How long did Arwen have to wait?

[Tar Melian]

The LOTR books make it clear that Aragorn had to wait many years, and accomplish becoming king, before he could wed Arwen. HOWEVER, how long did Arwen wait to find the right guy and WHY?!

I'm not saying that Aragorn wasn't a worthy candidate, I just think there were surely plenty of other worthy candidates way before he showed up!

I find it a little odd that she didn't find an elegible elf lord, a reincarnate Glorfindel for one example, to fall for way before Aragorn came along. Surely, as beautiful as she was, she had suitors. Maybe she even had her eye on some of Aragorn's ancestors at some time in the past!

According to appendix B, she was born in 241 of the Third Age, and Aragorn was born in 2931. That's almost a 2700 year age difference! What was she doing all those years?

Any one else have any thoughts?

[Balthamos]

No idea.

(not very helpful, am I)

I guess she just didn't fall in love until then, unlikely as that may seem.

[Gilthalion]

What's funny to me is that the 2700 year old gal is letting Daddy set the conditions for her marriage.

Elrond set nearly impossible conditions for the marriage to Aragorn. Might he not have set similarly impossible conditions for previous suitors?

Elven Aristocracy seems to have placed a high premium on many of their daughters. Perhaps this explains the declining Elf population!

[Finduilas]

Certainly Thingol set the "impossible" as Luthien's price.

It might also have something to do with the fact that the end of the Third Age was the end of the Elder Days, and the beginning of the Ages in which the Atani ruled supreme.

[Inoldonil]

You know those very same Appendices have the tale of Aragorn and Arwen in them. Just a thought. ;)

[Tar Melian]

Yes, I've read it and really love the story of their meeting. It was late at night when I started wondering how it might have felt to be Arwen or an elf, ...and so it was named. I guess I should have called this thread something like - Dog years vs. elf years - or...whatever! Was Arwen , in elf years, 16 or 24, or thirty-something when she met and married Aragorn?

What WOULD it be like to live for thousands of years? What can you do that you haven't already done? People would seem like pets, or worst-insects! Here today gone tomorrow!

Like I said, it was late...

[Morkhon]

It isn't that elves age slower than men, they reach a certain physical age and then stop. Like Arwen looks young and Elrond looks older than her, but all elves are immortal, they can only die through being killed or through grief.