Arwen's Mortality

[Macalaure]

His children - with a renewed Elvish strain, since their mother was Celebrían dtr. of Galadriel - have to make their choices.

I've been thinking about this for quite some time now. This is how I understand it by now, I hope somebody can tell me whether I'm on the right track.

First I thought that Elrond's and Elros' situations are symmetric.
Elrond chose to be an elf. Then he marries an elf. My logic told me that normally elf+elf=elf.
Elros chose to be mortal. Then he marries a mortal woman. Why didn't their children get to choose with a renewed mortal strain? (which was also Farael's question, I think)

I think it is stated in 'Laws and Customs', that if mortal and immortal blood is mixed, the outcome is always mortal. So Earendil and Dior and his children were mortal half-elves in the beginning. Then the Valar had the brilliant idea to let Earendil and Elwing and their children choose between the fates of elves and men. Does this now mean exactly that, that Elrond and Elros chose their different fates, but they still remain half-elves nonetheless and don't actually become Elf or Man? If this is the case, then it is clear: Elrond's and Elros' children would always be mortal - unless new immortal blood comes into play. This renewed elvish strain via Celebrían then seems sufficient reason to give Elrond's children a choice, too.

Do I understand it right?

[A_Brandybuck]

I've also been thinking about this difficulty of the 'renewed elvish strain'. Macalaure's explanation may fit well (and is well, too), but could that be? Every child of an "Elvish-Half-Elven" is mortal?
I don't think so.

Tolkien marks the choice is irrevocable (Letter #153). That sounds like the choice is binding in all ways. Another point is the following quote also from Letter #153:

Elros chose to be a King and 'longaevus' but mortal, so all his descendants are mortal, and of a specially noble race, but with dwindling longevity

Here Tolkien pointed out, that the descendants of Elros are mortal, following from his choice to be mortal. Would Tolkien have pointed that out, when the other choice would have led to the same result?

Somehow the whole thing seems not clear for me.

[Morgoth Bauglir]

I think Macalaure's idea is the only plausible argument. Otherwise, the children of two elfs would be elvish, and the children of two humans would be human. That wouldn't make sense at all, becuase then Elros' children would be allowed to choose.

[Legolas]

Manwe did declare previously that any being with any mortal blood would be mortal. This means Dior would've been mortal.

Here Tolkien pointed out, that the descendants of Elros are mortal, following from his choice to be mortal. Would Tolkien have pointed that out, when the other choice would have led to the same result?

No matter what choice Elrohir, Elladan, and Arwen made, their decision to be would permanent as well as settling the matter for their children. Elrond would be gone. A stipulation to the choice was that they leave with or around the time of Elrond, or forever remain in Middle-earth as mortals. So if E, E, or A chose immortality, their children would be born in Aman and have no choice - they'd be immortals. Likewise, if any of the three chose to stay in Middle-earth for good, their children would be mortal.

Source for that 'stipulation' is Appendix A in Lord of the Rings:

But to the children of Elrond a choice was also appointed: to pass with him from the circles of the world; or if they remained, to become mortal and die in Middle-earth.

Macalaure, you have it right here: half-elves do not 'become' elf or man - they simply choose which fate they wish to follow. Tolkien always uses that terminology. In Letter 345:

Arwen was not an elf, but one of the half-elven who abandoned her elvish rights.

You also asked this...

Elros chose to be mortal. Then he marries a mortal woman. Why didn't their children get to choose with a renewed mortal strain?

This wasn't a "renewed" mortal strain...their mortal strain needed no renewing. His children needed no choice. The choice of immortality was given to Elladan, Elrohir, and Arwen in order to keep their family together if they so desired (as they would be mortal otherwise) - the same reason Earendil's choice was extended to Elros and Elrond.

[Morgoth Bauglir]

I still feel like it wasn't thought out enough. So at first i guess we decided they had to choose (and that wasnt even clear), but now that its decided by Elronds staying or leaving?

[Legolas]

They had to choose for themselves. The choice would simply dictate the action. It was certain that Elrond would leave. His departure date was the tentative "deadline" for his children's choice, though we see that Elladan and Elrohir took a little longer to decide. Appendix A, Lord of the Rings:

To him therefore was granted the same grace as to those of the High Elves that still lingered in Middle-earth: that when weary at last of the mortal lands they could take ship from the Grey Havens and pass into the Uttermost West; and this grace continued after the change of the world. But to the children of Elrond a choice was also appointed: to pass with him from the circles of the world; or if they remained, to become mortal and die in Middle-earth.

I think it was quite well planned. It has a greater purpose within the story. Letter No. 153:

The entering into Men of the Elven-strain is indeed represented as part of a Divine Plan for the ennoblement of the Human Race, from the beginning destined to replace the Elves.

[Raynor]

Originally Posted by Legolas

I think it was quite well planned. It has a greater purpose within the story. Letter No. 153:

I think we can view in the same line the prophecy of Melian, concerning Beren, who was the highly important to the above mentioned ennoblement:

Originally Posted by Of the coming of Men into the West

Now the world runs on swiftly to great tidings. And one of Men, even of Beor's house, shall indeed come, and the Girdle of Melian shall not restrain him, for doom greater than my power shall send him; and the songs that shall spring from that coming shall endure when all Middle-earth is changed.