Quote:
Originally Posted by Urwen
How much are Turin/Hurin/Maeglin responsible for the destruction of three Elven realms?
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Hmm. First, two caveats:
1/ In Tolkien's World, fate and free will coexist. Aragorn's role in the War of the Ring was heavily prophesied by at least four people (Malbeth twice, Ivorwen, Gilraen, Elrond), but he's still a hero for it. Likewise, just because a realm was fated to fall, doesn't mean the blame is any less. (Ditto for curses, looking at you Mormegil.)
2/ The prime responsibility for the destruction of a realm goes to the one who destroyed it. But that's a cheap answer, so we'll ignore the attacking parties. All three realms were secure prior to the actions of certain people.
Gondolin - Maeglin directly caused the fall of Gondolin. He betrayed it to the Enemy! Hurin didn't do that, and he was tied to a chair for years. Depending on the telling, Maeglin might even have *sold* the city's location in exchange for a promise to rule it and have Idril for his own. Sure, he had a tragic backstory - but he was an adult, and responsible for his actions. (Idril's mum died on the Ice because Feanor burnt the ships, but you don't see her destroying cities because of it.)
Nargothrond - Turin and Orodreth share the blame here. Nargothrond's security was its secrecy, but Turin knowingly argued to break that, and Orodreth knowingly agreed. I'm not complaining about his desire to take the fight to Morgoth here! But it was entirely possible to send armies out of the city without building a whacking great bridge to point out where the door was. The final battle could have happened and the city
remained intact had Turin, with Orodreth's permission, not revealed its location.
Doriath -
Not Hurin's fault. He's one contributor of many. Even in the angriest story, he may not even know the curse is real, and he doesn't make his outlaws attack the guards. The destruction of Doriath is...
... well, the first time, I'd say Thingol's fault. In every version he went back on his deal with the dwarves, and in most he treated them shamefully. He was gold-mad and jewel-mad, and all because his pride wouldn't let him
not display the Silmaril and keep using the cursed gold.
The second destruction of Doriath is trickier. We can't fault Dior for not giving in to Maedhros' threats, but who else is there? Melian, maybe - she lifted the Girdle, knowing what would happen - but Dior established his rule
after she was gone. I suppose the blame has to fall on him after all - he tried to rebuild the old Doriath, ignoring the fact that its primary defense was gone. Nothing in the second fall indicates that Menegroth was as heavily fortified as the last known Elvish city in Beleriand should be.
hS