Amras

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Amras
Noldo
Jenny Dolfen - Amrod and Amras, sons of Feanor.jpg
Biographical Information
BirthSometime during late YOTT, Tirion
DeathYOTT 1500 (aged 50+)
Family
ParentageFëanor + Nerdanel
SpouseNone
Physical Description
GenderMale
Hair colorRed

Amras and his twin brother Amrod were the youngest sons of Fëanor. Through their mother Nerdanel they inherited red hair (probably a dark red), instead of Fëanor's black.

History

He joined his brothers in the Oath of Fëanor, but his mother Nerdanel begged that either he or Amrod be left behind, believing in her heart that one would not return. Fëanor, however, refused her this kindness, and paid for it. Amras was accidentally killed in the swan ships of the Teleri when his father ordered them to be burnt at Losgar. According to the Shibboleth, he claimed (to Amrod) to have felt uncomfortable sleeping on the ground after the Noldor landed on the Lammoth. It was thought later that he wished to return to his mother in the ship, being shocked by his father's deeds. Fëanor was probably aware of his dissention, and this may have been one of the elements of his decision to burn the ships even before all the food and stores had been got out. Yet he was in great dismay when he learned of his son's death, and doubtless remembered the foreboding words of his wife.

Other versions of the Legendarium

In the published The Silmarillion and in earlier texts he is said to have lived on to Beleriand and ruled with his twin Amrod over lands west of the Blue Mountains.

Etymology

Amras' father-name in Quenya was Telufinwë, "Last [of] Finwë", for he was the last of the sons of the House of Finwë and its short form was Telvo. His mother-name was originally Ambarussa ("Top-russet", referring to his hair), the same as his twin Amrod, but Fëanor insisted that the twins ought to have different names and Nerdanel prophetically called him Umbarto, "The Fated" (from umbar = "fate"). His father, disturbed by it, changed it to Ambarto, "Upwards-exalted" (from amba = "upwards, top" and arta = "exalted", "lofty"). Nevertheless both twins called each other Ambarussa.

The name Amras is the Sindarin version of Ambarussa.

In later notes found in The Peoples of Middle-earth, Tolkien mentions that he wished to change the name to Amros because of linguistic issues. While this occured late in life, and there are no known manuscripts written later that contradict this, its canonicity is in dispute.

Genealogy


Mahtan
 
Míriel
 
 
 
Finwë
 
 
 
Indis
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Nerdanel
 
 
 
Fëanor
 
 
 
 
 
 
Findis
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Maedhros
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fingolfin
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Maglor
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Celegorm
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Irimë
 
 
 
 
 
Caranthir
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Curufin
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Finarfin
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Amrod
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
AMRAS
 
Celebrimbor
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Other Versions of the Legendarium

There is no trace of the death of Amras at Losgar in the published The Silmarillion, as it was a very late idea by Tolkien, omitted by Christopher Tolkien as he did not at the time see how it could be incorporated into the primary text of The Silmarillion. Where both Amrod and Amras are mentioned in the published text after the landing in Losgar, it should according to Tolkien's later wishes be Amrod alone. The information regarding Amras' naming, especially, comes from The Peoples of Middle-earth.

References

See Also