Elven life cycle
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- "Yéni ve lintë yuldar avánier [...] lisse Miruvóreva
(The long years have passed like swift draughts of the sweet mead)" - ― Galadriel[1]
Owing to their longevity, the Elves had a very different Life cycle than Men. Most of the following information strictly refers only to the Eldar—but much could probably be applied to the Avari as well.
Early life
Elves are born about one year after their begetting.[2]:212 The day of their begetting is remembered, not the actual birthday itself, because bringing forth children is an act of will, and it required a "greater share and strength of their being, in mind and in body" than takes place "in the making of mortal children."[2]:212 By their first year, Elf children can speak, walk, and dance, and their quicker onset of mental maturity makes young Elves seem older than they actually are.[2]:209-10 Physical puberty is generally complete by their fiftieth year (by age fifty they reach their adult height), but they are not considered full-grown until a hundred years have passed.[2]:210
Elves' bodies developed slower than those of Men, but their minds developed more swiftly than the children of Men.[2]:209-10 In their twenties, they might still appear physically seven years old, though the Elf-child would have mature language and skill,[3]:228 whereas Men at the same age are already physically mature.[2]:210
Sexuality, marriage, and parenthood
Elves marry for love, or at least with free will from both parties, typically early in life. Monogamy is practised and adultery is unthinkable.[3]:229 By their very nature, they are "seldom swayed by the desires of the body" or influenced by lust.[2]:211 They marry only once for it was ruled by Manwë that, "'since the Elves are by nature permanent in life within Arda, so also is their unmarred marriage.'"[4]:225 Finwë, first High King of the Noldor, was an exception; he remarried after his first wife died and refused to be re-emboided, which was pronounced by Námo.[4]:226
Spouses can choose each other, in their youth, long before they are married and be betrothed. The betrothal is subject to parental approval from both houses unless the parties are of age and intend to marry soon. At which point, the betrothal is announced at a meeting of the two houses, during which the couple exchange silver rings. The betrothal lasts at least a year. A betrothal is revocable by a public return of the rings, which will then be molten, but revocation was rarely needed because "the Eldar do not err lightly" in the choice of their partner.[2]:211 After their formal betrothal, the couple appoints a time for the wedding when at least a year has passed.
Marriage is celebrated at a feast of the two houses. The spouses return their betrothal rings, which they keep, and receive "slender rings of gold" which are worn upon "the index of the right hand."[2]:211 In Noldor tradition, the bride’s mother gives the groom a jewel to be worn and the bridegroom's father gives a similar gift to the bride, but these ceremonies and traditions were only a way for the parents to show their love and a respectful recognition of the two houses which would be joined. While it was considered rude, in days of peace, "to forgo the ceremonies," it was completely lawful for a couple to be married without them.[2]:212 The indissoluble union was completed solely by the "act of bodily union" which achieved marriage.[2]:212 Technically, without ceremony or witnesses, only the blessings exchanged between the bride and groom (including the speaking of the name of Eru) and the consummation are required for marriage.
The Elves view the sexual act as extremely special and intimate, for "the union of love is indeed to them great delight and joy."[2]:213 Extra-marital sex would be against their nature because they can "read at once in the eyes and voice of another whether they be wed or unwed;" they would release their own spirit to Mandos before succumbing to rape, and premarital sex would create marriage which makes the term itself a misnomer.[3]:Note 5 "There is no record of any among the Elves that [actually] took another's spouse by force" though Maeglin made the wrongful attempt to steal Idril.[3]:Note 5[5]:169 Spouses can sometimes live separately for extended periods of time. Though united in body and spirit, they remain individuals with different gifts of mind and body to pursue.[2]:213 However, a sundering during pregnancy or during the early years of parenthood (caused by war, for example) would so grievous to the couple, and hurtful to the child, that they prefer to have children in peaceful times.[6]:221
Elves have few children, as a rule; (Fëanor and Nerdanel were an exception, since they had seven sons), and there are relatively sizeable intervals between each child. They are soon preoccupied with other pleasures; their libido wanes and they focus their interests elsewhere, such as the arts. Nonetheless, they take great delight in the union of love, and they cherish the days of bearing and raising children as the happiest times of their lives.
