A Gift of Mortality?

[Durelin]

Son of Numenor - First let me say - superbly stated, all of it.

Now, let me say: I was not trying to suggest that that was what Tolkien believed or was trying to express, as I know that what Tolkien believed is hard to apprehend, as he purposely made it so. Merely I was suggesting that the Elves', their immortality, and Valinor could be seen in a different light.

And also let me say: You brought to my attention something I did not think about: a love of the Earth. But I still believe it is a little odd that the Elves' would love the Earth so, and yet yearn for something more, beyond Middle Earth, and no longer actually a physical part of the Earth. Still, it would make sense that the Elves could not, no matter how much they loved the Earth, remain upon it (fully, I guess) forever.

I guess it could be said that Men are not able to escape Earthly bonds on Earth, as the Elves are. The Elves are bound to the Earth spiritually, as you said, and so can experience the beauties of the 'spiritual plane'? Men die and are gone from the Earth completely.

Now that all you said, Son of Numenor, has been brought to my attention, I see that the fact that Men leave the Circles of the World can end even their spirits themselves, breaking the bond that was once there between them and the Earth. Valinor and Aman, are much like Heaven, at least in the Christian belief of Heaven, as God cares too much about the Earth, in Christian theology, to let you get away from it completely.

A couple of things I wonder about: Do you think it is a love of the World and a wish to clense its beauty of the evil within it that makes the Elves desire to remain bound to the Earth? Or is the evil so easily overlooked?

Thank you for that insight, Son of Numenor, and for sharing your superior knowledge of Tolkien.

-Durelin