Guide to The Silmarillion: Of Maeglin (Ch. 16)

Chapter Sixteen: Of Maeglin

Aredhel Leaves Gondolin

Aredhel, daughter of Fingolfin, wished to leave Gondolin. Turgon (her brother) was reluctant to allow her to leave, but he eventually yielded to her request. She went first to Himlad and dwelt with the people of Celegorm and Curufin for a time. 

Eventually, she became restless and wandered off into Nan Elmoth, the tallest and darkest of forests in all of Beleriand. There dwelt Eöl, the Dark Elf, alone. He saw Aredhel and set about enchantments that guided her towards his home. When she arrived, he took her as his wife. Tolkien writes that she was not “wholly unwilling” or entirely miserable; however, Eöl commanded that she shun the sunlight and forbade her to seek out the sons of Fëanor. 

Maeglin is Born

Aradhel bore a son who she named in secret Lómion, but Eöl named him Maeglin. Maeglin grew and loved his mother more than his father, and she taught him about her kindred. She began to desire to seek out her own kin again. And Maeglin desired to meet the sons of Fëanor. Eöl forbade Maeglin from this and threatened Maeglin. Eöl went to a feast in Nogrod, and when he left, Maeglin urged his mother to flee from Nan Elmoth and seek Gondolin.

Together, they left. But Eöl returned sooner than he had planned. When he saw that they had left, he pursued them in anger. Aredhel and Maeglin came to the Outer Gate of Gondolin and were received with joy. Unfortunately, Eöl had been following them, and he found the secret path into Gondolin. He was taken by the guard. He told them that Aredhel was his wife and demanded to be brought before Turgon.

Eöl was brought to Turgon’s hall, where Turgon told him that he would dwell in his kingdom as a kinsman — but that he would not be allowed to leave. Eöl refused to acknowledge Turgon’s law and demanded that Maeglin be returned to him. However, Turgon gave him a choice: “This choice only is given to you: to abide here, or to die here; and so also for your son.”

The Choice of Eöl

Eöl threw a poisoned javelin at Maeglin, but Aredhel jumped in front of it and was mortally wounded. Eöl was judged by Turgon and cast down from the sheer walls of the city.

Before his death, Eöl cried to Maeglin: “So you forsake your father and his kin, ill-gotten son! Here shall you fail of all your hopes, and here may you yet die the same death as I.”

Maeglin in Gondolin

Maeglin remained in Gondolin and grew great among the Gondolindrim. However, he was grieved because he loved Idril (his cousin), but “it was not the custom of the Eldar to wed with kin so near,” and Idril did not return his love anyways. She also thought it was weird that he liked her. Nevertheless, Maeglin became obsessed with Idril and the pursuit of power.