Chapter XVI: Of Maeglin

[Gothmog]

Further reading of Maeglin can be found in HoME 11: The War of the Jewels: The Grey Annals and in Part Three: Other Writings: III Maeglin.Aredhel Ar-Feiniel, the White Lady of the Noldor, daughter of Fingolfin, dwelt in Nevrast with Turgon her brother, and she went with him to the Hidden Kingdom. But she wearied of the guarded city of Gondolin, desiring ever the longer the more to ride again in the wide lands and to walk in the forests, as had been her wont in Valinor; and when two hundred years had passed since Gondolin was full-wrought, she spoke to Turgon and asked leave to depart. Turgon was loath to grant this, and long denied her; but at the last he yielded, saying: 'Go then, if you will, though it is against my wisdom, and I forebode that ill will come of it both to you and to me. But you shall go only to seek Fingon, our brother; and those that I send with you shall return hither to Gondolin as swiftly as they may.'
But Aredhel said: 'I am your sister and not your servant, and beyond your bounds I will go as seems good to me. And if you begrudge me and escort, then I will go alone.' So Aredhel leaves the safety of Gondolin and travels through Beleriand. She became separated from her companions but still travelled to find the sons of Fëanor yet was still not content. During her wanderings in the land she was seen by Eöl of Nan ElmothBut Eöl, though stooped by his smith-work, was no Dwarf, but a tall Elf of a high kin of the Teleri, noble though grim of face; and his eyes could see deep into shadows and dark places. And it came to pass that he saw Aredhel Ar-Feiniel as she strayed among the tall trees near the borders of Nan Elmoth, a gleam of white in the dim land. Very fair she seemed to him, and he desired her; and he set his enchantments about her so that she could not find the ways out, but drew ever nearer to his dwelling in the depths of the wood. there were his smithy, and his dim halls, and such servants as he had, silent and secret as their master. And when Aredhel, weary with wandering, came at last to his doors, he revealed himself; and he welcomed her, and led her into his house. And there she remained; for Eöl look her to wife, and it was long ere any of her kin heard of her again. Now Eöl was described as being "Noble though grim of face". But I ask, Can Eöl be thought of as "Noble" considering his actions concerning Aredhel?

Eöl and Aredhel had a son named Meaglin. as he grew it was said that he loved his mother more than his father and would listen to her stories of the Noldor and of Gondolin. Yet while he wished to see the city he did not know the way and his father was not willing for him to go.
In the telling of these tales there was awakened in Aredhel a desire to see her own kin again, and she marvelled that she had grown weary of the light of Gondolin, and the fountains in the sun, and the green sward of Tumladen under the windy skies of spring; moreover she was often alone in the shadows when both her son and her husband were away. Of these tales also grew the first quarrels of Maeglin and Eöl. For by no means would his mother reveal to Maeglin where Turgon dwelt, not by what means one might come thither, and he bided his time, trusting yet to wheedle the secret from her, or perhaps to read her unguarded mind; but ere that could be done he desired to look on the Noldor and speak with the sons of Fëanor, his kin, that dwelt not far away. But when he declared his purpose to Eöl, his father was wrathful. 'You are of the house of Eöl, Maeglin, my son,' he said, 'and not of the Golodhrim. All this land is the land of Teleri, and I will not deal nor have my son deal with the slayers of our kin, the invaders of usurpers of our homes. In this you shall obey me, or I will set you in bonds.' And Maeglin did not answer, but was cold and silent, and went abroad no more with Eöl; and Eöl mistrusted him. However, I have to question, did Maeglin love his mother so greatly or was it the thought of Gondolin that he loved?

When Maeglin left Nan Elmoth with his mother he already had within him the dark seed that would bare such bitter fruit later.

Was there something in the way he was raised that caused this seed to be planted?

Did he truly want to take Aredhel with him or would he have preferred to have gone to Gondolin alone?

The chapter goes on to tell of Eöl following Aredhel and Maeglin and how the three came to Gondolin and of the deaths of Aredhel and Eöl. I have just given the start and some questions to begin.

[Ithrynluin]

Some further questions...

1.

