Hurin and despair

[Aiwendil]

As for Glaurung putting a compulsion on Turin. I can't help feeling that if Mr. Bilbo Baggins could manage to keep his head and not put credence in a dragon's words so could Turin Turambar.

It's clear that something different is going on with Glaurung than with Smaug and Bilbo. Smaug merely speaks to Bilbo; it's a simple conversation/battle of wits. Clearly something else is at work in Glaurung's interaction with Turin. It is not until Turin lifts his visor and looks into Glaurung's eye that Glaurung has power over him. And the wording seems clear - Turin is not just daunted: "straightway he fell under the dreadful spell of the dragon".

Turin is described as being conflicted on his journey north, which to my mind indicates he *chose* which course to pursue, (and part of his mind was telling him not to).

I think that the actual choice was his own, but that the spell of Glaurung clouded his mind and thus caused him to choose poorly.