[Raynor]

Originally Posted by davem

Yet we have Tolkien's own assessment of the Elves' motives (can't say which letter, as I've just found the quote on a search) :

Yet not even the valar are entirely good in a corrupted world, esspecially everyone (but the Men) is dependent to a 'tainted' music; moreover, the motivation for this particular actions stems also from Eru:

But the Quendi shall be the fairest of all earthly creatures, and they shall have and shall conceive and bring forth more beauty than all my Children

They just did their creator's will and followed their own nature - not much blasphemy to me there.

When she says she will 'diminish' and go West, it is literally that - she will give up notions of power and independence as in the Undying Lands there are undoubtedly many Elves greater than she is and she will once more be but one of many.

I think she merely appears weary due to her challenge - she must have put forth a great deal of will power. In the greater sense, all elves of the west are better 'preserverd' phisically:

Originally Posted by Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth

That I can well believe, said Finrod: that your bodies suffer in some measure the malice of Melkor. For you live in Arda Marred, as do we, and all the matter of Arda was tainted by him, before ye or we came forth and drew our hroar and their sustenance therefrom: all save only maybe Aman before he came there. For know, it is not otherwise with the Quendi themselves: their health and stature is diminished. Already those of us who dwell in Middle-earth, and even we who have returned to it, find that the change of their bodies is swifter than in the beginning. And that, I judge, must forebode that they will prove less strong to last than they were designed to be, though this may not be clearly revealed for many long years. And likewise with the hroar of Men, they are weaker than they should be. Thus it comes to pass that here in the West, to which of old his power scarcely extended, they have more health, as you say.

yet the elves of ME are enriched wisdom - I would say it is worth the trade . I don't think Galadriel would be a 'common' elf - she did after all get Gimli's admission into Valinor, the people she ruled would still follow her, and her lore is above most elves'.