Discussing: Elvish Labor
Elvish Labor
Cheryl
Message: 30815
24 Aug 04 11:36 AM
Original Post
General Audience
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Message: 30815
24 Aug 04 11:36 AM
Original Post
General Audience
Read-Only
I have a rather unusual question concerning the birth process in Elves and their labor.
Do Elves have painful/difficult labor like human women do? Or was their labor much easier with less pain, etc.
Also, just to make it even more interesting, how would this affect Arwen, since she has chosen the mortal life with Aragorn?
I haven't been able to find anything in canon regarding this and kind of need to have an idea about it for a nuzgul that was sicced on me. 
Thanks for any help!
Cheryl
Re: Elvish Labor
Also the Eldar say that in the begetting, and still more in the bearing of children, greater share and strength of their being, in mind and in body, goes forth than in the making of mortal children.I haven't found anything more specific, only oblique references, such as that found in the Silm re: the effect Fëanor's birth had on his mother. The other reference that I found is even more oblique, and it may only indicate the perception that Men had of the Eldar. In UT, the story of Aldarion and Erendis, there is a passage about her teaching their daughter, Ancalimë where Tolkien wrote:
And though childbirth had less of ills and peril, Númenor was not an "earthly paradise," and the weariness of labour or of all making was not taken awayAs noted, this may only be indicative of the view the Númenoreans - or Erendis herself - had of the Eldar (equating the Undying Lands with an "earthly paradise"). Of course this last is pure conjecture on my part, and seems to be contradicted by what Tolkien wrote in LaCE. It would, however, tie in neatly with the Númenoreans' envy of the Eldar. For whatever it's worth, that's what I have so far. If I find anything else, you'll be the second one to know.
~Nessime
