Henneth Annun Reseach Center

Character Bios

Angrod

Meaning: iron champion

Other Names:
Angaráto (Quenya)
Angamaite 'iron-handed'

Location(s):
Tirion
Beleriand
Dorthonion

Race/Species: Elf

Type/Kind: Noldor

Dates: Age of Trees - I 495

Parents:
father: Finarfin
mother: Eärwen

Siblings:
Finrod
Orodreth (Silmarillion only)
Aegnor
Galadriel

Spouse: Eldalote/Edellos (HoME only)

Children: Artaher/Arothir (HoME only)

Description:

The third son of Finarfin, who with his brother Aegnor held the northern slopes of Dorthonion; slain in the Dagor Bragollach.

The Silmarillion, Index of Names

The sons of Finarfin were Finrod the faithful..., Orodreth, Angrod, and Aegnor; these four were as close in friendship with the sons of Fingolfin as though they were all brothers. A sister they had, Galadriel, most beautiful of all the house of Finwë....

The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 5, Of Eldamar and the Princes of the Eldalië

Of like mind with Galadriel was Fingon Fingolfin's son, being moved also by Fëanor’s words, though he loved him little; and with Fingon stood as they ever did Angrod and Aegnor, sons of Finarfin. But these held their peace and spoke not against their fathers.

The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 9, Of the Flight of the Noldor

Angrod son of Finarfin was the first of the Exiles to come to Menegroth, as messenger of his brother Finrod, and he spoke long with the King, telling him of the deeds of the Noldor in the north, and of their numbers, and of the ordering of their force; but being true, and wisehearted, and thinking all griefs now forgiven, he spoke no word concerning the kinslaying, nor of the manner of the exile of the Noldor and the oath of Fëanor. King Thingol hearkened to the words of Angrod; and ere he went he said to him: 'Thus shall you speak for me to those that sent you. In Hithlum the Noldor have leave to dwell, and in the highlands of Dorthonion, and in the lands east of Doriath that are empty and wild....'

Now the lords of the Noldor held council in Mithrim, and thither came Angrod out of Doriath, bearing the message of King Thingol. Cold seemed its welcome to the Noldor, and the sons of Fëanor were angered at the words....

But Caranthir, who loved not the sons of Finarfin..., cried aloud: '... Let not the sons of Finarfin run hither and thither with their tales to this Dark Elf in his caves! Who made them our spokesmen to deal with him? And though they be come indeed to Beleriand, let them not so swiftly forget that their father is a lord of the Noldor, though their mother be of other kin.'

Then Angrod was wrathful and went forth from the council.

The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 13, Of the Return of the Noldor

From the northern slopes of Dorthonion Angrod and Aegnor, sons of Finarfin, looked out over the fields of Ard-galen, and were the vassals of their brother Finrod, lord of Nargothrond; their people were few, for the land was barren, and the great highlands behind were deemed to be a bulwark that Morgoth would not lightly seek to cross.

The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 14, Of Beleriand and Its Realms

'I marvel at you, son of Eärwen,' said Thingol, 'that you would come to the board of your kinsman thus red-handed from the slaying of your mother's kin, and yet say naught in defence, nor yet seek any pardon!'

Then Finrod was greatly troubled, but he was silent, for he could not defend himself, save by bringing charges against the other princes of the Noldor; and that he was loath to do before Thingol. But in Angrod's heart the memory of the words of Caranthir welled up again in bitterness, and he cried: 'Lord, I know not what lies you have heard, nor whence; but we came not red-handed. Guiltless we came forth, save maybe of folly, to listen to the words of fell Fëanor, and become as if besotted with wine, and as briefly. No evil did we do on our road, but suffered ourselves great wrong; and forgave it. For this we are named tale-bearers to you and treasonable to the Noldor: untruly as you know, for we have of our loyalty been silent before you, and thus earned your anger. But now these charges are no longer to be borne, and the truth you shall know.'

Then Angrod spoke bitterly against the sons of Fëanor, telling of the blood at Alqualondë, and the Doom of Mandos, and the burning of the ships at Losgar. And he cried: 'Wherefore should we that endured the Grinding Ice bear the name of kinslayers and traitors?'

'Yet the shadow of Mandos lies on you also,' said Melian. But Thingol was long silent ere he spoke. 'Go now!' he said. 'For my heart is hot within me. Later you may return, if you will; for I will not shut my doors for ever against you, my kindred, that were ensnared in an evil that you did not aid.'

The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 15, Of the Noldor in Beleriand

Now Fingolfin, King of the North, and High King of the Noldor, seeing that his people were become numerous and strong, and that the Men allied to them were many and valiant, pondered once more an assault upon Angband; for he knew that they lived in danger while the circle of the siege was incomplete.... Among the chieftains of the Noldor Angrod and Aegnor alone were of like mind with the King; for they dwelt in regions whence Thangorodrim could be descried, and the threat of Morgoth was present to their thought. Thus the designs of Fingolfin came to naught....

The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 18, Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin

Thus ended the Siege of Angband; and the foes of Morgoth were scattered and sundered one from another....

The sons of Finarfin bore most heavily the brunt of the assault, and Angrod and Aegnor were slain; beside them fell Bregolas lord of the house of Bëor, and a great part of the warriors of that people.

The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 18, Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin

The children of Finarfin... were named: Findaráto Ingoldo; Angaráto; Aikanáro; and Nerwendë Artanis, surnamed Alatáriel. The wife of Angaráto was named Eldalótë, and his son Artaher.... The names of Sindarin form by which they were usually called in later song and legend were Finrod, Angrod (with wife Eðellos and son Arothir), Aegnor, and Galadriel.

The names Findaráto and Angaráto were Telerin in form (for Finarfin spoke the language of his wife's people); and they proved easy to render into Sindarin in form and sense, because of the close relationship of the Telerin of Aman to the language of their kin, the Sindar of Beleriand, in spite of the great changes that it had undergone in Middle-earth.

The Peoples of Middle-Earth, HoME Vol 12, Part 2, Ch 11, The Shibboleth of Fëanor: The Names of Finwë's Descendants

It is probable that both brothers [Findaráto and Angaráto] first received the name Aráto, later differentiated.

The Find- in Findaráto referred to... the golden hair of this family derived from Indis. The Ang- in Angaráto was from Common Eldarin anga 'iron' (Quenya, Telerin anga, Sindarin ang). Angrod early developed hands of great strength and received the epessë Angamaitë 'iron-handed', so that ang- was used by Finarfin as a differentiating prefix.

The Peoples of Middle-Earth, HoME Vol 12, Part 2, Ch 11, The Shibboleth of Fëanor: The Names of Finwë's Descendants


Etymology
anga 'iron', Sindarin ang, in Angainor, Angband, Anghabar, Anglachel, Angrist, Angrod....

ar(a)- 'high, noble, royal' appears in a great many names...; extended stem arat- appearing in Aratar, and in arato 'champion, eminent man', e.g. Angrod from Angaráto and Finrod from Findaráto....

The Silmarillion, Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names

Contributors:
Elena Tiriel 31Jul07

Related Library Entries

Characters Search

      

View all Bios

Things

No related things

Go to Things

Full Text Search