Are the elves really all that?

Actually 3 questions that tend to be philosophical with no real answers, but I am interested in other opinions. I'm writing as I'm thinking, so some of these may not be entirely coherent. The more I think about these questions, the more I question how noble the eldar race really was.

1). Many view the elves as this noble race that suffered/sacrificed much. But is that really true?

Sure, many suffered physical/mental anguish during the 3 ages. But those that perished were sent to Mandos and eventually rejoined the living in the blessed realm, and those that remained alive were allowed to leave middle-earth in the second and third ages for valinor. They knew their present conditions were only temporary. It is like playing a game, one that you are losing and may eventually lose, but in the end does it really matter because you are allowed to re-start the game. Or how about, if you lose your job but have a multi-million dollar trust fund to fall back on, how big is the loss of the job and how brave do you need to be to face the cruel world jobless. I could probably think of some other analogies.

I've tried to think about what the elves lost during their existence never to regain, and I've come up with the following:

a) Their works (silmarils, rings and other baubles, kingdoms)

The silmarils are probably the only irreplaceable item. These are a big loss, but not just to the elves. Could not the nolder have continued to create beautiful things in Aman? (just not the silmarils) If the elves understood about fading and their fates being tied to Arda, then they would have lost all they created eventually.

b) Elves that did not stay elves

Luthien, Arwen, Elros. I can't think of any more, maybe elves that were turned into orcs and other half-elven. While Luthien and Arwen may have been the fairest elves and considered to be "treasures", they were really only 2 individuals and how many elves even knew them to miss them? Yeah, I know there are stories passed on to later generations of elves. (Maybe elves are tied together such that the loss of 1 is felt by all elves?) But, there is a whole host of dead that live again in Aman that are much loved (finrod, thingol, gil-galad, etc.). Consider that the race of man has lost Beren, Tuor, Elendil, aragorn, etc., and they won't be reborn.

As a side note, it occurs to me that Elrond may be the elf who has lost the most. A beloved brother. A beloved daughter.

c) Their freedom

Did they ever really have this to lose? Most of the nolder leaving Aman left so they could make their own choices, rule their own kingdoms. Self-determination and self-governance. If they understood fading and their fates tied to Arda, then they understood whatever freedom they had would be temporary. They would eventually have to go back to Aman. If you know your fate no matter what you do, is there such a thing as free will?

I guess I don't see that they lost much. They lived. They died. They were reborn and lived in paradise with all their ancestors and descendants (except for a handful). Maybe paradise is boring.

2) Were the elves that left middle-earth after Sauron declared himself (after the forging of the one ring) cowards?

Tolkien writes that after Sauron attacked eregion, many eldar left middle-earth for the blessed realm. Given that when the eldar race dies, they end up in Mandos and eventually relive, why should they not have remained to fight Sauron's armies? What did they really have to lose? Their lives? Not really. They seemed to have taken the easy way out. This could also be asked in the third age as well. Many died in the last alliance, but many also survived. The elves also knew that sauron was not dead and would eventually resurface. Did those that leave middle earth for valinor before dealing with the dark lord act cowardly? or maybe irresponsible?

Pre-rings, I can certainly understand going back to valinor. They had fought the good fight against Morgoth, but been pounded in the process. They earned the chance to go back to Aman. In the first age they also had their taste of freedom and self-rule. They experienced what they most desired, so what was left for them? And, to their knowledge, there was no great evil in the world to fight.

Suppose that Sauron had seized the one ring from the fellowship. What would the elves have done? Stayed and continued the fight or leave? The cynical part of me thinks they would have left ME. The three rings could not be weilded, and there were too few elves to have another last alliance. They would have left and left the fight for men and dwarves (and wizards).

All this leads me to ask:

3) What was the purpose of the elven race?

Imagine if when the elves were called by the Valar, all came to valinor and none stayed in middle earth. And if Morgoth never darkened the trees or there was not a feanor to rouse the nolder. Then what? Would they have lived a safe, contented life within the life of Arda like the Vanyar? What did the Vanyar contribute to Arda?

If the elves lived the lives that the Valar intended for them, what would be the point of their existence? Was it worship and obediance?

I know, this is like asking what the purpose of Man is. Only God or Eru knows. But I think there is a difference. The fate of the elves is to eventually live in the blessed realm within the existence of Arda. The fate of man is unknown. Was the purpose of the elves to teach man or to prepare man ? If so, they failed. Was the purpose to fight in the final battle, Dagor whatsit?

Sigh..just some questions/musings without any real answers that I can find.

[The Saucepan Man]

Never thought I'd be giving an answer based on Christianity in this forum, but ...

Generally, people who believe that they will go to heaven when they die are no less reluctant to die than anyone else. Perhaps it was the same for the Elves of ME. They were reluctant to go to their paradise before their chosen time. And I would have thought that they would certainly have preferred to go under their own steam rather than via a painful death.

As for those who chose to return to the Undying Lands, I would speculate that they were Elves who had lived many years and were weary of ME. Assuming that's correct, they were, in a sense, choosing to die of old age. And it would not have been cowardly to do so, even before Sauron's defeat, if they had lived so long and perhaps earned their right to go Valinor already.

[Arestelwen]

There is a reason why Eru permited Melkor to continue singing with the Ainur, and why He created elves in ME and not in Aman.

[thesandman762]

I know this is not an answer or opinion to original thread, but this makes me mad about elves.(and tolkien)

Throuought the book, sadness and the whole deal is attributed towards elves. Mostly because their race was dying out, and their heritage was lost. This is sad, but the elves could have chosen to go to teh Grey Havens near teh begiinining of time. They wanted to stay in their "paradise" or ME, but could they not see the fate of their people with doresight?

[Faenaduial]

Illuvatar alone created the race of elves and he intended that they live in ME. Why then are you surprised by the fact that although they have a choice and can leave ME, they would wish to stay.

You indicate that the elves did not truely suffer, that they lost only their works or their freedom, and a few elves who became mortal. You discount the elves attachment for ME itself. The destruction and changing of their world caused them great suffering. Also although those who die will be reborn, those left to live in ME without their family, friends, etc. still suffer the loss.

Tolkien more or less indicates that imortality is not the great gift that it is made out to be. The elves know that even though they may live through long ages unchanging, everything else will change and fade away.

The hardship and toil of the elves to free ME of the evil residing there is well documented in many of TOlkien's writings.

Your last question - What was the purpose of the elves - really stunned me. Unless the mind of Illuvatar was recorded in his making of the races (and it was not) why ask a question for which we don't have an answer.

Do they need a "Purpose"?