# Do elves have emotions



## Daniel Thomas (Feb 5, 2018)

Do elves have emotions or are they like Valcans


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## Starbrow (Feb 5, 2018)

Yes, Elves have emotions. There are many instances in the books of elves being merry, angry, sad, etc.


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## Azrubêl (Feb 7, 2018)

Elves have emotions and I think one of the many offenses of the Hobbit films was to make them seem like Vulcans. Tolkien does not conceive of emotions as weakness.


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## CirdanLinweilin (Feb 7, 2018)

I'm fairly sure Fëanor had strong emotions...


CL


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## Azrubêl (Feb 7, 2018)

CirdanLinweilin said:


> I'm fairly sure Fëanor had strong emotions...
> 
> CL


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## octoburn (Feb 8, 2018)

Azrubêl said:


> Elves have emotions and I think one of the many offenses of the Hobbit films was to make them seem like Vulcans. Tolkien does not conceive of emotions as weakness.


I disagree in that regard with the Hobbit films. If anything, I think Orlando Bloom's performance as Legolas in LotR would make someone think Elves have no emotions. Galadriel and Elrond's usually even demeanor could do the same.

I believe that Bloom did a better job in the Hobbit than LotR, and Lee Pace did an amazing job in his role.


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## Deleted member 12094 (Feb 8, 2018)

From what transpired through their description of thinking and acting, their main emotion seems to me to be sadness/melancholy, whenever recalling better worlds and beautiful things irrevocably gone lost which they remember nonetheless because of their long age.

They do hate the evil perpetrators of all that, obviously, but that's not their main emotion.

They continue to be emotional about beautiful things, such as art, especially singing, or language and rhymes.


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## LadyStardust (Feb 8, 2018)

I would say that an immortal race whose members can die of grief most certainly has emotions, and powerful ones, at that.


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## Elthir (Feb 8, 2018)

Good point Lady Stardust! You too CL (belatedly).


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## CirdanLinweilin (Feb 8, 2018)

Galin said:


> Good point Lady Stardust! You too CL (belatedly).



Thank'ee!

CL


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## Blueduindain (Apr 18, 2018)

Merroe said:


> From what transpired through their description of thinking and acting, their main emotion seems to me to be sadness/melancholy, whenever recalling better worlds and beautiful things irrevocably gone lost which they remember nonetheless because of their long age.
> 
> They do hate the evil perpetrators of all that, obviously, but that's not their main emotion.
> 
> They continue to be emotional about beautiful things, such as art, especially singing, or language and rhymes.


If i could live forever, unless violence or grief took me; i would get like that too; i think how they act is a coping mechanism.


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## Kharina (Apr 18, 2018)

Definitely! We see multiple examples of this in the LOTR books and wider Middle-Earth lore as well, the most obvious being for example Luthien and Arwen who feel a love so strong they are willing to become mortal for it (though I suppose you could argue Arwen is half-elven so doesn't count). Legolas also shows emotions, for example in his strong friendship with Gimli and in his enjoyment of being in Lothlorien. And Galadriel shows both some desire for power (which she overcomes) and sadness when Frodo offers her the Ring. General dislike/prejudice towards the Dwarves is another one we see from a few elves, for example Thranduil in the Hobbit and maybe Celeborn and Haldir too. Finally, of course, most of the Elves seem pretty motivated to prevent the Ring being found and Sauron winning: if they truly had no emotions at all, they'd be indifferent to what happened to them or the world.

I think you might be right though that most of the Elves seem to express emotion differently to the Men, Dwarves and Hobbits: they often (though not always!) seem very calm and collected on the surface, but I don't think this means they lack emotions. Whether things affect them less deeply because they've lived in the world for so long that it puts a lot of things in perspective, or whether they are just really good at regulating emotion and controlling how they express it (again perhaps the result of lots of experience living in the world)? Or perhaps it's simply a cultural difference in how they show their feelings? Anyone else have any ideas around how Elves express emotions?

(Also I'm new by the way in case anyone wonders who this random person is!)


