[Man-of-the-Wold]

This is an excellent discussion, and I think necessitates trying to sense and understand some of the author's philosophy.

Men's spirits are not of this world. And those spirits have little ability to alter the physical world, except through the application of great courage, will or intellect. But they certainly cannot perserve their own earthly flesh. Disease, mischance and the decay of years (as with the creatures of Yavanna) brings their existence in Middle Earth to an end.

After that they leave the confines of the World-Arda. The parting of Arwen and Elrond is not simply that of one's premature death, but rather profound sadness due to separate metaphysical paths.

For the elves they are immortals in a sense, especially in that even with physical death their spirits remain in Arda, and may return in bodily form within Aman at Mandos' will. The ability of their bodies to not suffer the decay of years or any type of disease, and to die only from very grevious harm or exhaustion (physical or mental, as with Miriel), reflects that they are powerful spirits of this world, created by Iluvatar with physical bodies, unlike the Valar and Maiar. It is even suggested somewhere that they may become true spirits like the Maiar and shed their bodies after eons of contemplation. But those spirits certainly transcend their own flesh while in inhabiting it, and thus they can sustain it, and grow in life through the years, to boot.

Ironically, the elf-friends mentioned by Elrond at the close of his Council (not to mention Barahir and Tuor) are really the champions of the Elder Days, and in many ways outshine and are more beloved than the Lords of Eldar after the passing of Fingolfin and Finrod.

I think that this heroism reflects the other Gift of Man, which is less explicated by Tolkien than mortality, that is "Free Will." Implicitly, it is why Morgoth feared them most of all, but it also gives them the ability to rise above all and do great things, ere they depart this world. In many ways, I look at Feanor as a very man-like elf, who really could not be contained in the physical world any longer, and is certainly not released by Mandos.

In terms of "mortals," I think Gandalf's conversation with Frodo in LOTR Book I, Ch. 2, is very telling. He says that it is perilous for any mortal to wear one of the great rings (which I take to mean all 20). This seems to imply that Dwarves are not quite mortals, like men and hobbits, and indeed they go to a place in the Halls of Mandos at death, and do not seem to grow weary or get sick in Middle-Earth, but simply are given only a limited amount of time there, unlike the elves.

The rings are made with and concentrate the type of power over the earth and the unseen that is the hallmark of the elves and transcends time and space. Hence, the Nazgul and Gollum (and Frodo nearly) are utterly ruined by these rings, which is also why the Hobbit ringbearers cannot really have peace outside of the Aman, whether they die there in time is somewhat unclear.

So, returning to Arwen, the children of Elrond were in many ways men and women with the life, light and fainess of elves, and they would remain of the firstborn if accompanying Elrond to Eldamar. That's when their choice had to be made. By not going with him, Arwen joined the human side of her ancestry, which was only fitting in marrying a man that she not be separated from him beyond the confines of the world. Tolkien would have viewed marriage as a holy sacrament.

What is interesting is to wonder about Elladan and Elrohir. They did not accompany Elrond, nor is there any mention of their passing over at any time shortly thereafter, which they would have had to do within the lifetime of probably that of a lesser man. They may have felt a connection to mankind on some level, too, thus sundering Elrond and Celebrian from all their children, but not from their uncle Elros, and indeed Earendil would have chosen the fate of man if not for Elwing. It may be that Bilbo and Sam took the brethrens' spaces on the Cirdan's ships.

In the end, Tolkien is try to provide a heartful idea -- with the elves -- of how different we are from beings that could logical live and grow in this world indefinitely, even if not without spiritual weariness. Such that our fate is what it should be for the Secondborn with in Iluvatar's designs.

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"But Gwindor answered: 'The doom lies in yourself, not in your name.'"