They also started feeling bitter. The Elves had given their lives to keep Middle-earth safe. Many of their greatest heroes had died doing that. And now, this "upstart" race of Men would take over all of that, and not accord respect where it was most deserved. Some of them would even insult and deride the memory of the Elves. I think that is enough to make anyone bitter.
I think that the one thing that kept them back in Middle-earth is that desire to be the greatest race. In Aman, they would be on the lowest rung of the "social hierarchy." In Middle-earth, they'd be the top dogs. It almost seems like the Elves were becoming more and more human, because it is human nature to want to stay at the top.
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But Melkor also was there, and he came to the house of Fëanor, and there he slew Finwë King of the Noldor before his doors, and spilled the first blood in the Blessed Realm; for Finwë alone had not fled from the horror of the Dark.
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