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## Ithilethiel (May 6, 2018)

Yes, we do. Unfortunately, Peter Jackson’s writing and direction showed us pretty much to be and act as Vulcans, practically emotionless other than sorrow and occasional anger (which we keep in check). But the books, particularly, _The Silmarillion _show us in a different light. Moved by the sound of music, fierce and vengeful in battle, ecstatic and staunch in our fidelity in love, happy raising our children, peace loving, etc. True, elves don’t hand-wring, pace or pull out our hair and gnash our teeth but we are not automatons. But after 3,000+ years it’s not practical to get roused by every little thing.

I’m new too...


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## CirdanLinweilin (May 6, 2018)

Ithilethiel said:


> Yes, we do. Unfortunately, Peter Jackson’s writing and direction showed us pretty much to be and act as Vulcans, practically emotionless other than sorrow and occasional anger (which we keep in check). But the books, particularly, _The Silmarillion _show us in a different light. Moved by the sound of music, fierce and vengeful in battle, ecstatic and staunch in our fidelity in love, happy raising our children, peace loving, etc. True, elves don’t hand-wring, pace or pull out our hair and gnash our teeth but we are not automatons. But after 3,000+ years it’s not practical to get roused by every little thing.
> 
> I’m new too...


Welcome to the Forum, Ithilethiel! 


CL



Kharina said:


> Definitely! We see multiple examples of this in the LOTR books and wider Middle-Earth lore as well, the most obvious being for example Luthien and Arwen who feel a love so strong they are willing to become mortal for it (though I suppose you could argue Arwen is half-elven so doesn't count). Legolas also shows emotions, for example in his strong friendship with Gimli and in his enjoyment of being in Lothlorien. And Galadriel shows both some desire for power (which she overcomes) and sadness when Frodo offers her the Ring. General dislike/prejudice towards the Dwarves is another one we see from a few elves, for example Thranduil in the Hobbit and maybe Celeborn and Haldir too. Finally, of course, most of the Elves seem pretty motivated to prevent the Ring being found and Sauron winning: if they truly had no emotions at all, they'd be indifferent to what happened to them or the world.
> 
> I think you might be right though that most of the Elves seem to express emotion differently to the Men, Dwarves and Hobbits: they often (though not always!) seem very calm and collected on the surface, but I don't think this means they lack emotions. Whether things affect them less deeply because they've lived in the world for so long that it puts a lot of things in perspective, or whether they are just really good at regulating emotion and controlling how they express it (again perhaps the result of lots of experience living in the world)? Or perhaps it's simply a cultural difference in how they show their feelings? Anyone else have any ideas around how Elves express emotions?
> 
> (Also I'm new by the way in case anyone wonders who this random person is!)


Welcome, also, just in case nobody said it yet!


CL


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## Ithilethiel (May 6, 2018)

CirdanLinweilin said:


> Welcome to the Forum, Ithilethiel!
> 
> 
> CL



_Ni 'lassui_ _CirdanLinweilin_


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## Sir Gawain d'Orchany (May 6, 2018)

Vulcans do feel emotions. Early in their history they were destructive and war like but Surak proposed the way of logic and peace. Vulcan bury their emotions beneith logic and meditation. Those that chose emotions splintered off and became Romulans.

Elves in Middle Earth do feel emotions. Legolas' joy and relief that Aragorn was alive after believing him dead, his friendship with Gimli. Elrond's sadness at leaving behind Arwen, Elrohir and Elladan. Ect.


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## Ithilethiel (May 6, 2018)

Sir Gawain d'Orchany said:


> Vulcans do feel emotions. Early in their history they were destructive and war like but Surak proposed the way of logic and peace. Vulcan bury their emotions beneith logic and meditation. Those that chose emotions splintered off and became Romulans.
> 
> Elves in Middle Earth do feel emotions. Legolas' joy and relief that Aragorn was alive after believing him dead, his friendship with Gimli. Elrond's sadness at leaving behind Arwen, Elrohir and Elladan. Ect.



Interesting... I never realized Vulcans felt emotions. I thought only Spock who was half human felt emotions bc of his human side. Hmmmm..


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