Quote:
Originally Posted by Inziladun
I must disagree. She had made her choice, and as Galin pointed out earlier, she was then bound to mortality. The quote Galin gave of her response to Aragorn's premise that she could "repent and go to the Havens" says not that no ships were available for her to board, but that none would bear her, and that she must abide by her decision, not that she merely wished to do so.
|
As I read the story Arwen hasn't aged when Aragorn dies. Although I don't think so, it is of course possible she would have died a natural death from old age had she carried on - remember Elros lived unwearied for around 500 years - but to me that's a moot question. As is talking about the 'legal' situation regarding her Valinor entry VISA, although I appreciate
WCH's and
Galin's efforts on the subject.
The choice of Arwen, as an descendant of Eärendil, is of course to share the fate of mortal Men and leave the circles of the world, or to sail West with her father and remain bound to Arda until the end. When she gives her heart to Aragorn, she is taking the former path, which I think in practice means that when she comes face to face with Mandos sooner or later he will send her soul to where Men go (Heaven, I suppose), and not the Halls of Waiting. Within the context of the story, the idea of Arwen repenting of her choice and begging for admittance on a ship heading West, thus ie abandoning Aragorn, or just living on in Middle earth, perhaps joining Maglor in his wailing, is preposterous. We may speculate about many what ifs, but in the light of Tolkien's (in-book) idealised view of love and marriage, there were only two options for Arwen: to join Aragorn in life and death or to remain with her father and pass West. The technicalities of the choice and its consequences beyond this is speculative and in the end without import - well, apart from the continuation of this thread, which certainly has a value of its own.
Edit: Jeez, the mental picture of Arwen the Warrior Princess is not a pretty one haha.