Maeglin
Encyclopedia
Maeglin or Meglin is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien
's Middle-earth
legendarium
, featured in The Silmarillion
.
He was an Elf
, the son of Eöl
the Dark Elf and Aredhel
daughter of Fingolfin
. He lived in the First Age
of Middle-earth, and was a lord of Gondolin. His name means "sharp glance" in Tolkien's fictional language of Sindarin
.
she then wandered through Beleriand
. In the woods of Nan Elmoth
where she was lured by the "Dark Elf" Eöl
, and was wifed by him "a matter in which she was not wholly unwilling", eventually giving birth to Maeglin.
At birth, Aredhel gave Maeglin the name Lómion, meaning "Son of the Twilight" in Sindarin
. Eöl gave his child the name Maeglin when he was 12. Aredhel left Eöl, and took her son (who stole his father's sword, Anguirel) with her, returning to Gondolin. Eöl followed her, and in judgment before Turgon
, the king of Gondolin, he attempted to kill Maeglin with a poisoned javelin, but hit Aredhel instead. Aredhel begged her brother to forgive Eöl, as she still loved him despite not wanting to live with him. She in fact succeeded in this until she grew sick and died because the dart was poisoned. Eöl was cast down to his death from the city walls by an enraged Turgon.
Maeglin was now an orphan, but Turgon took him in. He became an elven-prince held in high esteem, even leading his own House of the Mole. He found rich lodes of metals in the Echoriath surrounding the city, and forged weapons of steel
stronger than had been seen before. His mine in the Echoriath was named Anghabar, or "Iron-Mine". In the Nírnaeth Arnoediad
, Maeglin refused to remain behind as regent, and went forth to battle with Turgon
. The seventh and final gate of Gondolin, the Great Gate of Steel, was Maeglin's creation.
He was in love (and lust) with Turgon's daughter (and Maeglin's first cousin) Idril
. But there was no hope for him, for "the Eldar wedded not with kin so near
". Worse, Idril herself despised him. This was the beginning of his dark side being revealed.
When Tuor
came, carrying Ulmo
's warning of the danger to Gondolin, Maeglin sat at Turgon's side and argued against Tuor. Tuor's marriage with Idril further incensed Maeglin, who rebelled against Turgon and Tuor. Later, seeking after metals, Maeglin defied Turgon's order to stay within the mountains, and was captured by Orcs
and brought to Angband
. It was only after Morgoth
promised him both Gondolin and Idril in return for the location of the hidden city, that he agreed to reveal the location of Gondolin. When Morgoth's armies attacked and overran the city, Maeglin fought with Tuor on the walls, and Tuor threw him to his death. This was the way his despised father had been executed before for the killing of Aredhel, and it was also the curse that Eöl had placed on Maeglin at this event - to suffer the same fate as he.
to Gondolin but more importantly for his willingness to serve Morgoth
(originally out of fear, but later with fervour).
He is the only Elf to ever willingly and knowingly become a servant of Morgoth
. His treason is unique, as even the kinslaying Sons of Fëanor sought glory for their house, and maintained a hatred for the Dark Lord.
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
's Middle-earth
Middle-earth
Middle-earth is the fictional setting of the majority of author J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place entirely in Middle-earth, as does much of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
legendarium
Legendarium
Legendary may refer to:*A hagiography, or study of the lives of saints and other religious figures**The South English Legendary, a Middle English legendary*A legend-Entertainment:*Legendary, an album by Kaysha*Legendary...
, featured in The Silmarillion
The Silmarillion
The Silmarillion is a collection of J. R. R. Tolkien's mythopoeic works, edited and published posthumously by his son Christopher Tolkien in 1977, with assistance from Guy Gavriel Kay, who later became a noted fantasy writer. The Silmarillion, along with J. R. R...
.
He was an Elf
Elf (Middle-earth)
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, Elves are one of the races that inhabit a fictional Earth, often called Middle-earth, and set in the remote past. They appear in The Hobbit and in The Lord of the Rings, but their complex history is described more fully in The Silmarillion...
