[Havetoist]

Question here....obviously....I think we all understand that a marriage may be annuled to allow remarriage if one of the spouses agrees to what? Remain in spirit form?

What if the dearly departed/reembodied wants to stay in Aman and the other wants to remain in Endor? According to Prof. T. the game is over yes? Neither can remarry?

Am I understanding 'the rules' correctly?

Thanks.
Havetoist

[JadwigaArda]

Hi! I am assuming you are referring to the Elves? If so then the following is what I understand of the marriage rules/customs of the Eldar.

The Eldar married once. This is stated in the Laws and Customs of the Eldar (LACE) in Morgoth's Ring. The ONLY time when an elf remarried was in the case of Finwe. The story is in Morgoth's Ring after LACE and in the Silmarillion Chapter 6: Of Feanor and the Unchaining of Melkor Basically Finwe's first wife, Miriel, was exhausted in body and spirit with the birth of their son Feanor. Therefore, she went to the gardens of Lorien where falling asleep she passed away. Grief stricken Finwe yearned for more children. At last when it became obvious Miriel was not coming back he begged the Valar to be allowed to marry again.

In Morgoth's Ring it is told of the debate of the Valar, until at last Mandos asked Miriel who confirmed she no longer desired to return to bodily life upon Arda. This was necessary for no Elf could remarry while his/her spouse still lived or would return to life. So, the Valar granted Finwe the right to remarry and Mandos forbade Miriel to ever return to Arda while Finwe's second wife Indis drew breath.

Yet, this did not go down well with Finwe's first son Feanor. Finwe's second children - Fingolfin and Finarfin - would give rise to Elrond and Elros and Galadriel. Finwe's second marriage led to much strife within his house, which in turn led to grievous events outside it: the Kinslayings, the murder of children, much war and pain/loss. As you can see the first and only remarriage among the Eldar led to much woe.

'In those unhappy things which later came to pass, and in which Feanor was the leader, many saw the effect of this breach within the house of Finwe, juding that if Finwe had endured his loss and been content with the fathering his mighty son, the courses of Feanor would have been otherwise, and great evil might have been prevented; for the sorrow and strife in the house of Finwe is graven in the memory of the Noldorin Elves. But the children of Indis were great and glorious, and their children also; and if they had not lived the history of the Eldar would have been diminshed.' Chapter 6: Of Feanor and the Unchaining of Melkor. The Silmarillion.

Bold is my emphasis. So as you see, no matter that Finwe's remarriage led to Arwen and the line of Numenorean Kings and later Kings of Gondor it also led to much grief which the Elves well remember. And so it is extremely unlikely - nigh on impossible - that any Elf would remarry after Finwe's example, or indeed the Valar would permit, since their permission would be needed.

I hope I haven't confused you! If you have any questions or I have confused you either post here or send me an email, just check my profile for my email address.

Jadwiga

[JadwigaArda]

Just relaised I wrote 'I assume you are referring to the Elves?' when the title obviously points out that you are. Only excuse is a reminder to self to not post when exhausted after a day of lecutres and a three hour microbiology practical. Sorry for my idoicy!

Jadwiga

[Havetoist]

Well said. For arguments sake....what if there were no children from the pair? Would that not be taken into consideration?

Here I am trying to argue for a point in my story I may not write, but am 'testing' the waters.

Thanks for the tolerance.

I'm a little fuzzy myself. Between patients, phone calls and transcribing a very long legal document.....

[JadwigaArda]

No children? I guess that would be taken in consideration though it is still very unlikely the Valar would permit such a thing. But it is possible. Perhaps you could give me a brief outline for your intended story? Then I would understand better your requirements.

However, I shall state straight away that how close you adhere with canon depends on how close you wish to. Fanfiction is after all the lossening/release of the imagination!

Oh! One more point! The elf who wishes to remarry. His/her spouse is dead? Otherwise there is no possibility of remarriage.

Legal documents! Are you a solicter? Sorry can't spell.

Jadwiga

[Rous]

Havetoist, what are you up to?