But when she came to the Ford of Brithiach in the River Sirion she said to her companions: 'Turn now south and not north, for I will not ride to Hithlum; my heart desires rather to find the sons of Fëanor, my friends of old.'

Interesting how she prefers to see the sons of Fëanor to her own brother and father... But then, I have never been too fond of Aredhel to begin with...

2.

And since she could not be dissuaded they turned south as she commanded, and sought admittance into Doriath. But the march-wardens denied them; for Thingol would suffer none of the Noldor to pass the Girdle, save his kinsfolk of the house of Finarfin, and least of all those that were friends of the sons of Fëanor. Therefore the march-wardens said to Aredhel: 'To the land of Celegorm for which you seek, Lady, you may by no means pass through the realm of King Thingol; you must ride beyond the Girdle of Melian, to the south or to the north. The speediest way is by the paths that lead east from the Brithiach through Dimbar and along the north-march of this kingdom, until you pass the Bridge of Esgalduin and the Fords of Aros, and come to the lands that lie behind the Hill of Himring. There dwell, as we believe, Celegorm and Curufin, and it may be that you will find them; but the road is perilous.'

Here may be seen the folly of Thingol. If Aredhel could pass into Doriath, perhaps her ill fate might have been averted?

3.

Then Aredhel turned back and sought the dangerous road between the haunted valleys of Ered Gorgoroth and the north fences of Doriath; and as they drew near to the evil region of Nan Dungortheb the riders became enmeshed in shadows, and Aredhel strayed from her companions and was lost. They sought long for her in vain, fearing that she had been ensnared, or had drunk from the poisoned streams of that land; but the fell creatures of Ungoliant that dwelt in the ravines were aroused and pursued them, and they hardly escaped with their lives. When at last they returned and their tale was told there was great sorrow in Gondolin; and Turgon sat long alone, enduring grief and anger in silence.

It is 'the fell creatures of Ungoliant' who pursued them, not Ungoliant herself. Should we assume that Ungoliant was already gone from Beleriand, and had already consumed herself in her constant hunger?

4.

But Aredhel, having sought in vain for her companions, rode on, for she was fearless and hardy of heart, as were all the children of Finwë; and she held on her way, and crossing Esgalduin and Aros came to the land of Himlad between Aros and Celon where Celegorm and Curufin dwelt in those days, before the breaking of the Siege of Angband. At that time they were from home, riding with Caranthir east in Thargelion; but the people of Celegorm welcomed her and bade her stay among them with honour until their lord's return. There for a while she was content, and had great joy in wandering free in the woodlands;

The Noldor were pupils of Aulë (and Yavanna also). Yet the likes of Aredhel and Celegorm seem to take much more pleasure in riding and hunting in the woods, which is the province of Oromë. What do you think?

5.

In that wood in ages past Melian walked in the twilight of Middle-earth when the trees were young, and enchantment lay upon it still. But now the trees of Nan Elmoth were the tallest and darkest in all Beleriand, and there the sun never came; and there Eöl dwelt, who was named the Dark Elf. Of old he was of the kin of Thingol, but he was restless and ill at ease in Doriath, and when the Girdle of Melian was set about the Forest of Region where he dwelt he fled thence to Nan Elmoth.

If Eöl was a loner, why would he flee Doriath when the Girdle was set up - the very point of the Girdle was to keep strangers out of the land, why would that bother him? Perhaps the bustle of Menegroth wasn't to his liking, so one would think he would then have found a quiet corner of his own, within the Girdle, which would offer him protection. Opinions?

Eöl is also unique in that he is a hermit. I'd say that this is not only unusual for an Elf, but for all races. Was this kind of behaviour a result of the marring of Morgoth?

6.

Now the traffic of the Dwarves down from the Blue Mountains followed two roads across East Beleriand, and the northern way, going towards the Fords of Aros, passed nigh to Nan Elmoth; and there Eöl would meet the Naugrim and hold converse with them. And as their friendship grew he would at times go and dwell as guest in the deep mansions of Nogrod or Belegost

Reminiscent of Gimli and Legolas? Though I'm sure this friendship was much more cold and businesslike.

7.

