Cycles vs. linear time?

[Annunfuiniel]

There seems to be two conceptions of time acting simultaneously in Arda: the time of elves which is cyclic, and the time of men, linear. When elves die it's not some fixed condition; they dwell in the Halls of Waiting until it's their time to move on. But when men die they have no chance to come back.

What I was thinking is how this fits the common ideas of time in the Middle Ages and at the beginning of new age. In the Middle Ages these two conceptions existed as in Arda from First Age till the beginning of the Fourth. Before the First Age (=in antiquity) cyclical view was the only view (with some exceptions) and then again when the time of elves was over and the time of men truly began (beginning of Fourth Age=renaissance) the "new" way to comprehend time overrun the old.

Does this sound even remotely logical way of thinking. I'll try to get back to the subject when I've cleared my head for a while and perhaps studied it bit more. Some enlightened comments would be welcome! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]