Arwen's Love for Aragorn

[The Squatter of Amon Rûdh]

I don't see how that post could be offensive per se, although it does tend to veer away from Tolkien and into the realms of evangelism and questionable theology. Of course, Tolkien's ardent Roman Catholicism is well known and needs no repetition here, and there is undoubtedly a strong element of altruism in Arwen's love for Aragorn. However, I think that Tolkien himself would have been quick to point out that Arwen loves Aragorn as a husband and that she is forced to choose between two sacrifices: to be separated either from her family and people or from the man she loves, either separation being eternal and irrevocable. The choices and the need for a decision are ultimately imposed by a greater external power, whereas Christ's incarnation and sacrifice are the voluntary acts of a being that possesses complete freedom of will and action.

As a philologist and student of medieval literature, Tolkien was required to be familiar at least with the more important works of early and medieval Christian philosophy. It is reasonable to suppose that he was intimately familiar with the old Vulgate Bible, and his Latin was of a standard that would have allowed him to dispense with a translation. I know just enough to know that Tolkien, who was by no means a theologian, knew a great deal more about Christian thought and doctrine than I ever will. Having said that, I find it very doubtful that Arwen is intended to be compared with Christ, and even my limited understanding of Christian philosophy suggests that there is a fundamental difference between even the highest form of erotic love and that between God and the Christian. It would also be extremely questionable to compare any sacrifice made by one of Tolkien's characters with that of Christ: even the passions of the saints, prompted as they are by a deep love of Him, are only emulations of His sacrifice in their literary context.

All of which is but to behave as the Elves and answer both 'yes' and 'no'. The question entails a discussion which requires a great deal of specialist knowledge, and it would seem to belong more in the field of theological enquiry than Tolkien criticism. I would say, though, that the love between any two people, fictional or otherwise, is both like and unlike the love of God; but since that is beyond human experience they can never be the same. I expect that Tolkien would have said much the same thing, albeit with a lot more authority and a few juicy Patristic quotations.

Arwen's rôle as a source of nobility as a part of Tolkien's professed theme of the sanctification of the humble could well be relevant here, although it's too late for me to discuss it now. If she directly brings her husband closer to Eru, she might be compared more closely with Christ, although never equally.

[Lush]

If you believe that love between people stems from the gift of divine love, then pretty much any romantic relationship can be viewed through the prism of Christ's sacrifice.

Having said that, I seriously doubt that there exists a strong intentional parallel between Christ and Arwen.

Though it's interesting to consider it in these terms.

By the same token, for example, one could say that Eowyn committed herself to a similar type of sacrifice, when she agreed to let go of her feelings for Aragorn and commit herself to Faramir and the greater good (not that I'm a big fan of the resolution of Eowyn's situation).

Perhaps Arwen's situation is simply more obvious, because it involves losing immortality.

[Bêthberry]

Christ's sacrifice was offered to save people from sin and bring them to eternal life. I cannot see where Arwen's sacrifice brings Aragorn eternal life. Nor can I see what sin she saves Aragorn from, unless it is ... well, let's not go there. I cannot see any hint that Aragorn would have failed in his quest had it not been for Arwen. Nor does she herself 'conquer' death in ultimately rising from it. In fact, she is lost to history, as is poignantly told in the Appendix.

Are there any parallels between Christ and Arwen other than the general choice to foresake eternal life (which is not truly eternal anyway, as elven existence is limited to Arda's existence)? Do we see a harrowing of Mordor done by Arwen? Does she have her temptation by Sauron on the mountaintop? Does she have a Lazarusiel or Lazarusion?

Lest anyone thing me too sardonic here, let me quickly suggest that 'allegory' requires greater correlation than vague similarity of one main point. Further, Tolkien himself rejects allegory in the forward to LotR.

If there is an archetypal 'meaning' to Aragorn's and Arwen's relationship, it ressembles more closely that of the struggling hero who himself undergoes great trial, to be rewarded finally with marriage with the great goddess. Given that Arwen's character is given few actual actions and that most of her actions are devoted to inspiring Aragorn to greater effort in his journey to earning the kingship, I would say that Arwen's character is too passive to prefigure Christ, who after all undertook several specific actions before his final Passion.

Arwen is Aragorn's reward, rather than salvation, I would say.