Posted: September 15, 1999 at 00:01:30: by Mandos
You make a good point, and articulate it well. I would point out that your comments should be limited most properly to the Exiles. The elves in Eldamar are supposed to be immortal and unchanging (or at least as long as Arda exists). It is precisely because Middle Earth is NOT a timeless place that the Exiles' attempt to make it (or themselves) so is wrong. As you point out it the problem is "to have your cake and eat it too." I feel that a thread in Tolkein's work is that of measure, or appropriateness. It is not power that corrupts, but rather power beyond one's measure (like a Hobbit trying to weild the One Ring...or an Istari). The desire to be deathless is not wrong for an elf; rather to be deathless in a mortal realm that in the end knows death. In some others writings I have seen Michael you refer to "the Elves" very generically when I suspect that your commenst are most on target for the Exiles.
Your Humble servant,
Captain Bill Marcellino
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