If they long to sail over the sea to their 'home', Valinor, why were they in middle earth in the first place?

sorry for the elementary question,

That's covered in The Silmarillion, but when they first sailed to Middle-earth, they did not have the sea-longing. That came on them after they had lived for a while in Middle-earth again.

But originally they sailed back to Middle-earth because Sauron's former master, Morgoth, had stolen the Silmarils (three really, incredibly beautiful jewels) from Fëanor, and the Elves wanted to get them back, so since Morgoth's fortress was in Middle-earth, the elves sailed there to get them back.

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But not all Elves leave Aman and Valinnor.Some are staying.The Noldor travel to Middle-earth.In the first few chapters Tolkiens desribes very good the how Middle-earth and how Elves,Men and Dwarfs come to live there.You must read "The Silmarilion".It a dreat book!

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Return of the Rings 2011- make it happen

sig.set:by me;
my unbiological sissy is Aerlinn

True, not all of the Elves left Valinor, but I kind of got the impression that dwarf was talking about those that were in Middle-earth.

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^Ops.haven't red the question properly.Sorry

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Return of the Rings 2011- make it happen

sig.set:by me;
my unbiological sissy is Aerlinn

I have the Silmarillion, I just have been to busy to read it.

Thanks!

Well, just so you know, dwarf, The Silmarillion clears up a lot of stuff, and it's really awesome. You should read it as soon as you have the time.

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^I can't disagree!!!I jusy red it and it's a great book!I love it!:)

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Return of the Rings 2011- make it happen

sig.set:by me;
my unbiological sissy is Aerlinn

I agree with you!!

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I love reading in the silmarillion about how Eru created everything. It almost sounds like it was supposed to symbolize the story in Genesis. But Tolkien made sure to put in enough differences so that the two stories were not identical.

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~Follower of Christ~

~Extreme Evanescent~

~Claimed Elladan July 03, 2007~ :3

... I second that, Aerlinn!

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I think that the Elves were meant to be in Middle-earth at the coming of man, to leave their mark on it and to guide the Younger Children, but while they might have been meant to live in Middle-earth up to and for a little while after that point, I don't believe that they were meant to live in Middle-earth forever.

I think that in the end, they were meant to be in Valinor, where they could live their endless lives in peace, away from death and passing-away, and fulfilling the Sea-longing.

Perhaps it would be better to say that I don't believe the Elves were meant to live in Middle-earth simply because I believe that Men were supposed to live there, and since Men were fated to rise to prominence and the Elves to fade in Middle-earth, it wouldn't make sense for the Elder Children to be 'meant' to live there. It seems more logical that they would be meant to go to Valinor in the end.

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Well, Morgoth wasn't included in the Valar's plan, but it was mentioned in the Ainulindale that all of Morgoth's attempts to marr Iluvatar's creation would result in Iluvatar's glory and not Morgoth's--Iluvatar could apparently see the future (I'm pretty sure he could), so I think he knew what Morgoth was going to try to do.

And yes, the Elves were definitely meant to live on Arda, but that's the entire world, not just Middle-earth, so I think that due to the onset of Men, the Elves went to Valinor. Another thing that hints that they are meant to be there is that when they die, that's where they go. When they grow tired of mortal lands, that's where they go. They're immortal, but they all end up going to Valinor in the end, leaving Middle-earth to Men. That's just my opinion, true, but it's the one I've had since I first read The Silmarillion five years ago.

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Yes, but I still think that they were destined to go to Valinor anyways. I think that they were meant to be there.

But I notice that we're straying off topic. Again. We're really good at doing that.

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Ey, please don't mess with the elfs They are the race I loves in LOTR ^^,

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~A life lived unexplored, is a life not lived~
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They're the coolest of the races that Tolkien created. Definitely. They're cooler than the Maiar and Valar, too.

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