúthien's powers to place Morgoth's court into a deep sleep, they were able to enter Angband where Beren cut a Silmaril from Morgoth's iron crown. 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, swallowing it along with the Silmaril, and proceeded to run rampant through Doriath. Thus Beren was called Erchamion, "One-handed". Lúthien and the unconscious Beren were rescued by the Eagles of Manwë. After coming back to Thingol's court, both told him the story of their quest and how Beren had fulfilled Thingol's demand, as he had one Silmaril in his hand. Thus, Thingol accepted that Beren married his daughter, being this the first union of Elves and Men. 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.
Unable to deal with the death of her beloved, Lúthien, overcome with grief, laid down and died. Her soul went to the Halls of Mandos, where she managed to move Mandos so that he granted her and Beren another life. 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.
Aftermath[]
Thus Beren and Lúthien lived again, and dwelt on Tol Galen in the middle of the River Adurant in Ossiriand. There they stayed apart from other mortals. Lúthien bore Beren a son, named Dior, Thingol's heir. He was 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 Lúthien was preserved among the Eldar and the Edain.
Beren was involved with the events of the First Age only one further time. After the murder of Thingol, Mablung was sent by Melian to warn Beren. He gathered the Green-elves, and with the aid of some Ents they waylaid a group of the Dwarves of Nogrod who had destroyed Doriath and stolen its treasures. They ambushed the Dwarves and vanquished them in the Battle of Sarn Athrad. Because the Lord of Nogrod cursed the treasure, Beren threw it in the river Ascar, but salvaged the Nauglamir which he brought to his wife. Their son Dior left to restore and rule Menegroth.
Beren and Lúthien died together on Tol Galen. Among the Children of Ilúvatar the final death of Beren and Lúthien is accounted in F.A. 503, for in the Autumn of that year Dior received the Silmaril in Doriath, and it was taken as a sign of his parents' death. In truth the date of their death is unknown.
Description[]
Beren had golden-brown hair and grey eyes. He was taller than most of his kinsmen, but (according to the trait of his House) he was broad-shouldered, and his limbs were very strong.