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Old 07-23-2005, 08:10 PM   #3
Formendacil
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Elianna
Why is it always the girl who was immortal? Why couldn't the guy be an elf and have to become mortal? I can't think of an answer to this one that doesn't involve sexism and making fun of Elven grace.
I'll ignore the larger question for the moment, and just focus on this one aspect of it for the moment.

The reason, it would seem, is that this mirrors Tolkien's own life. Certainly, he wrote several times about his own life experience with his wife (Edith) was a major inspiration for the tale of Beren and Luthien. Tolkien very much felt like an unworthy Beren winning the hand of the beautiful Elven princess. So much that on their tombstones, the only quotes/inscriptions are "Luthien" and "Beren".

I would say that this just carried over naturally to the other tales. Aragorn and Arwen was, in any event, a deliberate imitation of Beren and Luthien. As for Tuor and Idril- I'm not sure, but the Tale of Gondolin predates that of Beren and Luthien, so perhaps IT was the original tale.... Who knows?

And as for why Tolkien never bothered to "balance" them with a few tales of male elves and female women, I don't know. Certainly, I doubt if he saw the need to balance it, and personally I think an unnatural balance of three males elves and three female elves marrying women/men is just that: unnatural.

And, although Tolkien never did have a male elf/human woman MARRIAGE, he did have a tragic relationship: that of Aegnor and Andreth.

Or maybe Tolkien just foresaw all the Legolas/fangird fanfics...
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