After years of wandering in the wild, investigating the plans of Sauron, winning renown in both Gondor and Rohan, and forming friendship with Gandalf Aragorn decided to seek Rivendell for some rest being now 49 years old. He came to Lorien and was admitted into that haven by Lady Galadriel. Unbeknownst to Aragorn, Arwen was there too once visiting her mother's kin. Galadriel had Aragorn clothed in fine clothes fitting of his lineage and he looked like an Elf-lord of old. "And thus it was that Arwen first beheld him again after their long parting; and as he came walking towards her under the trees of Caras Galadhon laden with flowers of gold, her choice was made and her doom appointed" (p. 341, The Return of the King).
They spent many a day walking the woods together and they were glad. "And Arwen said: 'Dark is the Shadow, and yet my heart rejoices; for you, Estel, shall be among the great whose valour will destroy it'" (p. 341, The Return of the King). Aragorn was not as certain as she that he would be able to destroy Sauron. Still he claimed her hope and announced he utterly rejected the Shadow. In that moment Aragorn laid before her the tough choice she would need to make: love and death or immortality without him. She looked longingly into the West for she loved her father Elrond deeply. "'I will cleave to you, Dunadan, and turn from the Twilight. Yet there lies the land of my people and the long home of all my kin'" (p. 342, The Return of the King). You can see in the book the two made their choice long before the journey to destroy the Ring; for cinematic purposes that choice was portrayed as doubt throughout in the movies.
Elrond was grieved to hear of his daughters choice and he spoke with Aragorn when he arrived in Rivendell. "'My son, years come when hope will fade, and beyond them little is clear to me. And now a shadow lies between us. Maybe, it has been appointed so, that by my loss the kingship of Men may be restored. Therefore, though I love you, I say to you: Arwen Undomiel shall not diminish her life's grace for less cause. She shall not be the bride of any Man less than the King of both Gondor and Arnor. To me even our victory can only bring sorrow and parting--but to you hope of joy for a while. Alas, my son! I fear that to Arwen the Doom of Men may seem hard at the ending'" (p. 342, The Return of the King). Being the father of a daughter I totally get what Elrond is saying here; it doesn't seem harsh at all. Basically, he wants the best for Arwen and Aragorn's current ranger in the wild life won't cut it. It's a great challenge: be the man you are destined to be for only that man will be good enough for my daughter.
They spoke no more of this and once again Aragorn returned to the wilds to do his part against Sauron who was only growing stronger and stronger. Arwen remained in Rivendell and watched over him in thought and made a kingly standard for him in hope of that day that Aragorn would be the King he was destined to be.
This is rich detail in the relationship of Arwen and Aragorn. It makes me long to see it on screen and if you read carefully you'll noticed bits that Peter Jackson and company weaved into the movies if not entirely accurate. But I digress. I am a full believer that literature is one medium and cinema is another. The amount of detail, complexity, and layers that Tolkien created in Middle-earth can never fully be portrayed in any movie. And I think Peter Jackson's adaptation is top notch despite some flaws.
Middle-earth timeline: Third Age, 2980
Today's reading comes from: The Return of the King, pages 341-342
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