UT Discussion - The Line of Elros

***Alcuin*** · 12-09-2019, 03:04 AM

I’d like to briefly follow up VarnafindÃ«’s excellent post and Gordis’ succinct explanation of primogeniture.

There are two tellings of the tale of Elros and Elrond. Most of the time, Elros is named first. In the later telling, they are twins. But in the earlier tellings, Elros is the elder brother and Elrond the younger. As mentioned before, EÃ¤rendil, their father, wanted to be numbered among Men and pass from Arda; but Elwing his wife loved the Teleri and wished to remain with them, so EÃ¤rendil also chose to be numbered among the Eldar in order that he and Elwing should not be parted. The choice of Elros, therefore, reflected that of his father, a choice frustrated by the choice of his mother.

There is evidence, however, that Elros was the elder son. It was Elros, not Elrond, who received the patrilineal inheritance: Elu Thingol’s sword AranrÃºth came from his mother Elwing of Doriath, and became the personal weapon of the Kings of NÃºmenor; Dramborleg, the great Axe of Tuor his grandfather; the Bow of Bregor of the House of BÃ«or; and the Ring of Barahir father of Beren One-handed, which survived the Ruin of NÃºmenor because Tar-Elendil gave it to his eldest, his daughter SilmariÃ«n through whom it became an heirloom of the Lords of AndÃºniÃ« and so became the inheritance Elendil the Tall. It was the Ring of Barahir, which originally belonged to Finrod Felagund, that Aragorn gave Arwen in token of their pledge to one another: an engagement ring, if you will, and sign of their mutual heritage.

Elros was fifty-eight years old at the end of the First Age. He was ninety when he became the first King of NÃºmenor. (Unfinished Tales, Part Two, “III The Line of Elros: Kings of NÃºmenor”, first paragraph) But although his descendents mostly rebelled against Elros’ choice of mortality, I have often wondered if Elrond regretted his choice of Elven longevity: He lost his home, Middle-earth, he lost his beloved daughter, and it would appear (though Tolkien denies “knowing” the outcome of their decision) that his sons, Elladan and Elrohir, remained behind in Middle-earth, too: he faced forever endless regret.

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12-09-2019, 03:04 AM	#8
*Alcuin* Salt Miner Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: gone to Far Harad Posts: 987	I’d like to briefly follow up VarnafindÃ«’s excellent post and Gordis’ succinct explanation of primogeniture. There are two tellings of the tale of Elros and Elrond. Most of the time, Elros is named first. In the later telling, they are twins. But in the earlier tellings, Elros is the elder brother and Elrond the younger. As mentioned before, EÃ¤rendil, their father, wanted to be numbered among Men and pass from Arda; but Elwing his wife loved the Teleri and wished to remain with them, so EÃ¤rendil also chose to be numbered among the Eldar in order that he and Elwing should not be parted. The choice of Elros, therefore, reflected that of his father, a choice frustrated by the choice of his mother. There is evidence, however, that Elros was the elder son. It was Elros, not Elrond, who received the patrilineal inheritance: Elu Thingol’s sword AranrÃºth came from his mother Elwing of Doriath, and became the personal weapon of the Kings of NÃºmenor; Dramborleg, the great Axe of Tuor his grandfather; the Bow of Bregor of the House of BÃ«or; and the Ring of Barahir father of Beren One-handed, which survived the Ruin of NÃºmenor because Tar-Elendil gave it to his eldest, his daughter SilmariÃ«n through whom it became an heirloom of the Lords of AndÃºniÃ« and so became the inheritance Elendil the Tall. It was the Ring of Barahir, which originally belonged to Finrod Felagund, that Aragorn gave Arwen in token of their pledge to one another: an engagement ring, if you will, and sign of their mutual heritage. Elros was fifty-eight years old at the end of the First Age. He was ninety when he became the first King of NÃºmenor. (Unfinished Tales, Part Two, “III The Line of Elros: Kings of NÃºmenor”, first paragraph) But although his descendents mostly rebelled against Elros’ choice of mortality, I have often wondered if Elrond regretted his choice of Elven longevity: He lost his home, Middle-earth, he lost his beloved daughter, and it would appear (though Tolkien denies “knowing” the outcome of their decision) that his sons, Elladan and Elrohir, remained behind in Middle-earth, too: he faced forever endless regret.