The differences between Elves and Men

[Guinevere]

Mae govannen !

I`m in the middle of reading the Silmarillion, just like Rose Cotton. And there I get quite a different impression of the elves than from LotR. Just like Rose is saying, the elves act much more like ancient human heroes. They have vices and weaknesses and some have even a nasty character. I really started asking myself what the difference between elves and men are, apart from the immortality.??

In LotR the elves seem much more different from men, they are more spirital and have a mysterious, magical aura. And none of them is wicked. They appear to me like a link between the valar and men.

How can this be explained?
Perhaps because "their wisdom waxed from age to age" and by the time of the third age they must have accumulated a lot of wisdom...? and the wicked ones have long ago met their doom and are no more in Middle-earth.
Does anyone have a better explanation ?

Suilad, Guinevere

[Ivriniel]

Originally Posted by Guinevere

Mae govannen !

I`m in the middle of reading the Silmarillion,...<snip>--<snip>...I really started asking myself what the difference between elves and men are, apart from the immortality.??

Suilad, Guinevere

Elen Sila Lumenn Omentielvo

I have to say, when I was young, blind and romantically in love with all of Elvendom, I skimmed over quite a few traits that really do place Elves as not-so-nice, at times. So, I have to agree with this post.

For example, Turgon tossed Eol's father off the cliffs as punishment for Eol killing Aredhel. Eol--really not very nice as well--thought of his son, Maeglin and Aredhel as his possessions. Eol was a hot-headed, territorial Elf (like them all, really), banging on about Telerin lands overrun by imperial Noldor. Feanor, another maniacal ego-driven madman (sorry madelf ) decided to start a civil war and kinslaying over a pretty glowing jewel. Sons of Feanor - omg, imagine them at a dinner party when trying to have a nice quiet conversation about magic and beauty and the silmarils. I'm sure that by dessert, a number of hapless guests would be added to the Nolodorin long list of those vowed as a blood enemies for all eternity.

Elvish folk made rather nasty weapons that were extremely deadly, whose blades felled their own kind (e.g. Beleg). They were deeply xenophobic peoples who had exclusionary principles that governed territorial rights.

Though, their mystery, beauty, grace, wisdom and essence were also a deeply moving legacy. Though, I still love elves, I've grown to see how Melkor made Orcs of them. I also wonder about that natural hatred between those two races and what that really means about both Elves and Orcs, but for mirror-image reasons.