Trial Reflection

        In our trial, it was the jury’s responsibility to determine whether or not Feanor and his
sons were guilty, not guilty, or tragic, but doomed in taking their oath, as well as the actions they
took in pursuing the terms of the oath. Evidence and reasoning was provided by both the
prosecution and defense as they presented the case to the jury/judges. I was assigned the role of
jury which allowed me to view this case from an unbiased perspective, as it was my
responsibility to hear both sides and make a decision based on their presentations. It was both
interesting and enjoyable to hear how the prosecution and defense took the same moment from
Tolkien’s story and spoke of it in opposite ways, simultaneously using textual evidence. As for
the stance of the rest of my group, we all agreed to not make any decisions until all of the
evidence was shared and all of our questions were answered.
        After receiving two strong arguments, the jury ultimately decided that Feanor and his
sons were found guilty of three of the eight charges the prosecution mentioned: two counts of
kinslaying, armed theft of Teleri boats, and arson of illegally obtained property. We reached our
conclusion of guilty by considering the information given to us and questioning the prosecution
and defense. Feanor and his sons were proven guilty due to the strong, supporting textual
evidence provided by the prosecution. The defense lacked some evidence in refuting these
points. While they presented clever justifications and reasonings behind Feanor and his sons’
decisions prior to taking the oath, they did not have as strong of an argument in explaining their

criminal actions. Throughout the trial, the jury did not have many differences in opinion. Our
approach to the decision and the orderly manner of the trial allowed all of us to reach the same
conclusion in determining the verdict.
        Overall, it was a very enjoyable activity and a creative way to analyze the text and the
complexity of Tolkien’s characters and their decisions. Both sides provided thorough arguments,
demonstrating a strong understanding of the text. Each group performed their tasks well and
came to an effective conclusion