Unfinished Tales - Part Two - III - The Line of Elros: Kings of Númenor

[Guinevere]

To several of the kings listed in the "Line of Elros" there can be found more details in the Akallabêth, but it is an interesting complement.

I find Nogrod's comparison to Plato's "republic" (which I didn't know) very interesting and true.

What strikes me most, are all those birth- and death-dates and length of rules.
That the descendants of Elros had a longer life span seems logical, because of their Elven ancestry, but I ask myself how the Valar actually could alter the life span of the other Numenoreans...?

Also, it seems inconceivable how late everyone got married and how few children they had. The race of the Numenoreans apparently had a very low sex drive...

Originally posted by Esty
The one fact I find most interesting foreshadows Aragorn's death at the end of LotR - the ability of Númenorean kings to die at their own will.

I find this fascinating too!

From letter #212:
It was also the Elvish (and uncorrupted Númenorean) view that a "good" Man would or should die voluntarily by surrender with trust before being compelled (as did Aragorn). This may have been the nature of unfallen Man; though compulsion would not threaten him: he would desire and ask to be allowed to "go on" to a higher state.

I think that many people would wish for this ability to “fall asleep” at a time and under circumstances that they could choose themselves, rather than lingering on while the infirmities and indignities of old age assail the body. Especially in our time where modern medicine creates often problematic situations where life (and suffering) are artificially prolonged. Hence the huge success of “Right-to-die-Societies” !
I do wonder what Tolkien would have said to that?!

Btw, Helge Fauskanger's interesting text is not exactly fanfiction, it's his suggestions of how a movie prequel could be made from the story of the rise and fall of Númenor. Of course, doing this would involve a lot of "Fanfiction" indeed. (Well, we will have enough of fanfiction in the coming "Hobbit" movie!!)

My favourite among the Númenorean rulers is still King Meneldur, because of his thoughts and acts after receiving Gil-Galad's letter.
And I think it very sad that after her father's death, Ancalimë neglected all his policies.