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Old 08-28-2008, 04:13 AM   #1
Finarfin-1
Hobbit
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 21
Tolkien biased against Women of Middle Earth?

Hey,
I'll speed to my point quickly, lest my title seem trollish:

In all examples provided us during the Silmarillion and the Lord of the Rings of Elves and Humans becoming romantically involved it seems that it always fell to the woman in the equation to sacrifice her higher nature for love of a man, or that at the very least circumstances would always raise the man up to her level.
Allow me to explain.

When Melian fell in love with Thingol the references and implications are VERY strong that she became much more ties to the flesh than any Maia before or since. We find the greatest evidence in the text of this at the death of Thingol, when Melian seems to become again what she was at first, before their meeting in Nan Elmoth. Ie: For the duration of their marriage Melian essentially became an Elven woman. With exceptional powers certainly, but seeming the more limited than others of her kind. This however isn't a terribly clear example of my point.

Then we have Luthien, who sacrifices her immortality for love of Beren. The child of one of the greatest of the Elves of the Light and one of the Ainur become mortal woman. This is the very first good example of what I'm saying. If it was a solitary occurrence it would simply remain a beautifully romantic plot device.

Then we have Aegnor and Andreth. This is the only example we have of Tolkien going in a different direction, somewhat, though the implication is the same. In this case it is the male of the "higher" station in life, possessed of immortality. Aegnor not only remains immortal, he withdraws from the woman he loves completely.

Then we have Arwen and Aragorn, a repeat of the Luthien/Beren romance, where the female sacrifices her immortality to become as the man she loves is.

Now, let's step back a bit, to the only example we have of a mortal man taking to bride an Elvish woman who doesn't end up mortal for his sake: Tuor and Idril, daughter or Turgon.

Tuor, a full-blooded human is the Great Exception. "Alone of Mortal Men his fate was accounted with the Firstborn." Not Half-Elven, simply raised to immortality and somehow *become* Elven. This time the woman isn't forced to sacrifice. Instead the Man is somehow raised to her level.

Then comes the Half-Elvish judgment of Manwe, neatly in time to explain Earendil's exaltation to immortality to remain forever with his Elvish wife, Elwing.

There are enough instances here to call a pattern. In all cases of requited love between Humans and Elves in Middle Earth the woman if Elvish either ends up mortal, or with a formerly mortal husband somehow become immortal.

No cases have we of Elvish men sacrificing their immortality to be with a mortal woman. Of Mortal Men married to immortal women we have none, with all becoming immortal themselves or watching as their wives become as they are.

What does this say about how Tolkien saw romance/the interactions between the sexes?

I see a definite Male > Female pattern coming from the author, even if an unconscious one. What do others think?
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