Elros's Choice

[doug*platypus]

Btw, why isn't there any mention of that choice given to the children of Imrazor the Numenorean and Minnael the Silvan-Elf(hope the names were right)? Their children were half-elven too.

Silvan elves were not counted among the Eldar.

They were actually counted among the Eldar, the Elves who set out from Cuivienen on the Great Journey. I think you mean they were not Calaquendi, Elves who had been to Aman. True, but in Unfinished Tales it is said that the Valar expanded the range of their offer, and allowed any of the Eldar to take ship to Valinor. The Elf Haven near Dol Amroth would have been almost exclusively used by Silvan Elves, such as Legolas.

There aren't many tales at all of the Half-Elves of Amroth. Maybe one of them was like Elros and chose to be a man, removing the choice from all his/her children. Is that right? It seems like if you choose to be an Elf, then your kids can choose to be Elf or Man, but if you choose to be a Man, that's the last decision?

...oh. Thanks for the link, Legalos. I didn't realise you were quoting directly from the Letter in your post.

The view is that the Half-elven have a power of (irrevocable) choice, which may be delayed but not permanently, which kin's fate they will share. 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: so Aragorn (who, however, has a greater life-span than his contemporaries, double, though not the original Númenórean treble, that of Men). Elrond chose to be among the Elves. His children - with a renewed Elvish strain, since their mother was Celebrían dtr. of Galadriel - have to make their choices (Letter No. 153).

[ January 04, 2003: Message edited by: doug*platypus ]