Húrin's end...

[Peter_20]

I don't really like the way Húrin's life ended.
I mean, I always admired him for his defying Morgoth and refusing to fall under his thraldom, and so I think it's pretty disappointing how Húrin died.

We don't get any clear details on Húrin's death, but obviously he drowned himself because of great sorrow.
This means he ended his own life because of Morgoth's doings, and I find this very bad in line with Húrin's character.
Morwen didn't kill herself, she just laid down and went with the sun; so why did Húrin the Steadfast take his own life?

I highly prefer the version when he walks back to Hithlum and eventually dies from age; this at least means he still defies Morgoth and clings to his life no matter what.

[Matoro]

Húrin was really a broken man after he was released. He wasn't Húrin the Steadfast anymore; he had witnessed terrible things to happen to his family. His son, daughters and wife were dead. His lands were taken and everything he had believed in was in ashes. Remember his optimism before Nirnaeth Arnoediad. He was sure that nothing could stand before the Elves, he believed that Valar protected them. And then he saw how the Elves were destroyed and how Melkor, the Master of Fates, mastered the fates of his family.

Húrin did what he could to avenge his family (killing Mîm, blaming Thingol for his son's demise) but he had really lost the will to live. There was no reason to keep living - a vengeance couldn't bring his family or home back, nor bring peace to his heart. Yes, he eventually subdued to Morgoth. What else could he have done? Maedhros was begging Fingon to kill him; Fingolfin died beneath Morgoth's feet. The tragedy of Húrin was completed when he finally submitted to Morgoth by killing himself. In the end nobody could defy Morgoth's will.

Actually a story of Húrin and Morgoth can be seen as a parallel to whole story of Quenta Silmarillion. No matter how brave, steadfast and strong the free peoples of Beleriand were, they could not win Morgoth. Only other valar could beat Morgoth. They could fight against him, they could resist him but they could never win Morgoth in the battle of fates. Morgoth drove the elves and edain to the sea and made them kill each other. Húrin was tired of his empty life and threw himself to the sea. I find it quite thematic ending for a such great character.

[Halbarahîr]

Originally Posted by Matoro

The tragedy of Húrin was completed when he finally submitted to Morgoth by killing himself. In the end nobody could defy Morgoth's will.

I'm not so sure about this,

[Halbarahîr]

Originally Posted by Matoro

The tragedy of Húrin was completed when he finally submitted to Morgoth by killing himself. In the end nobody could defy Morgoth's will.

I'm not so sure about this, in the past I always baulked over Húrins suicide and refused to believe that such a steadfast hero could deserve an ending as pitiless and tragic that seemingly delivers yet another victory for Morgoth over him. However after my most recent reading of the Silm. I have come to believe that Húrins suicide could be seen as a final direct act of defiance against Morgoth and a return of his faith in the Valar. When Morgoth says to him during his torturous imprisonment “…beyond the Circles of the World there is Nothing.” It is surely an attempt to make Húrin fear death and not accept it as Ilúvatars Gift to Men - Men fearing death being an ongoing theme that leads to evil throughout the Legendarium. Thus by ending his own life on his own terms, although sad, Húrin both defies Morgoths bleak statement and also reaffirms his own faith in the Valar, his choice of place to commit this act – the Westernmost shores of Beleriand, as near to Valinor as physically possible – also seems significant.