I don't think I qualify as a LotR expert, but I might have a few answers.
The Entish women. I don't think there is a clear answer to this question (hence the long search for them) but it is strongly hinted somewhere that their land was invaded during one of Sauron's earlier wars and they either fled, were killed, or turned into slaves and twisted beyond recognition by the power of the ring. My impression from the books is that the Ents deep down know their search is futile, but they are just not able to give it up.
Isildur, Elrond, Gandalf and the One Ring. I believe Peter Jackson has changed the story somewhat there. Isildur took the ring from Sauron's hand, but I don't think Elrond necessarily knew at that point how important it was to destroy it immediately. And then Isildur (and the whole party he travelled with) managed to get killed only a very short time after the big battle, so all traces of it disappeared. As for Gandalf, he didn't show up in Middle Earth until quite some time after Sauron's fall, so he didn't have any personal knowledge of what had happened.
Gandalf was actually sent from the Undying Lands to come help the people of Middle Earth against Sauron once it was evident he was not dead. The Undying Lands themselves are ruled by creatures much to powerful even for Sauron, so the Elves would indeed be safe there. Now you'd think that these powerful people could do more for Middle Earth than send Gandalf (and Saruman for that matter, but they refuse to get directly involved. All this is told in The Silmarillion.
That's all I can think of for the moment. I hope it helped a bit at least.
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Date: 2004-11-21 06:44 pm (UTC)The Entish women. I don't think there is a clear answer to this question (hence the long search for them) but it is strongly hinted somewhere that their land was invaded during one of Sauron's earlier wars and they either fled, were killed, or turned into slaves and twisted beyond recognition by the power of the ring. My impression from the books is that the Ents deep down know their search is futile, but they are just not able to give it up.
Isildur, Elrond, Gandalf and the One Ring. I believe Peter Jackson has changed the story somewhat there. Isildur took the ring from Sauron's hand, but I don't think Elrond necessarily knew at that point how important it was to destroy it immediately. And then Isildur (and the whole party he travelled with) managed to get killed only a very short time after the big battle, so all traces of it disappeared. As for Gandalf, he didn't show up in Middle Earth until quite some time after Sauron's fall, so he didn't have any personal knowledge of what had happened.
Gandalf was actually sent from the Undying Lands to come help the people of Middle Earth against Sauron once it was evident he was not dead. The Undying Lands themselves are ruled by creatures much to powerful even for Sauron, so the Elves would indeed be safe there. Now you'd think that these powerful people could do more for Middle Earth than send Gandalf (and Saruman for that matter, but they refuse to get directly involved. All this is told in The Silmarillion.
That's all I can think of for the moment. I hope it helped a bit at least.