"‘You did not hold Túrin from peril, but me you will hold from him,’ cried Morwen. ‘In the keeping of Melian! Yes, a prisoner of the Girdle! Long did I hold back before I entered it, and now I rue it.’"

"Now Morwen went to Niënor, and said: ‘Farewell, daughter of Húrin. I go to seek my son, or true tidings of him, since none here will do aught, but tarry till too late."

"Nonetheless Mablung would not rest, and with a small company he went into the wild and for three years wandered far, from Ered Wethrin even to the Mouths of Sirion, seeking for sign or tidings of the lost."

When the Fell Winter withdrew new tidings of Nargothrond came to Doriath. For some that escaped from the sack, and had survived the winter in the wild, came at last seeking refuge with Thingol, and the march-wards brought them to the King. And some said that all the enemy had withdrawn northwards, and others that Glaurung abode still in the halls of Felagund; and some said that the Mormegil was slain, and others that he was cast under a spell by the Dragon and dwelt there yet, as one changed to stone. But all declared that it was known in Nargothrond ere the end that the Blacksword was none other than Túrin son of Húrin of Dor-lómin.

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Not only does she accuse Thingol of taking poor care of Turin, but she rashly (and rudely) complains that she's a prisoner when in fact she's been an honored guest. Is Morwen's reaction justifiable as a mother, or is she out of line? Well, she isn't the mother of a small child, out missing: he's a man at this point. She took more risk with him on her own by sending him away to Doriath! So I see an inherent contradiction here. It feels more like Morwen just rebels against any authority or binding, or anyone who would contain her. Very much like her son!

In case we thought one woman could talk sense into another, Melian has no more luck than Thingol does. That sets up Nienor's failure to prevail over Morwen also. Is this fate driving Morwen to excess pride and foolishness, or simply her personality? What if Hurin had told her to stay at home--would she have listened? As someone who's never lived in the wild, fought a battle, etc, what exactly did she think she'd accomplish by chasing after Turin in enemy territory? I wonder here if 'fate' and 'personality' aren't entwined? Morwen and Turin's lives would not be what they were without them being who they are; not dismissing the Curse as having agency and power, but also the other part of the equation in that the people concerned make choices and will behave in ways that are often predictable based on their natures.
As to what she would achieve...I don't think she is thinking that far ahead! Its more about the point of leaving, acting on harsh honor and the power of emotion.

What do you make of Morwen's speech with Nienor:

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She doesn't call her "my daughter" nor say that she's going to seek "your brother." She could just as well be talking to the family maid. Is this how royals talk, or does she seem remarkably distant and detached? Its very detached!!! It makes the entire episode rather about her though, and it comes across as very sour to me. And what is poor Nienor to do when confronted with such a loaded statement - if she has any sense of honor or duty or worth, she has no choice but to sneak along! Its rash and it has consequences to large for Morwen to understand. I wonder, even if later, she understood the role she played in the curse?

I plainly disapprove of Morwen, but Nienor impresses me. She wants to honor their hosts and restrain her mother's impetuousness, while remaining brave and sensible. She's got the Hurinite stubbornness, but wishy-washy people don't make great tragic heroes. Given that she has more sense than Morwen, why does she go along with her after failing to persuade her to go home? I am with you here. I do like Nienor but not Morwen so much. As I said above, I think Mowen's self-serving and chilly pronouncement before she left leave the poor girl no choice but to come along, unless she be counted among those who would tarry and do nothing. Its a poor choice of words, delivered I am sure in a high-handed and prideful way (its all about her, after all) by Morwen that bring Nienor into Brethil.

Another thing that annoys me about Morwen: when she yells about the thirty-first man. Really, she's so suspicious she's counting? Not quite the distracted mother here, on a noble and overwhelming quest. It comes across as a bit nit-picky and far from distracted, she's as sharp as ever.

Mablung impresses me as the suffering hero in this part of the story, taking up where Beleg left off, the dutiful soldier doing his duty, and brave to the extreme (I'd love to see a movie snippet of "The Adventures of Mablung in Nargothrond." That's a story that fires the imagination.).
Why do you suppose Glaurung didn't kill Mablung or any of the others? What did he expect to gain by wiping Nienor's memory? Did he have any foresight that she'd wind up in Brethil? Didn't he risk that she'd run off into the wild like Morwen and never be seen again for years, effectively falling outside the curse and the story?

Yes, poor Mablung is sent to do a thankless job, and does it the best it could have been done likely.
Glaurung seems focused on the group of people he sees on Amon Ethir, and I think the dueling powers of perception (as its laid out) results in a bit of a draw here, leaving Mablung alive. The strike against Nienor happens with a right-out-of-Morwen's-mouth sort of boast, claiming Hurin's kinship like that. I think the idea of whatever misfortunes befall her in amnesia are the reason Glaurung takes her memories; form a symbolic POV its the Serpent up to no good again. I'm not sure of Glaurung has the foresight to see the rest of the scenario. He knows at the other end though, as he lies dying...well enough to torment Niniel/Nienor with it. So perhaps he followed or was aware of the story as it unfolded? That seems in line with the original Wyrm construct in which he himself has lieutenants and calculates the outcomes.
Another reason to join the Mablung fan club:

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If Mablung did all this searching, why did he never come across Turin and the remnants of Haleth's people, to seek for news, at the very least?
Hmmm - is he just far South of the action?