Aredhel the bad girl?

[*Varda*]

Having now read that part of the Sil, this is my opinion.

I don't feel Aredhel can really be blamed for the fall of Gondolin. Sure, she was restless and left, and without that it probably wouldn't have fallen, but that's just another part of the chain. To me, the real person behind Gondolin falling was Maeglin. And you can't blame Aredhel for her son falling in love with his cousin, wanting power...etc.

I see no reason why a woman shouldn't be allowed to feel restless and wander just as much as men. In the case of Aredhel, however, she should probably have been more careful, knowing that there was always a chance that she could reveal the location of Gondolin, even if by accident. As she did, since Eol followed her. So, while the actual restless emotions she was feeling aren't actually wrong, if you consider her situation and status, she should have put them to the back of her mind and not acted upon them.