Aredhel the bad girl?

[Aredhel The White]

Originally Posted by Morwen

For me, Aredhel's mistake with respect to Gondolin begins with her decision to go with her brother when he reveals to her that he has plans to build a secret kingdom in a hidden valley and never intends to leave. Given that wandering far and wide is something that she loved since Valinor, it didn't require elven foresight to see that a cloistered existence was not the best thing for her.

The trouble I think is that Gondolin was a mirror of Tirion upon Tuna. Elven city where Noldor used to live before left and many of them were realy loving it and composing songs about it beeing in ME (Like in the Galadriel song). So, mirroring Tirion by their the best, Gondolin was also the most beautiful city in whole Middle Earth. A place to use all the crafts and skills of Noldor. Going to and build Tirion again as secret project could be very interesting for her, or she feeled she dont want to leave Turgon maybe (how old was Idril in that days? Crossing Helcaraxe she was a child, her mother died and so Aredhel, as Turgons sister could also take a part of her nurture).
Yes, maybe more foreseeing Eldar than her should care and tell her better to stay on "open air" since she would be unhappy. Other task is, if stubbornly Ared would listen to them

Originally Posted by Morwen

Having opted to leave Gondolin I do think that she ought to have stayed gone. I've a hard time sympathising with her here. She perhaps (mistakenly) thought that she could be happy in Gondolin the first time. Did she think the second time round would be the charm? Even if Eol had not followed her to Gondolin, would she have been happy there indefinitely (or at least until her evil seed child betrayed the kingdom)?

Maeglin wanted to see treausures of Noldor, and she wanted to show him that small rest of Noldor nobility beauties she could. Fate of Noldor, said by Herold of Valar was that Valar will not let them come back and they will have to stay in ME till die... so no chance take Maeglin into Valinor with her. Also I think, she could decide that Gondolin is only place where they could be safe when Eöl finds out they left him. She knew the way bact to Goldolin and to the cousins kingdome not far from Elmoth. Maybe she did not know how to travel to ... for example ... Fingons or Maedhros mannor and while on escape, she needed to move quickly.
Also, secret of Gondolin is the most safe in Gondolin itselve. And Gondolin was temporary project, so few more hundered years, maybe she thought, could survive

This is not an exuse, just could be some of her reasons