Question regarding Aragorn's son.

SmeagoloftheStoors

SmeagoloftheStoors

Lorien
My wife brought up a question to me the other day. It was one that stumped me whereas I haven't been in the books for quite a while. Did the son of Aragorn and Arwen have a long life span, a regular life span, the right to choose when to die, or the choice of the half-elven? There are many factors to trying to figure this out. The whole Numenorian decent, having Elf blood, and the decline of humanity's life span. It's hard to figure out from an under-educated point of view. So any help and or references would be met with gratitude.
 
It's reasonable to expect that Eldarion would live a long life (as would his sisters). But the "choice" was. I think, a one-time deal occasioned not only by Eärendil's genetics but also by his extreme heroism. Since the implication was that Arwen would be mortal if she chose to stay in Middle Earth with Aragorn after Elrond's departure, it's hard to imagine that she could confer the possibility of immortality on her children.
 
....that since the last of the Elves had passed into the West before (or around the same time) Eldarion was born, he'd have no choice. He'd be long-lived, but mortal.
 
‘But Arwen went forth from the House, and the light of her eyes was quenched, and it seemed to her people that she had become cold and grey as nightfall in winter that comes without a star. Then she said farewell to Eldarion, and to her daughters, and to all whom she had loved; and she went out from the city of Minas Tirith...' (from "The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen", LotR Appendix A.I.v. Bold font by squire.)
 
I have a bit of time in the day to do some things on line, but not enough to start pawing through all of my Tolkien books. So thank you all for your help.
 
I just "read" (actually listened to) that part of the Appendix a few weeks ago, but I don't remember if it said.

He'd have gotten a lifespan of 120+ years from Aragorn's side of the family, but would he inherit additional long-lived-ness from Arwen's side?
 
Since they aren't mentioned frequently, I always think of Eldarion as being a single child. But I remember reading that part in the appendices. Thanks :)
 
Aragorn referred to himself as 'the last of the Númenoreans', yet his three (or more) children are also the offspring of an Elf. Somehow I can't quite imagine Elf blood diluting any of the qualities of the Númenoreans. If anything, I would have expected Eldarion to exceed the Númenoreans in terms of lifespan.
 
In which case he would have been the last when he said it.

I'm sitting here getting a little miffed that the daughters were so unimportant that they weren't even named, while Eldarion, because he was a son and heir, did get named. I seriously need to get over it. [laugh]
 
shortly before he died, if memory serves. But I suppose his children wouldn't be considered full Númenoreans, even if they did have an even longer lifespan than them.
 
In my working life I often come across the sentence 'unfortunately, they only had daughters'. It always makes me want to say 'so what's wrong with that?' [evil]
 
"'Lady Undómiel,' said Aragorn, 'the hour is indeed hard, yet it was made even in that day when we met under the white birches in the garden of Elrond where none now walk. And on the hill of Cerin Amroth when we forsook both the Shadow and the Twilight this doom we accepted. Take counsel with yourself... ...and ask whether you would indeed have me wait until I wither and fall from my high seat unmanned and witless. Nay, lady, I am the last of the Númenoreans and the latest King of the Elder Days; and to me has been given not only a span thrice that of Men of Middle-earth, but also the grace to go at my will, and give back the gift. Now, therefore, I will sleep.'"
 
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Two of the better fanfic names for the daughters (minimum, at least two) that I've stumbled upon are Nimariel (Maiden of the White Home) and Réwen (Day Maiden).
 
Tolkien wrote an abandoned sequel to the LOTR called The New Shadow, which takes place near the end of Eldarion's reign. As is the case in so much of Tolkien's writings, the dating is uncertain, but in a letter in 1972, fifteen months before his death, Tolkien wrote it took place at "the end of the reighn of Eldarion about 100 years after the dath of Aragorn." We don't have any information as to exactly when Eldarion was born, or even whether he was older or younger than his unnamed sisters, but it reasonable to assume that he was born fairly early in King Elassar's reign, since he was "a man full-ripe for the kingship" at the time of Elessar's death. Since Elessar reigned for 120 years, and Eldorion for at least 100, I think it is reasonable to assume that Eldorion was at least 200 years old when his reign ended.
 
This brings up an interesting (and confusing) concept that I have often wondered about. Throughout the history of Middle Earth there have been pairings of Men and Elves. For example: Tuor and Idril Celebrindal, Beren and Luthien (although, Luthien isn't pure Elven since her mother was a Maia), and Aragorn and Arwen. Tuor and Idril gave birth to Earendil, who, because of his deeds, was given the choice by the Valar to be counted among Men or Elves (His wife and sons were also given this choice). So this is all fine and well... I understand all of that. However, what race would Dior, Beren and Luthien's child, be counted with? He was killed with his wife Nimloth (an Elf) in Doriath when it came under attack by the sons of Feanor, but had this not happened what would have been his fate? Also, what about Dior and Nimloth's children... we know that ultimately Elwing (Earendil's wife) was able to choose her fate, but what would it have been before this? Since Dior was Half-elven and Nimloth was an Elf, their children would technically be 3/4 Elven and 1/4 Man. I guess what I want to know is, no matter how one's heritage is split %-wise, if you are a descendant of Man, will your fate ultimately be the Doom of Man? Or is there some other loop-hole that I am overlooking? Please let me know if I am misunderstanding something. I appreciate any thoughts and comments on this subject. [:)]
 
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