Could it be that his survival guilt and shame prevent him to "return home" to Brethil or to face anybody he knows and respects and is known by? That Beren considers humself in a state of disgrace for having fialed to prevent the band's death and then having failed to die along with them?
And so that he exiles himself into Doriath because there is nobody there (yet) whom Beren would be due to give account of his failure and whose good opinion on himself he does value and does not dare to lose? That Beren would rather be disrespected by people who would have disrespected him anyway than to face loosing the respect of his elders, both human and elven? That he would rather vanish then face himself disgraced publicly in the eyes of all that really matter to him?
Keep in mind that Beren has limited conversational partners during his time in Dorthonion this episode. He may speak to:
1) the orcs he is killing for revenge for his father's death (likely no more than one line directed to dying Gorgol)
2) his father's grave, as a stand-in for his dead father. Likely no more than a one minute speech revealing his mindset and decisions. His most significant dialogue in the entire episode. Will have to touch on the revenge, as well as explain Beren's decision to leave Dorthonion
3) the camp dog, which survived the massacre and follows him up to the Ered Gorgoroth (he can say farewell, a la Bill the Pony, revealing his intended path and destination to the audience)
Most of Beren's other interactions here will be hallucinations or visions, and those are the sequences where we intend to deal with his survivor's guilt etc. That will be in Nan Dungortheb or Melian's girdle, though, so too late to consider the Brethil angle.
I have a question. So, before Beren comes to Doriath, he is supposed to have made a name for himself, right? Especially since Luthien does speak his praises before Thingol when they are first brought to his court.
So, What has he gained fame for in our adaptation?
In Dorthonion, he was one of his father's outlaw band, of which he is the only surviving member. This small group of men were so successful at hindering Morgoth's efforts to control the region, that Sauron specifically designated a task force to destroy them.
After leaving Dorthonion, he crosses Ered Gorgoroth, which has never been done, and then crossed Nan Dungortheb, which has never been done without use of the east-west road. Then, he managed to pass through the Girdle of Melian against the ban of Thingol, which has never been done.
After leaving Dorthonion, he crosses Ered Gorgoroth, which has never been done, and then crossed Nan Dungortheb, which has never been done without use of the east-west road. Then, he managed to pass through the Girdle of Melian against the ban of Thingol, which has never been done.
But those last deeds are recent, and nobody except for Beren himself, Luthien and maybe Daeron knows about them. So those elements are not yet part of Beren's general fame and as such not known to Thingol. It makes little sense for Luthien to refer to those in front of her father.
In the published text, she mentions his parentage, that he is a lord of Men, a mighty foe of Morgoth whose deeds have become song even among elves. so that needs to figured right? Like what deeds of his are known enough to the elves that they made songs about it already?
Indeed in the texts it is mentioned that Morgoth himself put a price on Beren's head equal to that on the head of the High King of the Noldor Fingon - which makes Beren's fame quite a thing Beleriand-wide. In our story Beren's deeds before he leaves Dorhonion are greatly reduced, as such his great fame looks quite unsupported.
or, as a counter, the songs made about his deeds are of the recent ones and are made by Luthien herself.
I mean, he must have told her something about his journey, right? So what she could be saying would end up being something like, deeds worthy of being woven into song (as she has done, herself).
If the scene is long, she could introduce him by singing a song about his deeds that she composed, but Thingol stops her midway, (kinda like how in the text he tells her that Beren should speak for himself).
The Doriathrim could in theory have heard rumors about Barahirs band...But those last deeds are recent, and nobody except for Beren himself, Luthien and maybe Daeron knows about them. So those elements are not yet part of Beren's general fame and as such not known to Thingol. It makes little sense for Luthien to refer to those in front of her father.
The Doriathrim could in theory have heard rumors about Barahirs band...
I do not know from whom exactly, but the oroginal text seems to suggest so, at last i always thought Berens deeds were widely known (they have done their business over several years according to the timeline)
Except if they have spies...
Like birds! If even the birds sung of it the elves would have been impressed...
Or the waters of the rivers, elves talk to such things too!
Via Ered Gorgoroth and Nan Dungortheb? Seems unlikely to me.
Maybe from the Great Eagles?
But what are the trading relations of Doriath? Dwarves are in contact with the Feanorians and as fond of a good story as anybody. Travelling dwarves might sell their products at the borders of Doriath and exchange stories as well.
Yes, but there was time enough for the news to travel. In our version there is not. Thingol is quite reserved and full of mistrust towards the Second-Comers, he does not seem have any dyplomatic relations with Barahir & co. The only elves with whom Barahir's band seems to have had any contact are the Feanorians, not anyone Thingol will get any news from. Feanorians propably hear about the situation in Dorthonion through their spies and the orcs they fight. But isolationistic Doriath? There might be some elven messengers checking on the Brethil send from Doriath from time to time and hearing something from the humans there, but that not would be anything Thingol himself would care much to hear sung about.