[Lalwendë]

This story troubles me too. I often wonder why he deserved to be put to death in such a manner, it seems wholly inappropriate to me. Why was he called a 'dark elf'? Does it simply refer to his status as one who did not see the light of the Valar, or does it imply more?

The story is very mysterious. Did he 'bewitch' his wife into staying with him, or did she stay because she wished to? I get the feeling that it was the latter, and that she later changed her mind in some way. She must have known that to return to her home with her son would mean that her son would have to remain there, and possibly Eol knew this too. To me, he was possibly an Elf who had no alliances apart from those to his loved ones, and he was driven half-mad when his son and wife left. It's one of those 'grey' areas...