The point is that elves are not fictional characters as like as modern fictional characters like, for example, Superman or Harry Potter. Elves are mythological creatures and their first appearances are rooted in the Germanic folklore. Mediterranean and Asian folklore have similar creatures.
For this reason, they are quite ingrained in the historical memory of Nord European populations.
Actually, in the original Germanic folklore there is no mention of pointy ears. Light elves were simply described as radiant humanoid supernatural creatures of extraordinary beauty and elegance. Not even Tolkien, which is often reason of debate, describes his elves having pointy ears.
The pointy ears became a standard in elves' depictions during Victorian age and early 20th century. Possibly borrowed by fairy tales and illustrations.
It is, indeed, a very convenient and practical way to mark a character as non-human, especially in visual representations.
I thought Mr. Spock wasn't an elf but a Vulkanian
I didn't say anything about Spock.
That is a rather restrictive view of the term, which has evolved in different mythological contexts to also have different appearances sometimes extreme, like in Harry Potter's fiction).
I am sorry but I do not consider Harry Potter a reference for elves.
- It is a fiction.
- I do not know if they are physically described in the book and, if yes, how.
- The only version I saw it is the film version which is the interpretation of the concept artists (which I trust like I trust those who claim that the Earth is flat, considering the precedents in cinema adaptations).
The Harry Potter elves could somehow resemble some kind of fairy creature of the Nordic European mythology, like kobolds, for example. Though, kobolds are quite negative figures. I think that Harry Potter's elves are good (not sure, I have never finished to watch even the first film and do not plan to watch it).
Those you call "mythological contexts" are not "mythological contexts". Cinema, books, comics, etc. are not "mythological contexts". Zeus and Odin are mythological figures (and for those living at the time when those myths were alive, they were a religion); the elves of Harry Potter are not. Zeus is described in all Greek and Roman written history. Odino appears, among other texts, in Poetic Edda and Prose Edda and Elves appear there too. Elves have no evolution since widespread urbanization when the popular belief started to decline. Few cultures, though, still believe they exist, for example in Iceland.
As for drawing humans with pointy ears, that's just a detail easy to modify in any portrait.
Which is precisely my point. Nothing else was implied in my post.