There he learned much of metalwork, and came to great skill therein; and he devised a metal as hard as the steel of the Dwarves, but so malleable that he could make it thin and supple; and yet it remained resistant to all blades and darts. He named it galvorn, for it was black and shining like jet, and he was clad in it whenever he went abroad.

In contrast to question #4 - Eöl, though said to be a Telerin Elf (though there are others version of his kinship in the HoME), seems much more like one of the Noldor. What is more, he seems like one of the most gifted ones!

8.

And it came to pass that he saw Aredhel Ar-Feiniel as she strayed among the tall trees near the borders of Nan Elmoth, a gleam of white in the dim land. Very fair she seemed to him, and he desired her; and he set his enchantments about her so that she could not find the ways out, but drew ever nearer to his dwelling in the depths of the wood.

Of what nature were these enchantments? Elven 'magic' at work again?

[jallan]

Ithrynluin posted:Should we assume that Ungoliant was already gone from Beleriand, and had already consumed herself in her constant hunger?One should assume nothing where nothing is said.If Eöl was a loner, why would he flee Doriath when the Girdle was set up - the very point of the Girdle was to keep strangers out of the land, why would that bother him?I think that there would have been a tendency for many of the Sindar to withdraw into the protection of the Girdle of Melian. Eöl was the kind of person who liked to live ‘beyond the frontier’, beholden to none.Eöl is also unique in that he is a hermit. I'd say that this is not only unusual for an Elf, but for all races.There’s no evidence for this one way or the other that I can see.

But recall the elf-maiden Nellas from “Narn i Hîn Húrin” who dwelt with the Girdle but avoided Menegroth and was also perhaps a loner.

Gothmog posted: Now Eöl was described as being "Noble though grim of face". But I ask, Can Eöl be thought of as "Noble" considering his actions concerning Aredhel?The word noble has a number of different meanings as seen at noble (http://www.bartleby.com/61/41/N0124100.html).

From William Morris’s translation of the Volsunga Saga Volsunga Saga, chapter XXV (http://www.marxists.org/archive/morris/works/1870/volsungs/chapters/chapter25.htm):Atli was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors.Yet Atli will prove greedy and treacherous.

I think the sense Tolkien intends is that though Eöl is somewhat bent by smithcraft he has yet an air of nobility about him.

It is normal enough in old tales of the north that men who are considered noble perform dastardly and grim deeds on occasion. Nobility sometimes has more to do with maintaining one’s status and enforcing one’s own will and in not bowing under to adversity.

[Inderjit S]

Interesting how she prefers to see the sons of Fëanor to her own brother and father... But then, I have never been too fond of Aredhel to begin with...

I think the wide lands of the sons of Fëanor in the East would have offered a lot more excitement to Aredhel then her father's land in Hithlum.

Here may be seen the folly of Thingol. If Aredhel could pass into Doriath, perhaps her ill fate might have been averted?

Elwë could not know the outcome of all his decisions. The War of the Jewels and the Published Silmarillion make it clear that Elwe and the Iathrim Sindar hated the Fëanorians (and in some cases the Ñoldor) even before the treachery of Celegorm and Curufin. This was mainly because of the Kinslaying, in which the Fëanorians were the instigators, though Elwe forgave the House of Fingolfin for their deeds. So Elwë’s turning aside of this proud Ñoldorin princess, who was riding to the reviled sons of Fëanor, wouldn't have (to him) been seen as a big deal, and the blame cannot be laid on him either. Why would Aredhel go from one hidden kingdom to another? And if she passed through Doriath she still would have reached Celegorm and Curufin's house, maybe sooner, and her fate and subsequent actions would have been the same, as I see no reason as to why potential safe guidance through Doriath should drastically affect her stay in Celegorm's house and her subsequent wanderings, which lead to her going into Nan Elmoth and meeting Eöl.

The Noldor were pupils of Aulë (and Yavanna also). Yet the likes of Aredhel and Celegorm seem to take much more pleasure in riding and hunting in the woods, which is the province of Oromë. What do you think?

