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doug*platypus · 12-15-2003, 05:31 PM

Duty, I believe. Apart from the advantages that mortality confers, in general elves seemed to have had a much more preferable existence to men. They live on a higher plane, really, and are something that (some) men could only ever hope to be like. People like Hador or Tuor, in my opinion, become elf-groupies because they wish that they were in fact elves.

Unlike most posters on this thread, I don't think that Elros' decision to become mortal was entirely self-centred. I think it would have been obvious to the two brothers, or at least to Elrond, that the future of Middle-Earth and of mankind depended greatly on an elvish bloodline and the creation of the Númenóreans. It is probable that Elros was more suited to this role, or even perhaps that Elrond could not be other than an elflord. But I do think it would have been a conscious decision made by the two of them that Elros must choose to be a mortal king.

I think that it was a noble sacrifice more than a lifestyle choice, although obviously Elros was rewarded greatly for it with a wife, a kingdom, 500 years of life, and a way to exit the circles of the world. Considering what Elrond eventually had to go through, with the War of the Last Alliance, the death of Celebrían and his sundering from Arwen, I'd say Elros made a pretty good choice!

12-15-2003, 05:31 PM	#16
doug*platypus Delver in the Deep Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Aotearoa Posts: 960	Duty, I believe. Apart from the advantages that mortality confers, in general elves seemed to have had a much more preferable existence to men. They live on a higher plane, really, and are something that (some) men could only ever hope to be like. People like Hador or Tuor, in my opinion, become elf-groupies because they wish that they were in fact elves. Unlike most posters on this thread, I don't think that Elros' decision to become mortal was entirely self-centred. I think it would have been obvious to the two brothers, or at least to Elrond, that the future of Middle-Earth and of mankind depended greatly on an elvish bloodline and the creation of the Númenóreans. It is probable that Elros was more suited to this role, or even perhaps that Elrond could not be other than an elflord. But I do think it would have been a conscious decision made by the two of them that Elros must choose to be a mortal king. I think that it was a noble sacrifice more than a lifestyle choice, although obviously Elros was rewarded greatly for it with a wife, a kingdom, 500 years of life, and a way to exit the circles of the world. Considering what Elrond eventually had to go through, with the War of the Last Alliance, the death of Celebrían and his sundering from Arwen, I'd say Elros made a pretty good choice! __________________ But Gwindor answered: 'The doom lies in yourself, not in your name'.