Quote:
Originally Posted by Galadriel55
Welcome to the Downs, sunrabbit! You ask some good questions.
Firstly, let's distinguish between the fate of Elves and Men. When Elves die, their spirits go to the Halls of Waiting, aka the Halls of Mandos, in the Uttermost West. Some Elves, after a certain time, are allowed to reincarnate, if they so choose. Others, like Feanor, are not allowed. It depends on what the Elf does in his/her lifetime. Whatever the options, though, the spirits of the Elves are bound to the world. They do not leave it.
Men do not go to the Halls of Mandos, and they are not bound to the world. When they die, their spirits leave it. I think they go to be with Iluvatar (the All-father that created the world), and I believe there is a legend that after the Middle-Earth equivalent of the end of the world the Men will participate in making the new world... Death was given to Men as a Gift from Iluvatar, but Morgoth put fear in their minds and turned it into a Doom.
Here is what Iluvatar says about Elves and Men in The Silmarillion, Of THe Beginning of Days:
Most of this information is from The Silmarillion. Have you read it?
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I have read it, but only once, and too long ago. I should have just read it again, eh?
Thank you for summing it up so nicely. That makes a lot of sense. I suppose I had forgotten all that, because I was trying to figure out what about being a Man could possibly be better than being Elfkind. The elves are all gorgeous and young and immortal and wise and all that. But Men have something else--this "gift"--it is a freedom from the world. Scary, I suppose, when you are in the world, because it is unknown. But once you have passed beyond, it could open up so many possibilities. I trust Aragorn and Arwen would be able to build worlds together and be quite happy.
