The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum


Visit The *EVEN NEWER* Barrow-Downs Photo Page

Go Back   The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum > Middle-Earth Discussions > The Books
User Name
Password
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read


 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Prev Previous Post   Next Post Next
Old 12-26-2011, 05:30 PM   #5
Inziladun
Gruesome Spectre
 
Inziladun's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Heaven's doorstep
Posts: 8,039
Inziladun is a guest of Galadriel in Lothlórien.Inziladun is a guest of Galadriel in Lothlórien.Inziladun is a guest of Galadriel in Lothlórien.Inziladun is a guest of Galadriel in Lothlórien.Inziladun is a guest of Galadriel in Lothlórien.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheLostPilgrim View Post
The fate of the Elves sounds rather cruel...That if they stayed they'd forget their own natures and be relegated to caves and hidden places. They were the most beautiful of ME's peoples, and seemingly the wisest and purest in nature.
It might seem a bit cruel, but then again it wasn't as if they had no choice and were doomed to that fate regardless.

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheLostPilgrim View Post
However, you make it sound like if they did go to the Undying Lands they would retain the full beauty and glory of their nature...Am I correct in reading it that way?
Oh yes. In the Blessed Realm they would keep all their gifts and knowledge.

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheLostPilgrim View Post
I feel sort of sad that Frodo and the other non-immortal members of the Fellowship could not be granted eternal life...I would think that would be a just reward for their troubles, sorrows and sacrifices in helping to save Middle Earth.
Merely being allowed as mortals to travel to an immortal place was a tremendous reward, and something, as far as I know, that was not given to any other "outsiders" at any time before or after.

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheLostPilgrim View Post
Which leads me to another question: What happens to regular spirits (as in the spirit of a Hobbit or a Dwarf, etc) when they die? I know Saruman's spirit was left to wander Middle Earth as a powerless shade forever, I suppose as punishment for his continued treachery and malice.
The fate of the spirits or souls of the mortals is an open question. Of Men (and Hobbits) there is no clue. The Dwarves believed that their own spirits remained in the world and were gathered by their maker, Aulë the Vala, and sent to Mandos, the location in the Blessed realm to which the spirits of slain Elves returned also. No definitive answer is given as to whether that was true, though.

Saruman was a special case. He was not mortal, but an immortal "angel" of the same order as Gandalf. He was indeed exiled as a punishment for his deeds in Middle-earth, though ultimately I think he would have been recalled to the Undying Lands to "face the music" , so to speak.

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheLostPilgrim View Post
But what of lesser spirits, where do they go when the physical body dies in Tolkien's cosmology? And what about Smeagol? I wonder if his poor soul ever found peace....
Like I said, that's just not made clear. Even the Elves who sat at the feet of the Valar in the Blessed Realm didn't have the answer for that one.

x/d with G55
__________________
Music alone proves the existence of God.
Inziladun is offline   Reply With Quote
 

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 01:29 AM.



Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.