There are examples that appear to contradict this ideal. An example of extreme marital strife among the Eldar is the case of Eöl and Aredhel, in which the former took the latter prisoner and wed her without consent, and then Aredhel left Eöl without his knowing, with the result of Eöl ultimately killing her. This was far from a normal Elven marriage, however. Celegorm's pursuit of Lúthien and Maeglin's attraction to Idril also appear to be cases of elves who were attracted to elf women who did not appreciate their affections. In Celegorm's case, this developed into direct violent action that is hard to interpret except as an attempted rape.
Daily life
The Elves, and particularly the Noldor, preoccupy themselves with various things, such as smithwork, sculpture, music, and other arts. Males and females can do almost everything equally; however, the females often specialize in the arts of healing while the men go to war. This is because the Elves believe that taking life interferes with the ability to preserve life. However, Elves do not have rigid gender roles; females can defend themselves at need as well as males, and many males are skilled healers as well, such as Elrond.
Later life
Eventually, if they did not die in battle or from some other cause, the High Elves of Middle-earth grew weary of it and desired to go to Valinor, where the Valar originally sheltered their kind. Those who wished to leave for the Undying Lands went by boats provided at the Grey Havens, where Círdan the Shipwright dwelt with his folk.
"Cycles of life" and aging
Elves had no beards, at least until their "third cycle of life", like Círdan. Mahtan was an exception, and had a beard in his early "second cycle".[7] The Elvish beardlessness could also be observed in Mannish lines with an Elvish strain (as in the princely house of Dol Amroth), which lacked beards.[8]
It is unclear what these cycles exactly are. A logical sense would be that the first cycle is childhood and adolescence, the second is adulthood, and the third is for extremely old Elves; Círdan was the most ancient known Elf on Middle-earth.
Apparently, beards were the only sign of further natural physical aging beyond maturity.
Elves did not physically age over their 100th year but they did age in a different sense than Men: they became ever more weary of the world and burdened by its sorrows, sometimes appeared to age under great stress. Círdan seemed to be aged himself, since he is described as looking old, save for the stars in his eyes; this may be due to all the sorrows he had seen and lived through since the First Age. Also, the people of Nargothrond had trouble recognizing Gwindor after his time as a prisoner of Morgoth.
Another bearded elf was possibly Tinfang Gelion.
Death
Elves are naturally immortal. In addition to their immortality, Elves are immune to all diseases, and they can recover from wounds which would normally kill a mortal Man. However, Elves can be slain, or die of grief and weariness.
Elves who die or are killed go to the Halls of Mandos in Valinor. After a certain period of time and rest, their spirits (fëar) are incarnated in bodies (hröar) identical to their old ones. They almost never go back to Middle-earth, however. The only Elf known to have done so was Glorfindel, excepting Lúthien who returned as a mortal.
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "Farewell to Lórien"
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Morgoth's Ring, "Part Three. The Later Quenta Silmarillion: (II) The Second Phase: Laws and Customs among the Eldar"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Morgoth's Ring, "Part Three. The Later Quenta Silmarillion: (II) The Second Phase: Laws and Customs among the Eldar, Notes [to Text B]"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Morgoth's Ring, "Part Three. The Later Quenta Silmarillion: (II) The Second Phase: Laws and Customs among the Eldar, Of the Severance of Marriage"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "III. The Fall of Gondolin"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Morgoth's Ring, "Part Three. The Later Quenta Silmarillion: (II) The Second Phase: Laws and Customs among the Eldar, Of Re-birth and Other Dooms of Those that go to Mandos"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "From The Shibboleth of Fëanor" (edited by Carl F. Hostetter), in Vinyar Tengwar, Number 41, July 2000, p. 9
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn", "Amroth and Nimrodel", p. 320 (HarperCollins paperback; 1998)
