She is one of three children born to Elrond Half-elven and his wife Celebrian.
In the end, she must choose between living all the days of the world with her family,
or being separated from them to live a mortal life with the man she loves.
Today, on Nerd of the Rings, we cover the life and death of Arwen Undomiel.
Arwen is born in 241 TA, the third child of Elrond and Celebrian. For over 2000 years, Arwen
would live with her mother, father, and two older brothers in the realm of Rivendell. Notably, Arwen
would live through the time of the Angmar War - the centuries-long conflict where the Witch-king
would not only fight the remnants of Arnor, but would also lay siege to Imladris for a time.
In 2509, their family unit would be broken by tragedy. For in that year,
Arwen’s mother Celebrian is returning from a trip to Lorien where she was visiting her parents
Galadriel and Celeborn. Crossing the Redhorn Pass, she is waylaid by orcs. She is captured,
tormented, and receives a poisoned wound. Arwen’s brothers Elladan and Elrohir would rescue her,
and while Elrond’s healing abilities would cure her body, she could not recover in mind
or spirit. The following year, she bids farewell to her husband and children,
sailing into the west - the only place where she could truly be healed.
Despite what befell her mother, Arwen would from time to time, live in Lothlorien with her
grandparents. It is during one of these times that her father would foster one of a long line of the
heirs of Isildur - Aragorn son of Arathorn. It is in 2952, when Aragorn is just 21 years old,
that Arwen returns to Rivendell, and they meet for the first time. Aragorn, who had just learned
of his true heritage from Elrond, is humbled by Arwen’s incredible beauty. His high lineage
seeming to be of little worth compared to the dignity and loveliness of the lady Arwen. He
mistakes her for Luthien, known to have been the most beautiful of all the children of Iluvatar.
Aragorn would leave along with Elladan and Elrohir and go on adventures with
the twins. His further solo journeys would take him to Rohan and Gondor before he comes
to Lorien to rest in 2980 TA. There, the now 49-year old Aragorn once again meets Arwen,
who is once again visiting her grandparents. There, Arwen returns Aragorn’s love and the
two pledge themselves to one another. Aragorn gives Arwen the Ring of Barahir,
an heirloom of his line that once belonged to Beren himself.
As the years pass and the Misty Mountains become more dangerous,
Elrond requests his daughter return to Imladris. Arwen journeys back to
her father’s house in 3009 TA. Arwen would be reunited with her beloved when he brings four
hobbits to Rivendell in October 3018. After Frodo awakes, he attends a feast where he
sees Arwen for the first time and we are given a description of Elrond’s daughter…
... there sat a lady fair to look upon, and so like was she in form of womanhood to Elrond that
Frodo guessed that she was one of his close kindred. Young she was and yet not so. The
braids of her dark hair were touched by no frost; her white arms and clear face were
flawless and smooth, and the light of stars was in her bright eyes, grey as a cloudless night;
yet queenly she looked, and thought and knowledge were in her glance,
as of one that has known many things that the years bring. Above her brow her head
was covered with a cap of silver lace netted with small gems, glittering white;
but her soft grey raiment had no ornament save a girdle of leaves wrought in silver.
That winter, when Aragorn leads the Fellowship to Lothlorien,
Galadriel presents him with a gift from Arwen - the Elfstone. This gem,
also known as the Elessar, is an heirloom with two different possible origins. In both tales,
however, it came into the hands of Galadriel, who gave it to her daughter Celebrian,
who gave it to her daughter Arwen. Galadriel gives him the elfstone as a wedding gift from
the family of the bride to the groom, for the only way for their wedding to come to pass
would be the defeat of Sauron and Aragorn’s ascent to the throne of Gondor and Arnor.
Aragorn would wear the Elessar forever after, and one day would even bear its name. This
however is not the only gift Arwen would send as encouragement to Aragorn. She would
also weave for him a banner of black cloth decorated with mithril, gems and gold. She
sends it with Elladan and Elrohir as they ride with a group of rangers to seek out
Aragorn in Rohan. Presented with the standard by the Grey Company, Aragorn is encouraged to
take the Paths of the Dead. After the Dead Men of Dunharrow help him to victory at Pelargir,
Aragorn and his company sail to Gondor and arriving at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields,
Arwen’s Standard of Elendil is unfurled, triumphantly announcing the return of the King.
In the aftermath of Sauron’s defeat, Aragorn is crowned King Elessar on May 1, 3019 and on
that very day Arwen leaves Rivendell with her father. On May 20, they arrive in Lothlorien,
where they rest for a week and are joined by Galadriel and Celeborn. On June 14,
Elladan and Elrohir meet their sister and accompany her to Edoras, where they would
rest for two days before continuing on to their destination of Minas Tirith.
In the white city, Arwen marries Aragorn on Midsummer’s Day, becoming the third union of elves
and men. Choosing the path of a mortal life, she gives Frodo her place on the White Ship so that
the ringbearer may sail into the undying lands. She had foreseen that Frodo’s burden would not
be lifted while he still dwelt in Middle-earth. She also gives him a necklace with a white gem.
Arwen would bid farewell to her family as she chooses to remain in Middle-earth. We are
told: '… and Arwen Evenstar remained also, and she said farewell to her brethren. None saw her
last meeting with Elrond her father, for they went up into the hills and there spoke long together,
and bitter was their parting that should endure beyond the ends of the world.'
Arwen would serve as Queen of Gondor for many long years. She and Aragorn would have a son
named Eldarion and two daughters for whom we are not given names. We are told she
and her husband visit Sam, Merry, and Pippin outside the Shire in 15 FoA and at that time,
she makes Sam’s daughter Elanor her maid of honor.
Sadly, as is the nature of the doom of Man which she had chosen, Arwen would experience
the death of her beloved Aragorn. He would pass on March 1, 120 FoA at the exact age of
210. In their last conversation, among the most heart-wrenching of Tolkien’s writings,
they speak of Aragorn’s upcoming passing, and of their fate and of the bitterness of mortality,
and of hope beyond despair, and of Arwen’s newfound outlook on the men of Numenor…
But I say to you, King of the Númenóreans, not till now have I understood the tale of your people
and their fall. As wicked fools I scorned them, but I pity them at last. For if this is indeed,
as the Eldar say, the gift of the One to Men, it is bitter to receive.” ‘ “So it seems,” he
said. “But let us not be overthrown at the final test, who of old renounced the Shadow
and the Ring. In sorrow we must go, but not in despair. Behold! we are not bound
for ever to the circles of the world, and beyond them is more than memory. Farewell!”
‘ “Estel, Estel!” she cried, and with that even as he took her hand and kissed it, he fell into
sleep. Then a great beauty was revealed in him, so that all who after came there looked
on him in wonder; for they saw that the grace of his youth, and the valour of his manhood,
and the wisdom and majesty of his age were blended together. And long there he lay,
an image of the splendour of the Kings of Men in glory undimmed before the breaking of the world.
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 and passed away to
the land of Lórien, and dwelt there alone under the fading trees until winter came.
Galadriel had passed away and Celeborn also was gone, and the land was silent.
Arwen would stay for a time in Lorien and finally,
laying down on the hill of Cerin Amroth, the very hill where she was betrothed to Aragorn,
the lady Arwen gives up her mortal life and there until the world is changed,
lies her green grave. As mortal beings, the souls of Aragorn and Arwen are not bound to the earth,
but go beyond the circles of the world, going on to a destination known only to the One.
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