The differences between Elves and Men

[arathorn]

Originally Posted by IxnaY AintsaY

One of the most riveting moments in The Silmarillion for me. I've always seen this as being a feat of spirit or maybe "magic" rather than strength, but I'll admit that brutish muscle is a much simpler explanation. Put Turin or Fingolfin in the same situation and with the same wording, and I'd probably view it the same as you, so it may just be my preconception of Finrod.

Where is Beren described as especially strong? It might be implied by the Leap of Beren--anything else?

Well this is a feat of both physical strength and spiritual. While physically Turin was a match for Fingolfin in my opinion he didn't have the spirit to be above someone that was taken to be a Vala himself.
The preconception about elves being less in build and strength than men is very common don't worry since in others "cultures" they really are, even for Tolkien in the beginning the elves were shorter and slimmer than men. Finrod although far from being the strongest of the princes he's still above even the Noldor average(in strength).
Beren was many times described as being especially strong in the Silmarillion, The Peoples of Middle Earth vol. XII and in the LOTR - Remember Boromir talking about the strength of Turin and Beren(both Edain) instead of talking about some great and tall Numenorean which he descent and probably had more information since both were from the first age.