Unlike other races of Middle-earth, casual intercourse was not enough to conceive a child because, for Elves, it was a far more conscious effort that required, as Tolkien put it, a "share and strength of their being, in mind and in body." Furthermore, marriage and parenthood are not forced upon Elven people.
Elves view the sexual act as special and intimate, for it leads to the birth of children. Elves who are married cannot be forced by other Elves to have sex; before that they will lose the will to endure and go to Mandos. Elves have few children, and there are long intervals between each child.
Can an elf and a human have a baby in Lord of the Rings?
Yes, they could, although it was a very rare occurrence due to the difference in Elf and Mortal lifespans. In every case, the liaison was between significant people, involved significant deeds, and/or produced significant offspring.
It is said that the pregnancy of Elves begins with a vision from the goddess, foretelling of the woman's child. Information such as the gender and due date of the child are later divined by the expectant mother through the aid of a Cleric that has been chosen to serve as a midwife.
Well, we went to the fine folks at the Elf on the Shelf Customer Service department and here's what they had to say about Elf on the Shelf reproducing. To answer the burning question, no, Elf on the Shelf can't have babies.
Why Are There No Elf Children in the Lord of the Rings?
Can elf have a child with a human?
In Norse mythology, a half-elf is the offspring of an elf and a human. Major examples include Skuld and Högni. Högni was a hero in Thidreks saga, born to a human queen when an elf visited her while the king was away. Skuld was a Danish princess, as told in Hrólf Kraki's saga.
The only rule for children is that they can't touch their elf or else the magic might disappear. Elf babies aren't an official toy from the Elf on the Shelf store, though many are dressed in the red outfits that match the signature elf.
The physiology of elves, then, is very different from those of humans, and even though they live long lives, they are only fertile while they're young. This is seen as one of the biggest weaknesses of elves, as they can be easily dominated by other races because they don't have enough population to compete.
Elves in Middle-earth rarely have children because it takes a great deal of thought and consideration. Elven children age slowly and mature at 100, which means they have a longer period to grow. Arwen's choice to have children with Aragorn reflects the Elven race's careful approach to parenting.
What is the lifespan of an elf in Lord of the Rings?
Elves have the ability to live forever thanks to their immortality. Elves like Elrond, who was over 6000 years old in The Lord of the Rings, are not hard to come by. That being said, Elves who go into battle are aware of the risk to their immortality, willing to risk a long healthy life for the sake of a greater cause.
That is, two populations are different species if they cannot interbreed, producing fertile offspring. Clearly, elves and humans may successfully interbreed, producing fertile half-elves in at least three documented unions (Idril and Tuor; Luthien and Beren; Arwen1 and Aragorn) (Tolkien 1955, Appendix A).
Half-dwarves (also known as halfbloods) were hybrid humanoids born through the union of a dwarf and another humanoid race. Half-dwarves of dwarf-elf hybridization were sometimes more specifically called dwelves ( sing : dwelf).
Yet, since Tolkien does give family trees for other important Elves in the book, such as Galadriel and Elrond, it's clear that Galadriel is not Legolas's mother. (Besides, she is one of the Noldor, not a Silvan or Sindar Elf.)
Elves are immortal but can be killed in battle, in which case they go to the Halls of Mandos in Aman for an afterlife. They may be restored by the Will of the Valar, and then go to live with the Valar in Valinor, like an Earthly Paradise, though just being in the place does not confer immortality, as Men supposed.
According to the WOMBAT test, it is possible that house-elves have an average life expectancy of 200 years, cannot be ordered to kill themselves, breed infrequently and only with their master's permission, can override wizard enchantments, and have an allegiance to their home rather than its inhabitants.
However, a sundering during pregnancy or during the early years of parenthood, such as by war, would be so grievous to the couple, and hurtful to the child, that they prefer to have children in peaceful times. Elves typically have four children or fewer.
Half-elves can have children of their own. When they form families with other half-elves, their offspring will be half-elves themselves. However, if a half-elf has children with someone of different ancestry, even a member of their parental races, the results can vary.
Santa advises that no family member touch their Elf on the Shelf, but he does describe a few rare instances when an adult may use tongs or potholders to help an elf in an urgent situation. Parents: read on to learn about special, few and far between cases where emergency help will be required.
Tolkien's elves are immortal and only rarely have children, which means they wouldn't have regular periods. D&D's elves are as mortal as humans and just live longer, and can have half-elf children with humans, which implies its elven babies are made the same way as human babies and with similar biological rhythms.
At what age do elves stop aging in Lord of the Rings?
Unlike the race of Men, they didn't physically age. They just remained constant -- an unchanging incarnation of their eternal form. Thus, once they were 100 years old, they looked the same for the rest of their lives. While Elves were done growing at 100 years old, they never stopped growing mentally.
Elf mothers are with child for 1 year. Once born, elves' minds and bodies initially grow rapidly, advancing past the infant and toddler stage within the first year. Development then slows down and an elf is mentally in adolescence for roughly the next 49 years.
