Broken Swords...

[Finrod Felagund]

Ever notice how swords seem to break at interesting moments in Tolkien's stories?
Gurthang broke after Turin takes his own life with it
Angrist shatters when Beren cuts a Silmaril
Narzil shatters when Elendil falls on it.
Thoughts, observations as to JRR's intent?
Maybe not to rely on things but on people...

[Catz]

a broken sword is deeply symbolic.....a sword symbolised masculinity....and no, im not going into why.....;) but it also stood for action, mastery, kingship.....just think of Excalibur...to have a sword broken symbolised an end....like the breaking of Narsil symbolised the end of the 2nd age and its reforging the beginning of the 4th
:catz:

[Bonos-Girl]

this is be my theory...it symolises broken things that can be reade with help but need care to make work again....

[Winyaél Greenleaf]

The breaking of a sword might sort of symbolise the end of its master or a sense of foreboding too.

[Hobbit]

I think a bright and powerfull blade symbolizes power, glory and kingship.. and so a broken sword resembles the end of these things. I agree with what you guys have said

I agree with Catz on Narsil. The breaking of Narsil ended the second age and the reforging began the fourth era... and in both these era's the men (especially those related to Numenor) played an important part.
I think Angrist broke becouse of some higher power, possibly Iluvatar himself: I mean Beren and Luthien were allowed to take one silmarril but they weren't destined to take more. At least that's what I think.
And Gurthang: I guess it has the symbolic meaning that Turin was so powerfull and great, that the evil weapon (it was kind of an evil sword anyway) couldn't kill him without it's own destruction.
Turin survived many wars and battles becouse of his greatness and even when he cleamed his own life, the sword still broke, dispite the power of the Gurthang.