Amras
Amras and his twin brother Amrod were the youngest of the sons of Feanor. Amras and Amrod were born sometime in the very late Years of the Trees in the Noldorin city of Tirion in Valinor. Amras was the son of Feanor. His father's father was Finwe, the first High King of the Noldor. Amras's mother was Nerdanel, and through her Amras and Amrod inherited red hair. Amras had five older brothers named Maedhros, Maglor, Celegorm, Caranthir, and Curufin.
After the Silmarils had been stolen from Feanor by Morgoth and were taken across the Sea to Middle-Earth, Amras and his brothers swore the Oath of Feanor, an oath in which they promised to retrieve their father's Silmarils at any cost. Before Feanor and his sons set out on their quest, Nerdanel begged her husband to allow for either Amras or Amrod to be left behind with her in the Undying Lands because she feared that either one or both of them would not survive the perilous quest across the Sea. Feanor denied his wife her request, and took all of his sons with him when he sailed east across the Great Sea to Middle-Earth. When Feanor's fleet arrived at Losgar at the mouth of the River Drengist in Middle-Earth at the beginning of the First Age, Feanor ordered the ships that had brought him across the Sea to be burned. Feanor and his supporters had massacred the Teleri in order to acquire these ships, and there were many other Noldor left in the Undying Lands who had also sworn Feanor's oath and were waiting to follow him. But Feanor nevertheless had the ships burned, and his son Amras was accidentally burnt to death during the destruction of the ships.
It is thought that Amras had wanted to return to his mother when he learned of the fact that his father had abandoned the other Noldor in Aman. Perhaps Feanor had been angry with Amras and had killed him intentionally, but if this was the case he immediately regretted his actions because he grieved the death of his son.
After the Silmarils had been stolen from Feanor by Morgoth and were taken across the Sea to Middle-Earth, Amras and his brothers swore the Oath of Feanor, an oath in which they promised to retrieve their father's Silmarils at any cost. Before Feanor and his sons set out on their quest, Nerdanel begged her husband to allow for either Amras or Amrod to be left behind with her in the Undying Lands because she feared that either one or both of them would not survive the perilous quest across the Sea. Feanor denied his wife her request, and took all of his sons with him when he sailed east across the Great Sea to Middle-Earth. When Feanor's fleet arrived at Losgar at the mouth of the River Drengist in Middle-Earth at the beginning of the First Age, Feanor ordered the ships that had brought him across the Sea to be burned. Feanor and his supporters had massacred the Teleri in order to acquire these ships, and there were many other Noldor left in the Undying Lands who had also sworn Feanor's oath and were waiting to follow him. But Feanor nevertheless had the ships burned, and his son Amras was accidentally burnt to death during the destruction of the ships.
It is thought that Amras had wanted to return to his mother when he learned of the fact that his father had abandoned the other Noldor in Aman. Perhaps Feanor had been angry with Amras and had killed him intentionally, but if this was the case he immediately regretted his actions because he grieved the death of his son.
Names & Meanings
Amras is the Sindarin translation of the name Ambarussa. Ambarussa, which means "top-russet" (in reference to his hair), was the same name given to his twin brother Amrod, but Feanor decided that the twins should have different names. Nerdanel called Amras Umbarto, meaning "the fated." Umbarto can be derived from umbar, meaning "fate." His father though this name was a bit morbid, and instead called his son Ambarto, meaning "upwards-exalted." Ambarto can be derived from amba meaning "upwards" and arta meaning "exalted." Among themselves, both twins called each other Ambarussa.
Amras's father-name in Quenya was Telufinwë, meaning "Last Finwë," referencing the fact that Amras was the last son of Feanor and the last of the House of Finwe. The short form of Amras's father-name was Telvo. His mother-name was originally Ambarussa, but was changed to Umbarto.
Amras's father-name in Quenya was Telufinwë, meaning "Last Finwë," referencing the fact that Amras was the last son of Feanor and the last of the House of Finwe. The short form of Amras's father-name was Telvo. His mother-name was originally Ambarussa, but was changed to Umbarto.
References
The Silmarillion: "Of Eldamar and the Princes of the Eldalië; "Of Fëanor and the Unchaining of Melkor;" Of the Silmarils and the Unrest of the Noldor;" "Of the Flight of the Noldor;" "Of the Return of the Noldor;" "Of Beleriand and its Realms;" "Of the Noldor in Beleriand;" "Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin;" "Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad;" "Of the Ruin of Doriath;" "Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath"
The History of Middle-earth, Volume II, The Book of Lost Tales: "The Nauglafring"
The History of Middle-earth, Volume IV, The Shaping of Middle-earth: "The Earliest Annals of Valinor;" "The Earliest Annals of Beleriand"
The History of Middle-earth, Volume V, The Lost Road and Other Writings: "The Later Annals of Beleriand;" "The Etymologies"
The History of Middle-earth, Volume X, Morgoth's Ring: "The Annals of Aman;" "The Later Quenta Silmarillion"
The History of Middle-earth, Volume XI, The War of the Jewels: "The Grey Annals"
The History of Middle-earth, Volume XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth: "The Shibboleth of Feanor"
The History of Middle-earth, Volume II, The Book of Lost Tales: "The Nauglafring"
The History of Middle-earth, Volume IV, The Shaping of Middle-earth: "The Earliest Annals of Valinor;" "The Earliest Annals of Beleriand"
The History of Middle-earth, Volume V, The Lost Road and Other Writings: "The Later Annals of Beleriand;" "The Etymologies"
The History of Middle-earth, Volume X, Morgoth's Ring: "The Annals of Aman;" "The Later Quenta Silmarillion"
The History of Middle-earth, Volume XI, The War of the Jewels: "The Grey Annals"
The History of Middle-earth, Volume XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth: "The Shibboleth of Feanor"
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