The attitude of most of the other races (except of course for the dwarves) is a reverential sort of awe, that sees them through a pair of blinders. It kind of reminds me of an attitude people outside the Americas used to have, that 'all the Yanks are rich'. (It's taken a long time to get rid of that one! Of course, I don't know if being cast in the role of 'evil Shaitan' is much of an improvement! *s*) Feanor, and others of his ilk, seem to me to reveal the elven peoples as perhaps still growing and evolving, albeit in ways that are a bit different from their human and hobbit fellow-beings. Certainly, it makes them much more interesting to the observer! I always found Galadriel, for instance, to be admirable; but after reading and studying her background and youth, I find her truly lovable, and her courage is awe-inspiring.

Incidentally, here's a bit of off-subject trivia for you! I don't know if any of you all are aware of it: there are traditions among the First Nations' peoples that there is elven ancestry in our bloodlines. It's quite true; I'm not making it up! In fact, of my four children, three were born with pointy ears... as was I, according to my mother. We all outgrew it, our ears assuming a proper rounded human shape by the age of three or so. Makes you wonder, doesn't it, if the Elves were really the product of JRR's truly heroic imagination, or if maybe he didn't find some kind of hints about them in his researches into old languages?