Just because they the Ñoldor were inclined to crafts etc. doesn't mean that they didn't have other interests or were not interested at all crafts. (For example of cultural diversity, the Teleri had a lot of silver-smiths.) Personal taste and opinion, in such matters, meant more then racial generalisations. Celegorm is noted as being particularly close to Aredhel so it could be that their shared interests in nature meant they became such close friends, but I think the Ñoldor were a very cultured peoples and took interests in all kinds of things, such as hunting and language.

Reminiscent of Gimli and Legolas? Though I'm sure this friendship was much more cold and businesslike.

I don't think Eöl was an inhuman monster and he was capable of love and close friendship. (Though Maeglin doesn't seem to be too loving of the Dwarves and measures their usefullness in the amount of things they could teach him) But, I don't think they're friendship was like Legolas and Gimli's who were said to have the closest friendship ever between a Elf and Dwarf. (Narvi and Celebrimbor were also said to be good friends, and Curufin, Celebrimbor's father was said to be close friends with the Dwarves.)

In contrast to question #4 - Eöl, though said to be a Telerin Elf (though there are others version of his kinship in the HoME), seems much more like one of the Noldor. What is more, he seems like one of the most gifted ones!

Eöl was at *one point* a member of the Tatyarin Avari, the group from which the Ñoldor originated from. I think Tolkien recognized Eol's affinity with the Noldor and thats why he changed him from a Sindar to a Tatyar. But in his latter writings, (Given in 'Of Maeglin' HoME 11) Tolkien changed him back to being a Sindar, and a relative of Elwe.

With regards to Eol's magic powers:

The belief of the Celbin that, at the least, they were weaker in resistance to the pressures or lies of Morgoth, if this grievance was concerned, may have been justified; but the only case recorded in the histories is that of Maeglin, the son of Eöl. Eöl was a Mornedhel, and is said to have belonged to the Second Clan (whose representatives among the Eldar were the Ñoldor).# He dwelt in East Beleriand not far from the borders of Doriath. He had great smith-craft, especially in the making of swords, in which work he surpassed even the Ñoldor of Aman; and many therefore believed that he used the morgul, the black arts taught by Morgoth. The Ñoldor themselves had indeed learned much from Morgoth in the days of his captivity in Valinor; but it is more likely that Eöl was acquainted with the Dwarves, for in many places the Avari became closer in friendship with that people than the Amanyar or the Sindar. Eöl found Írith,# the sister of King Turgon, astray in the wild near his dwelling, and he took her to wife by force: a very wicked deed in the eyes of the Eldar Of Maeglin; HoME 11

[Dáin Ironfoot I]

Hence the 'Dark Elf' persona means more than simply his not seeing the Two Trees. He really was dark, in the sense of evil, a unique but not unheard of trait among the Eldar.

Never did like the guy... reminds me of the abusive husband thing that plagues society today.

[Ithrynluin]

by jallan
One should assume nothing where nothing is said.

Perhaps 'assume' was an inappropriate word. 'Suppose' or 'guess' would have been more fitting. Even so, assumption is always fun in Tolkien's world, where mysteries and unexplained vistas abound. If you dislike assuming things - don't, but leave it to those who do! :)

by Inderjit S
I think the wide lands of the sons of Fëanor in the East would have offered a lot more excitement to Aredhel then her father's land in Hithlum.


Perhaps. But is Hithlum not a large enough land, or wild enough land? I would think not. Besides, when she says 'my heart desires rather to find the sons of Fëanor, my friends of old.' she is talking about people she desires to see more, not about the lands, even though that would have been an additional thing to look forward to for her.

by Inderjit S
And if she passed through Doriath she still would have reached Celegorm and Curufin's house, maybe sooner, and her fate and subsequent actions would have been the same, as I see no reason as to why potential safe guidance through Doriath should drastically affect her stay in Celegorm's house and her subsequent wanderings, which lead to her going into Nan Elmoth and meeting Eöl.

I was thinking along the lines of 'She would speak with Melian, who is renowned for her foresight, and that would somehow have changed Aredhel's ways possibly'.

by Dáin Ironfoot I
Never did like the guy... reminds me of the abusive husband thing that plagues society today.

Interesting comparison, Dáin! I agree.