, the son of Eöl
Eöl
Eöl, called the Dark Elf, is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He is introduced in The Silmarillion as an Elf of Beleriand and is a character existing in some form from the earliest to the latest writings....
the Dark Elf and Aredhel
Aredhel
Aredhel Ar-Feiniel is a fictional character created by J. R. R. Tolkien.She is called Ar-Feiniel, the White Lady of the Noldor. She is the daughter of Fingolfin and Anairë, sister of Fingon, Turgon and Argon, and mother of Maeglin...
daughter of Fingolfin
Fingolfin
Fingolfin is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, appearing in The Silmarillion.-Internal history:He was a High King of the Noldor in Beleriand, second eldest son of Finwë, full brother of Finarfin, and half-brother of Fëanor, who was the eldest of Finwë's sons. His mother was...
. He lived in the First Age
First Age
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the First Age, or First Age of the Children of Ilúvatar is the heroic period in which most of Tolkien's early legends are set...
of Middle-earth, and was a lord of Gondolin. His name means "sharp glance" in Tolkien's fictional language of Sindarin
Sindarin
Sindarin is a fictional language devised by J. R. R. Tolkien, and used in his secondary world, often called Middle-earth.Sindarin is one of the many languages spoken by the immortal Elves, called the Eledhrim or Edhellim in Sindarin....
.
Character history
According to The Silmarillion, Maeglin's mother, Aredhel, grew weary of Gondolin and wished to visit the sons of FëanorSons of Fëanor
In J. R. R. Tolkien's world of Middle-earth, the seven sons of Fëanor, the eldest prince of the Noldor, led their people from Valinor to rule over kingdoms in the Northeast of Beleriand:...
she then wandered through Beleriand
Beleriand
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional legendarium, Beleriand was a region in northwestern Middle-earth during the First Age. Events in Beleriand are described chiefly in his work The Silmarillion, which tells the story of the early ages of Middle-earth in a style similar to the epic hero tales of Nordic...
. In the woods of Nan Elmoth
Nan Elmoth
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, Nan Elmoth was the forest in Beleriand east of Doriath and southeast of the River Celon. In Tolkien's legendarium it is the archetype for all the other enchanted forests such as the Old Forest, Mirkwood, Lothlórien and Fangorn.- History in the Tales :Melian and...
where she was lured by the "Dark Elf" Eöl
Eöl
Eöl, called the Dark Elf, is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He is introduced in The Silmarillion as an Elf of Beleriand and is a character existing in some form from the earliest to the latest writings....
, and was wifed by him "a matter in which she was not wholly unwilling", eventually giving birth to Maeglin.
At birth, Aredhel gave Maeglin the name Lómion, meaning "Son of the Twilight" in Sindarin
Sindarin
Sindarin is a fictional language devised by J. R. R. Tolkien, and used in his secondary world, often called Middle-earth.Sindarin is one of the many languages spoken by the immortal Elves, called the Eledhrim or Edhellim in Sindarin....
. Eöl gave his child the name Maeglin when he was 12. Aredhel left Eöl, and took her son (who stole his father's sword, Anguirel) with her, returning to Gondolin. Eöl followed her, and in judgment before Turgon
Turgon
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, Turgon "the Wise" is an Elven king of the Noldor, second son of Fingolfin, brother to Fingon, Aredhel and Argon, and ruler of the hidden city of Gondolin....
, the king of Gondolin, he attempted to kill Maeglin with a poisoned javelin, but hit Aredhel instead. Aredhel begged her brother to forgive Eöl, as she still loved him despite not wanting to live with him. She in fact succeeded in this until she grew sick and died because the dart was poisoned. Eöl was cast down to his death from the city walls by an enraged Turgon.
