Dior the Half-Elven: Gift of Men or Fate of Elves

[Rána Eressëa]

I was researching this recently after reading The Silmarillion, and most people seem to count Dior, son of Beren and Luthien, as among the race of Elves, yet interestingly enough that doesn't make much sense to me for the following reasons.

Dior died at the age of thirty-six, full grown, married, and with three children. Elves remain in adolescence for around fifty years before reaching adulthood. He was born F.A. 470, married Nimloth F.A. 496 (only 26 years old), ruled for four years, and died in F.A. 506. Given that elves take so long to mature, and Dior's life is so short, it seems very infeasible that he was an Elf.

He had the appearance of fairness associated with Elves and not of Men most likely due to his Maia heritage and the beauty of his grandmother and mother, often referred to as the most beautiful beings to ever walk the earth, and therefore was probably nicknamed "Dior the Elf" simply due to his looks and his right to rule as Thingol's only heir, whether he was Man or Elf. It seems to me he was counted as an "honorary" Elf, without actually being one of them. (After all, Tuor receives the same treatment from Turgon and his Elven people, widely loved and accepted as one of them and yet not.)

My final verdict is he is beautiful and elvish-looking, yes, but no Elf. Half-elven were not given the choice of being able to choose until Earendil's voyage. Once you mix Men into the equation, it cancels out the immortality of the Elves because Eru would not change the Gift of Men. As is noted, once Elros chose to be Man, none of his descendants could choose to be an Elf. Once Elrond chose to be an Elf, all of his descendants thus had the choice to choose between Elf and Man. So, the fate of Men trumps the fate of Elves.

The biggest thing, however, is Dior's age. It seems in all the threads online that I've seen discussing this confusing matter, no one mentions Dior's age and his un-Elven and very human growth.