[Inderjit S]

Perhaps. But is Hithlum not a large enough land, or wild enough land? I would think not. Besides, when she says 'my heart desires rather to find the sons of Fëanor, my friends of old.' she is talking about people she desires to see more, not about the lands, even though that would have been an additional thing to look forward to for her.

Indeed. But I really don't see anything wrong with wanting to see the sons of Fëanor, it could be that she missed them (Or Celegorm in particular) and wanted to see them before going to Hithlum and Gondolin. (Maybe she felt her father and brother would not allow her to see the sons of Fëanor because of the perils of passing through Nan Dungortheb, though of course there were other roads or because her father and brother disliked Celegorm and Curufin. (And with good reason too.)

I think Aredhel liked being her own boss, and doing as she would, as did most of the Finwëans and she didn't desire to be under the tutelage of her father or brothers. With the sons of Fëanor she would be a equal, not simply the duagther or sister of the King/s.


I was thinking along the lines of 'She would speak with Melian, who is renowned for her foresight, and that would somehow have changed Aredhel's ways possibly'.

Hm...Aredhel's ways or Aredhel's fate? ;) She wouldn't desire to change Aredhel’s ways (characteristics) but she may have wanted to change her fate, but then again whenever she deigned to change to fate game she lost. (Elwë, Morwen, Túrin.) But, of course Aredhel's marriage was entwined in the history of the Silmaril's just like Túrin and Elwe's (and her own!) and if it wasn't for Aredhel's marriage to Eöl and Maeglin, the product of the marriage then Gondolin wouldn't have been betrayed and maybe the fate of Middle-Earth would have turned out for the worse.

I really didn't mind Eöl that much, Maeglin's iniquity in desiring Idril, betraying Gondolin and being discourteous to Húrin and Huor were a lot worse to me.

His son Maeglin was later admitted to Gondolin, and given honour as the king's sisterson; but in the end he betrayed Gondolin to Morgoth. Maeglin was indeed an Elf of evil temper and dark mind, and he had a lust and grudge of his own to satisfy; but even so he did what he did only after torment and under a cloud of fear Quendi and Eldar; HoME 11

[Ithrynluin]

Originally posted by Inderjit S
Hm...Aredhel's ways or Aredhel's fate? ;) She wouldn't desire to change Aredhel’s ways (characteristics)

Ahem, by which logic does 'ways' mean only 'characteristics'??


1.
a. A road, path, or highway affording passage from one place to another.
b. An opening affording passage: This door is the only way into the attic.

2.
a. Space to proceed: cleared the way for the parade.
b. Opportunity to advance: opened the way to peace.

3. A course that is or may be used in going from one place to another: tried to find the shortest way home.

4. Progress or travel along a certain route or in a specific direction: on his way north.

5. A course of conduct or action: tried to take the easy way out.

6. A manner or method of doing: several ways of solving this problem; had no way to reach her.

7. A usual or habitual manner or mode of being, living, or acting: the American way of life.

8. An individual or personal manner of behaving, acting, or doing: Have it your own way.

9. also ways (wz) (used with a sing. verb) Informal. Distance: The travelers have come a long way. That village is a good ways off.

10.
a. A specific direction: He glanced my way.
b. A participant. Often used in combination: a three-way conversation.

11.
a. An aspect, particular, or feature: resembles his father in many ways; in no way comparable.
b. Nature or category: not much in the way of a plot.

12. Freedom to do as one wishes: if I had my way.

13. An aptitude or facility: She certainly does have a way with words.

14. A state or condition: He is in a bad way financially.

15. Vicinity: Drop in when you're out our way.

16. A longitudinal strip on a surface that serves to guide a moving
machine part. Often used in the plural.

17. ways (used with a sing. or pl. verb) Nautical. The structure on which a ship is built and from which it slides when launched.

From dictionary.com :D

[Inderjit S]

Ahem, by which logic does 'ways' mean only 'characteristics'??

By the magic "Inderjit" logic :p

"An individual or personal manner of behaving, acting, or doing:"

'You better change your ways' is a clichéd phrase telling people that if they don't change the way in which they behave (characteristics) then you could end up regretting it. That's how i interpreted your opinion, not knowing it for the multi-layered, witty piece of brilliance that it actually was.
;) :D :p