Maeglin was now an orphan, but Turgon took him in. He became an elven-prince held in high esteem, even leading his own House of the Mole. He found rich lodes of metals in the Echoriath surrounding the city, and forged weapons of steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
stronger than had been seen before. His mine in the Echoriath was named Anghabar, or "Iron-Mine". In the Nírnaeth Arnoediad
Nirnaeth Arnoediad
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium of Middle-earth, the Nírnaeth Arnoediad or Unnumbered Tears was the climactic Fifth Battle in the Wars of Beleriand.-The Fifth Battle as told in The Silmarillion:...
, Maeglin refused to remain behind as regent, and went forth to battle with Turgon
Turgon
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, Turgon "the Wise" is an Elven king of the Noldor, second son of Fingolfin, brother to Fingon, Aredhel and Argon, and ruler of the hidden city of Gondolin....
. The seventh and final gate of Gondolin, the Great Gate of Steel, was Maeglin's creation.
He was in love (and lust) with Turgon's daughter (and Maeglin's first cousin) Idril
Idril
Idril Celebrindal is a fictional character in the fantasy-world Middle-earth of English author J. R. R. Tolkien. She appears in one of his chief works of literature, The Silmarillion, published posthumously by Christopher Tolkien.-Character Overview:...
. But there was no hope for him, for "the Eldar wedded not with kin so near
Incest
Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
". Worse, Idril herself despised him. This was the beginning of his dark side being revealed.
When Tuor
Tuor
Tuor is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He is the grandfather of Elrond Half-elven and one of the most renowned ancestors of the Men of Númenor and of the King of the Reunited Kingdom Aragorn Elessar...
came, carrying Ulmo
Ulmo
Ulmo is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He first appears in The Silmarillion as a god or Vala of the Elven pantheon. Ulmo is a title, which means He who pours. He is also known as King of the Sea and Lord of Waters...
's warning of the danger to Gondolin, Maeglin sat at Turgon's side and argued against Tuor. Tuor's marriage with Idril further incensed Maeglin, who rebelled against Turgon and Tuor. Later, seeking after metals, Maeglin defied Turgon's order to stay within the mountains, and was captured by Orcs
Orc (Middle-earth)
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings, Orcs or Orks are a race of creatures who are used as soldiers and henchmen by both the greater and lesser villains of The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings — Morgoth, Sauron and Saruman...
and brought to Angband
Angband (Middle-earth)
-External links:*...
. It was only after Morgoth
Morgoth
Morgoth Bauglir is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth legendarium. He is the main antagonist of The Silmarillion, figures in The Children of Húrin, and is mentioned briefly in The Lord of the Rings.Melkor was the most powerful of the Ainur, but turned to darkness and became...
promised him both Gondolin and Idril in return for the location of the hidden city, that he agreed to reveal the location of Gondolin. When Morgoth's armies attacked and overran the city, Maeglin fought with Tuor on the walls, and Tuor threw him to his death. This was the way his despised father had been executed before for the killing of Aredhel, and it was also the curse that Eöl had placed on Maeglin at this event - to suffer the same fate as he.
Reputation
Maeglin was considered to be the most wicked Elf ever to live in history, for his treasonTreason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
to Gondolin but more importantly for his willingness to serve Morgoth
Morgoth
Morgoth Bauglir is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth legendarium. He is the main antagonist of The Silmarillion, figures in The Children of Húrin, and is mentioned briefly in The Lord of the Rings.Melkor was the most powerful of the Ainur, but turned to darkness and became...
(originally out of fear, but later with fervour).
He is the only Elf to ever willingly and knowingly become a servant of Morgoth
Morgoth
Morgoth Bauglir is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth legendarium. He is the main antagonist of The Silmarillion, figures in The Children of Húrin, and is mentioned briefly in The Lord of the Rings.Melkor was the most powerful of the Ainur, but turned to darkness and became...
. His treason is unique, as even the kinslaying Sons of Fëanor sought glory for their house, and maintained a hatred for the Dark Lord.