Do the Ringwraiths feel pain?

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by mormegil

Because it could harm them, and as such they would fear it. If your hand feels no pain you would do well to fear cutting it off though you didn't feel the pain of it, correct.

But the WK's cry when struck by Merry indicates he felt something, be it physical or spiritual pain.

[Ibrîniðilpathânezel]

It does rather come down to a "define pain" issue, doesn't it? For myself, I would say that they do. If they felt no pain, I would also think they would feel no fear, and we do have some evidence that Sauron used the fear of pain to get what he wanted (the torture of Gollum, if nothing else). The Nazgûl might have built up a tolerance to it, whether it's physical or psychological, but I suspect Sauron wouldn't want them to get so used to it that he can no longer use it against them. And they do fear him.

One could also ask if they feel pleasure,but that's another kettle of fish.

[Blind Guardian]

Originally Posted by Ibrîniðilpathânezel

It does rather come down to a "define pain" issue, doesn't it? For myself, I would say that they do. If they felt no pain, I would also think they would feel no fear, and we do have some evidence that Sauron used the fear of pain to get what he wanted (the torture of Gollum, if nothing else). The Nazgûl might have built up a tolerance to it, whether it's physical or psychological, but I suspect Sauron wouldn't want them to get so used to it that he can no longer use it against them. And they do fear him.

One could also ask if they feel pleasure,but that's another kettle of fish.

They feel pleasure when they kill someone!

As this is in the Movies part of the forum, I'm restricting myself to Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings. We see the one Ringwraith get burned by Aragorn, and all Nine drowned by Arwen. They next appear in TTT by doing a Fell Beast flyover of the Dead Marshes.

This doesn't have to be just movies, I guess.

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Blind Guardian

This doesn't have to be just movies, I guess.

It doesn't, but I am just defining what I am discussing. Jackson's "Terminator-like" Nine aren't exactly Tolkien's.

[Morthoron]

Only if you talk really mean to them.

[Bêthberry]

I can see them getting heavily into the "I feel your pain" mode.

[Blind Guardian]

What?

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

Only if you talk really mean to them.

"Elbereth Gilthoniel," in other words.

But didn't the torched Nazgul, after getting a torch in the head from Aragorn, scream?

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by alatar

But didn't the torched Nazgul, after getting a torch in the head from Aragorn, scream?

They were never good at rejection. Folks with obsessive/compulsive disorders rarely are.

[mormegil]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

But the WK's cry when struck by Merry indicates he felt something, be it physical or spiritual pain.

I never said they didn't feel mental or spiritual pain. I think the anguish of his demise was terrible and would cause a cry. I just can't see a stubbed toe causing the W-K to jump up and down cursing at his misfortune.