The world will come to an end before me and
Inzil will stop arguing on this topic, it seems.
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Tuor, on the other hand, sees himself as but a small player in the greater Play. He accepts Ulmo's errand with that in view. One would have to wonder what Túrin might have said in a similar circumstance, confronted by the Lord of Waters, and asked to give up any private ambitions he might have had and go do Ulmo's bidding. Something to the effect of "What have the Valar ever done to help me or me kin? No thanks," maybe.
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One could equally say that Tuor is a brainless Yes-man, accepting everything that came his way until Maeglin attempted to sieze Idril and Earendil. Ulmo told him to find a city that wasn't found by
anybody in
hundreds of years, and Tuor says "sure thing! Just cause you're a Vala and can't make mistakes, I'll go I don't know where!" He's darn lucky "fate" brought Voronwe to that place at that time. Then, when Turgon refuses to listen, "sure thing, Turgon, don't listen to Ulmo, he isn't aware of the current situation here inland! You know better!"
You know this isn't the way it was, I know it isn't.
Though his tale is, as was said, a happy one, you could also say that he was partially responsible for the Fall of Gondolin. He
also did not heed Ulmo to the full extent. He didn't see to it that the city be abandoned in time. Was it his fault that Turgon was stubborn? No, but he certainly could have nagged him onto it, having a very high position. If Turin was able to bring about a destruction of a kingdom by revealing it, it was in Tuor's hands to prevent a destruction by revealing his respective kingdom. Why was Turin able to do it, and Tuor wasn't? Is it because he didn't have the guts, or perhaps the initiative, or the desire to make things happen in thay Play?
Again, it comes down to this. It'm exaggerating somewhat, but the fact that Turin is an active "player" and Tuor - a passive one, doesn't make one better than the other, or one "right" and the other "wrong".
In modern terms we could call Tuor religious and Turin an atheist. Or, perhaps, Tuor - a believer, and Turin - a realist. Can we fault him for being realistic? You have to look at things from his point of view, not only from up above at the reader's perspective.
Yes, I like Turin better as a character than Tuor. But I'm not putting one as an ideal example in front of the other.
And saying that, I think that Tuor is the closest Tolkien ever came to writing a Mary Sue, or in this case Gary Stu, though that is still very far.
One thing we could say as a definite thing about their opposite fates and personalities is that Tuor was humble and Turin was proud. That is probably what influenced their choices the most. But yet again, this does not make Tuor better than Turi in my eyes. He sure has humility, so much of it that he hardly has any backbone. Turin has too much backbone. They need each other for contrast and compromise. Finis.
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Originally Posted by Esty
Betrayal is the other cause of Gondolin's downfall - Maeglin's jealousy drives him to divulge the city's location to Morgoth. He's an interesting character - what do you think of him and the role he played?
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I think he's a true kinsman of Feanor, though distant. He's one of those many characters that are "good", and then suddenly "bad", and most of the time on a "third side". This adds dimention to the world, and makes it more realistic.
Out of all the FA traitors, I think he's the dirtiest and cheapest one. He's comparable with Gorlim, also driven to treachery by love. Gorlim's motivation was longing and dragged-out waiting for some sign, and not knowing what has happened to Eilinel, whereas Maeglin's was drawn-out
lust.
From the very beginning he is a bit of a treacherous person. He has no respect for Eol his father, and is indifferent when he is thrown off the cliff. While Eol isn't "right", I still expected some basic son-to-father respect. Maeglin was born with only his personal gain in mind.
In this chapter he once again shows that he only lusts after Idril and is jealous of Tuor, with no care for the other Elves of Gondolin.