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Originally Posted by cellurdur
Arwen was never an elf. She was one of the Half-elven like her father and brothers. Arwen does resemble Luthien in both looks and character. I think it can be agreed that most people considered Awen the fairest of the elves.
As for power, I agree Galadriel was more powerful than Arwen, but Arwen was a power in her own right. She does become the queen of all the remaining elves in Middle Earth.
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Arwen is said to walk in the "likeness of Luthien", but not that she resembles her looks. Unless I forgett something, there is no evidence that Arwen is the fairest in ME, I believe Tolkien at least meant Galadriel and her to be equally beautiful.
And for the quote I stated, that Galadriel is the"...and fairest of the remaining elves" IMHO, when Tolkien is takling generally of elves, both Elrond and Arwen are included, otherwise he would probably say "...the elves of Me and the two half elves..." But that would be silly and nitpicking, so he probably just says elves. Elrond because he chose to be counted among the Eldar and Arwen cause she lifed the life of the Eldar and had their youth and until the point she chose to become mortal she was for me an elf maiden. Genetical she is half elfen but culturally elf, until she decided to become a mortal women.
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I prefer Luthien because of her wild and rebellious touch
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I really donīt see her as wild and rebellios, I mean it wold have been good, but everything what she did was for Beren and not because she was freeminded and felt confined in Doriath.
And for Luthien Iīm really not impressed by her even if Tolkien said that she was the greatest of the Eldar, everything what she did was for the sake of her love to beren but not for the greater good. Would Beren not have come to Doriath Luthien wold probably still dance under a tree. Donīt get me wrong her deeds are impressive, but not Luthien, would she have went to Morgoth to free some people, Finrod for example then I would be impressed or if she became active before she met Beren, that for me would be an example of a strong women but she did that cause she couldnīt life without Beren.
Thatīs why Galadriel for me is greater (even if Tolkien sees it differently), she chose to stay in ME (if we leave out her pride, which was one reason) for the greater good to see Sauron fall and help where she could.
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Galadriel, like virtually all the Lords/Ladies of the House of Finwe, seems a bit too power hungry. Even Finrod, who is another one of my favourite characters.
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I speak now only for Galadriel but did she leave Aman only for power, I see it rather as need for responsibility and there is nothing wrong with it. She wanted to have her own kindom to have something to do, to accomplish something and not just sit singing under a tree. In the UT she is disribed as being "brilliant in mind and swift in action", so like all hugely intelligent people she was looking for a challenge but she still wanted only good for her people (she never would have suppressed someone (unlike Sauron or Morgoth) and every society needs a leader. So I see nothing negative in Galadriel wanting a realm of her own, as long as she doesnīt force the elves to accept her.
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but Arwen was a power in her own right. She does become the queen of all the remaining elves in Middle Earth.
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Yes, but that was nothing she accieved in her own, it was because of her marriage to Aragon, if she had fought for it and went through many dangers (like Aragon) then I would be impressed but she was only lucky that Aragon loved her, otherwise we maybe would have never even heard of her.