LotR1-FotR-Seq09

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Originally Posted by Macalaure

Why does Aragorn have to clean his mother's gravestone? Is there no elf in the whole of Rivendell to do it while Aragorn is away most of the year? Or were all Dunedain since Aranarth buried in Rivendell and so, even while spending all their time on cleaning graves, the elves simply couldn't keep up with this task?

I can think of a few reasons why Aragorn has to clean his mother's grave marker. One, it's his responsibility. Why would some elf want to touch the marker for a dead human? Maybe it would be considered disrespectful, and Aragorn wouldn't date their most eligible bachelorette - and just where would that leave the elven race? Also, as the elves are into nature, maybe they see the moss as decorative and tsk tsk Aragorn for cleaning the stone. Elrond's house has leaves and trees and all throughout, so what's a little bryophyte among kin?

Lastly, Elrond has decided to leave Middle Earth, and so will not expend one extra copper or any effort in upkeep for the Last Homely House. He's taking what he can, selling off the rest and hoping to leave before Isildur's kin (did he ever tell what Isildur did that one day, 3000 years ago?) - Men - show up and take possession, gas-powered leaf blowers, mowers and chainsaws in hand.