The Half-Elven and their choices

Question

Eärendil and Elwing were given the choice of kindreds after their journey to Valinor. This choice was extended to their sons (specifically sons, not daughters or grandchildren).

Elrond chose the race of the Eldar and his brother Elros chose to be counted amongst the Edain. Thus far Manwë's proclamation has been fulfilled.

There are some inconsistencies here:

• Arwen was given the choice, but Elladan and Elrohir remained as Eldar in Imladris.
• Tar-Vardamir was not given the choice.
• The offspring of Imrazôr and Mithrellas in Dol Amroth don't seem to have been given a choice.

I can think of only one explanation: that the Mannish blood is dominant over the blood of the Eldar. Thus, as Vardamir was the offspring of two mortals, he did not fall under Manwë's proclamation despite being the son of a half-elven.

However this does not seem to explain the other inconsistencies. Is it possible that Elladan and Elrohir, and also the princes of Dol Amroth, weren't considered important enough by Manwë or Eru to be given the choice?

Also as a side note Tolkien states there were only three unions between Man and Elf, but this seems to ignore Túrin/Finduilas and Imrazôr/Mithrellas.

My question is, Why was Arwen given the choice and not the sons of Elros?

Answer 1

The key passage that explains this is given in the 1937 Silmarillion (published in History of Middle-earth 5), in a proclamation of Manwë regarding the fate of Eärendil and Elwing:

Now all those who have the blood of mortal Men, in whatever part, great or small, are mortal, unless other doom be granted to them...

What's important about this passage is that it survived through all of the post-Lord of the Rings revisions (and can be traced through the commentary in History of Middle-earth 11), but was editorially removed (for unknown reasons) from the published Silmarillion.

The passage goes on to state (with the older variant spelling of Eärendil):

...but in this matter the power of doom is given to me. This is my decree: to Earendel and to Elwing and to their sons shall be given leave each to choose freely under which kindred they shall be judged.

The important things to take from this passage are:

• The offspring of an Elf and a Man is always a Man, unless a special exception is made, and,
• That special exception was only made for Eärendil and Elwing (and their sons), and they were allowed choose, so therefore,
• Other half-Elves from other unions do not have this choice - they are Men (so therefore the seemingly common assumption that all half-Elves get the choice is actually quite false).

From the description of others there are a few more things that are not explicitly stated but which we may reasonably infer:

• If one or both of your parents choose to be a Man, you're stuck with their choice; you don't get a similar choice yourself.
• If you choose to be an Elf and marry an Elf, your own offspring will also have a choice but until they make it they are accounted as Elves.
• If you choose to be an Elf and marry a Man, your own offspring are Men (this is somewhat more tenatative than the first two).

Answer 2

You're confusing Elves and Eldar. They are not the same. There were only three marriages between Eldar and Men, but apparently more among non-Eldarin Elves, such as Mithrellas.

We're not told what the choice of Elladan and Elrohir was. Robert Foster in the Complete Guide to Middle-earth states that all three of Elrond's children chose to become mortal, although he doesn't give evidence for that.

Answer 3

Elrond chose immortality, therefore, he and his children became immortal by default. Elros chose mortality which ultimately affects his children as well. They simply could not choose.The decision is irrevocable once made.

“. . . Now all those who have the blood of mortal Men, in whatever part, great or small, are mortal, unless other doom be granted to them; but in this matter the power of doom is given to me . . . ”

All those with mortal blood are mortal by default unless they are given a special exception.

Tolkien Letter 153 1954: “. . . The view is that the Half-elven have a power of (irrevocable) choice, which may be delayed but not permanently, which kin's fate they will share . . .”

It is clear the decision cannot be unmade.It has to be one or the other, elves or men, and once made that is it.