[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.