Unfinished Tales and Elros

[echoriath]

I've been reading this morning in Unfinished Tales. I've read so many stories where Elros is shown as old and feeble when he dies, but I don't think that was the case.

From The Line of Elros: Kings of Numenor

Elros Tar-Minyatur

Comments

[enismirdal]

I had always thought that was the whole point - that the early Numenórean Kings, such as Elros, chose to accept the Gift of Eru when they felt the beginnings of the effect of age, and the decline of Numenor began in part with Tar-Atanamir, because he refused to accept the Gift freely and stubbornly clung to life, dying an old and decrepit dotard. Or something like that.

So yes, I utterly agree! Elros was probably barely past his prime, more like a 'modern human' in later middle age or something, when he died, not a dribbling old man or anything.

[echoriath]

I remember that one king, though the names all mix up in my head, but he hung on and yes...was quite the dotard. Silly man, refusing to ask for directions...;)

[sus1206]

*nods* you're right...and I've been guilty. Means a rethink on my Elros death scene...but I like this better, I think.

[echoriath]

I wasn't pointing fingers. I read a few on various archives this weekend and went in search of info from Tolkien's pen to see what he said that's all.

I do love the idea of them not getting old and dottering, but choosing to lay their lives down.

Sometimes I feel like I could definitely do that! *snort* I'm not 500'ish years old though. >.