Questions from another beginner

[Arwen Imladris]

Hi! I have read the LOTR 3 times now but I still do not understand everything.

Where do the elves go? What is this place over the sea? Why do the elves all just decide to get up and leave? If the elves have so much power and are imortal, why don't they do more in the LOTR? Well I hope someone can help me!

[Mat_Heathertoes]

Phew! I ain't touching this one with a bargepole! I will only say you probably need to read 'The Silmarillion' by J.R.R. Tolkien which will answer all those questions concerning the Elves

[littlemanpoet]

Well said, Mat Heathertoes. Arwen, you need to read The Silmarillion and I also recommend Unfinished Tales AFTER The Silmarillion. Warning, though: The Silmarillion doesn't read the same as LOTR; it's more archaic, but absolutely worth it for all that. If you've read LOTR 3 times I think you're committed enough. smilies/biggrin.gif

[Arwen Imladris]

Thanks.. I think.
Ya, my dod warned me that the Silmarilion was hard to read. Oh well, I will try!
Thanks again!

[Gorin Icearms]

It's not super hard, just alot of names and places.

[Elven-Maiden]

The Grey Havens is elf-heaven. After they've spent some time on earth, they get weary, and decide to go to heaven. Kinda like when your grandma says "I'm looking forward to going to heaven". smilies/frown.gif That, at least is how I understood it.

[Nufaciel]

Yeah, all the names and places get confusing sometimes. It helped me to jot down a few notes along the way the first time I read it.

[GollumsPrecious]

Take notes if you like but personally I think the SUPERB index Christopher Tolkein made for the Sil is more than plenty. The Appendices also include some excellent family trees as well as diagrams which explain the way the Elves split into groups such as the Vanyar, Noldor, Teleri etc after being called to the Blessed Realms.

[Mhoram]

The Grey Havens is elf-heaven. After they've spent some time on earth, they get weary, and decide to go to heaven. Kinda like when your grandma says "I'm looking forward to going to heaven". That, at least is how I understood it.

This is a really poor analogy, and in some ways, wholly incorrect. I suggest reading the Silmarilion.

[GollumsPrecious]

yeh...I'd go further than that and say it's just plain wrong..and wrong in a big way.

The Grey Havens was the place FROM where Elves (and other chosen ones such as ring bearers, Gandalf etc) departed on their journey to the Blessed Realms....ie on their way along the "Straight Road" to Aman/Erressa which had been hidden since the end of the second age.

To be more precise it was the TOWN where Cidran lived and was located at the head of the Gulf of Lhun.

Paul.

[Arwen Imladris]

Hehehe. I love digging up old threads. I believe that this was my very first post! Ahh *wipes eyes* I was just a little newbie then! smilies/smile.gif

[dragoneyes]

So did you read the Silm. in the end?

[Galadrie1]

Ah! Arwen, you have no idea how much that confused me! I didn't read the dates on the first posts, and I was going nuts! I couldn't understand why you were asking all those questions since I know you've read The Silmarillion! smilies/rolleyes.gif

[Arwen Imladris]

Yes dragoneyes, I have now read the Sil and UT and LOTR since then. smilies/smile.gif

Galadrie1, Sorry for the confusion!
smilies/rolleyes.gif I think started reading the Sil for the first time after about March 2nd. I finished reading it over the March Break.

[Tyler]

Thay go over the sea to be at peace. Yes thay are very powerful but have been in Middle Earth for 1000s of years. Thay tire of the place and want eternal bliss and that is what they get when then go over the sea. The reason thay dont get more involved is that thay are elves and have been involved with war and death long befor men and thay tire of that.