Elves after Arda is Remade
 

Melkor's 'permanence' is due to the fact that he has 'dissipated himself' in all of Arda. But then this would mean that in The Final Battle, when it is prophesised that he would be killed, all of Arda would have to be destroyed or else Melkor wouldn't perish completely. Then Arda will be fashioned again and Men will join in the new music.

What will happen to the Elves when Arda perishes? It is said their life span is that of Arda. Would they dissappear completely - and not exist even in fëa?

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I know that I haven't been on in a while. Been out due to illness again and the fact that I am a mod on another board, and admin on another [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Also, I have been very busy this summer with the teens that I work with.

[ September 02, 2003: Message edited by: Joy ]

We seem to be talking a lot about the Arda-Armageddon Last Battle recently...

No, I don't think so. 'Life-spans' are to do with hroa, the body; a Man's lifespan is threescore years and ten, rather longer these days of course, but that does not mean that the spirit of a Man ceases to exist after this period.

The body dies, the fea goes somewhere else. That the Elves' life is 'that of Arda' surely means than when Arda dies, they do as well, and are finally released from it -- as will the Valar and Maiar of Ea be. What exactly will happen is unknown, but I think the proposition that the race of Elves, the Firstborn Children of Illuvatar, shall merely cease to exist after Arda (while the Ainur and Men continue on) is quite an absurd one.

That is of course not know. But Felagund suggested in The Atrabeth that the Elves would inhabit are remade while Man would help in its remaking by taking part in the second music. His belive was based on pure estel, that is the hope based on the belive that Iluvatars purposes for his children are good. Or so at last have I unserstood the text.

Respectfully
Findegil

In the Ainulindale, it says that both the Firstborn and the Followers shall participate in the Music (just the name of Children of Illuvatar is used). CT based this upon his father's latest version of this tale.

In earlier versions I believe that only 'Men' was said here; and it is also written, in both sources, that the post-Arda fate of the Elves is unkown.

As is the post-Arda fate of Men, and almost equally so, however; Shadowy references to the Second Music, as well as some brief conjecture, are all that we have. It could be anything, then... until it actually happens, of course, who knows -- except Eru himself?

[ September 02, 2003: Message edited by: Gwaihir the Windlord ]

I like to think that what Finrod 'guessed' in the Athrabeth is what would happen to elves in Arda Remade:

Well, The elves all live in Valinor, so they are less connected to Arda than before. Leaving Arda wasn't part of the Valar's original plan, but they did it due to the threat of Morgoth's remaining followers (Sauron comes to mind). So the elves will cease to exist when Valinor does, I suppose, but this might never happen.
But who am I to talk? It's all part of Illuvatar's plan. If he has one.

The Elves will not be any more or less 'dead' than Men or Dwarves after the Last Battle.

I would hope that Tolkien's vision for after the Last Battle was the Unmarring of Arda and not the end of the world and of existence.

What makes you say that?

What I believe is that the reason the Elves look forward to the End of Days so much is not only for the complete destruction of Morgoth, but for their freedom. They had always envied Men, because their fëar were not bound to Arda, as the Elves' were. After the Dagor Dagorath, and the Destruction of Arda, I believe that the Elves' fëar would be freed from Arda, and join the fëar of Edain, in whatever Halls they walk, and there spend the rest of eternity in each others' company.

I believe that I would like an ice cream sandwich.

I also like to think that I would like an ice cream sandwich.

[ September 02, 2003: Message edited by: burrahobbit ]

BURRA

Git back in your cell! Don't make me get the hose!

No, really, Tolkien himself was pretty ambiguous on the subject. He preferred it to be a mystery.

[ September 03, 2003: Message edited by: Lush ]

As it should be. Describing the Dagor Dagorath and the rebuilding of Arda would be far too comprehensive; nowhere is it stated what will happen, and you cannot 'believe' that any specific outcome will take place. That's the mystery of it.

We don't know what will cause the Dagor Dagorath, what will happen after it, nor the ultimate fates of Elves and Men. The vague conviction that these things will happen in some form is all. But who knows it? You'll just have to wait and see... =]

(Burrahobbit has quite a legitimate argument, by the way, get him to explain it to you sometime and you'll agree [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img])

[ September 03, 2003: Message edited by: Gwaihir the Windlord ]

Oh, Gwaihir, I'd never underestimate burra. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Nevertheless, this topic seems to have run its course.

Wow, I had forgotten about many of these old posts. I look back an cringe at some of them.

Thanks for your answers guys.

Actually...this is dealt with in The Lost Road and Other Writings, at the end of the section describing (though not in great detail) the Last Battle:

So it sounds to me like all the Elves there ever were have, basically, a huge honkin’ party. Now, I don’t know what is meant by “the purpose of Ilúvatar be fulfilled concerning them.” What do you guys think it means?

One can only speculate, & I will not venture a guess at what the ultimate purpose of an entire race might be. We must keep in mind that in the mythology of Middle-earth as it was intended by Tolkien, the Last Battle has yet to come. We are in the Seventh Age of the world, but there is no telling how many more will come before Arda is "broken & remade." Tolkien tended to shy away from revealing any Higher Purpose of the Creator (i.e. The Fate of Men), since it would probably lead many to draw inaccurate & unwanted conclusions about Tolkien's beliefs concerning the Christian God.

Maybe you'd like a look at this