Did Glorfindal go to Valinor?

[LadyElbereth]

I was just wondering, did Glorfindal go to Valinor with Galadriel and 'em? Was he allowed to?
~LadyElbereth

[Mattius]

I think I heard somewhere that he did, I think I heard it from one of the letters.

[Legolas]

Glorfindel only appears in the letters briefly when Tolkien mentions his name's meaning and answers a question about Asfaloth's bridle and bit.

[LadyElbereth]

Sooo, there is no place that says if Glorfindal went to Valinor or not?

[Maédhros]

The most probable thing, is that Glorfindel did indeed returned to Valinor. I think that once Sauron was defeated, his purpose in returning had ended.

[Legolas]

I agree with Maedhros. We're given no reason to think that he remained in Middle-earth...there was nothing there for him.

[LadyElbereth]

Yeah I also think Maédhros is right. While we are on the subject of Glorfindal, when he was "reincarnated" did he look the same as he did in his first body?

[alkquareiel02]

from what i have read he was the original Glorfindel from Gondolin after his death he went to the halls of Mandos then reborn and i think from the bits i have read he came back to middle earth possibly with Gandalf and the other wizards to help fight against Sauron as he was supposed to be quite powerful. I think it was to make amends after his own rebellion in the first age. I am not 100% though about i will have to look in one of my books i think to double check that. [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[alkquareiel02]

and i think he did go back to valinor with Galadriel after his good deeds(Glorfindel that is.)

[Aiwendil]

While we are on the subject of Glorfindal, when he was "reincarnated" did he look the same as he did in his first body?

I believe so. According to HoMe X, the Valar are capable of reconstructing a person's hroa from their fea; I think it is implied that the reconstruction is perfect.

[LadyElbereth]

I thank all of you for all of your help! Ya'll are so great!
Ummm, what's HoMe X?
*sigh* as you can tell, I'm clearly not as smart as ya'll.

[Novlamothien]

HoMe X is an abbreviated way of saying History of Middle-earth Volume 10.
I also think Glorfindel returned with Galadriel. He didn't really have any reasion to stay.
Namarie

[alkquareiel02]

I think it says somewhere in one of the history of middle earth books that if an elf was reborn they would be recognizeable to their families and spouse if they had one, but not necessarily identical to their former self, but close. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[LadyElbereth]

I have one more question about Glorfindal,
Was he the only elf that was "reincarnated"?
If not, who were the other ones?

From what I understood from "The Shibboleth of Feanor," (HoME XII) it was the rule that Elves were reincarnated (or perhaps re-embodied is the better term), not the exception.

The Eldar are bound to the earth, and because of this, being in a spirit (fea) state is unnatural, and something to be tolerated for as short a time as possible.

As for specific examples, the Silmarillion makes it quite clear that Finrod was quickly re-embodied:

They buried the body of Felagund upon the hill-top of his own isle, and it was clean again; and the green grave of Finrod Finarfin's son, fairest of all the princes of the Elves, remained inviolate, until the land was changed and broken, and foundered under destroying seas. But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar. -- The Silmarillion, "Of Beren and Luthien"

The Shibboleth also makes it clear that Finwe was to be re-embodied at some point. Speaking of Finwe and Indis' daughter Findis -

She did not go into exile, but went with her mother after the slaying of Finwe and they abode among the Vanyar in grief until such time as it seemed good to Manwe to restore Finwe to life.

Hope that helps!

[Aiwendil]

I think it says somewhere in one of the history of middle earth books that if an elf was reborn they would be recognizeable to their families and spouse if they had one, but not necessarily identical to their former self, but close.

This is the earlier version, in which Elves are actually reborn. Later on, he abandoned this idea and decided that they were reincarnated, not born again to new parents.

[Gwaihir the Windlord]

There has been some speculation on Finwe's reincarnation. If he came back, for instance, would he be King of the Noldor again, or what? I think it likely that he is refusing to be let out of Mandos until his son, Feanor is.

But Glorfindel definetely went to Valinor, yes. An Elf of his power, who anyway was sent again to Middle-Earth for the purpose of aiding the war against Sauron, would have for sure.

[LadyElbereth]

I have come upone the impression that only Glorfindal went back to ME after he was reinbodied. Is this right? I am so confused [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img]

It probably would help if I read the the History of ME but I haven't got my hands on them yet!!

[Galorme]

Finwe can never be released from Mandos anyway, because of the decree of Mandos that no elf can have multiple wives (he agreed to think, so unless someone kills one of his wives he has to stay put) (see HoME X)

[Saurreg]

Can anyone tell was the entourage of Elrond the last of the Eldar to depart from middle earth, excluding Legolas?

Was there anything mentioned on the reincarnation of Gil-galad?

Thanks!

[Keeper of Dol Guldur]

Of course Glorfindel had been to Valinor, his body glowed with the spirit of Aman. But as for going back? Of course. I would assume (which in itself is dangerous with all those other fanatics out there waiting to correct me) that Glorfindel stayed at Rivendell to run things until all the others had gone. He was of course only second to Elrond in the house of Imladris. Much like the not too disimilar Celeborn, he had the intent to wait until the end. Especially since he had already been and came back. He yearned for it, but having once been there could wait it out. Of course Celeborn hadn't seen it, but he had a forest to run and another to clean up. (They had both done pretty much everything they could do around Middle Earth, except end it). Glorfindel definitely went back to Valinor.

[Maédhros]

I was just wondering, did Glorfindal go to Valinor with Galadriel and 'em? Was he allowed to?

From the Letters of JRRT: 91

So ends the Middle Age and the Dominion of Men begins, and Aragorn far away on the throne of Gondor labours to bring some order and to preserve some memory of old among the welter of men that Sauron has poured into the West. But Elrond has gone, and all the High Elves.

I think that in the index of LOTR, they describe the high Elves as the Noldor, followers of Fëanor.
Now it all depends if Glorfindel was with the host of Turgon in the process of going to ME.
Yet, there is the possiblity, that because Glorfindel was granted return to ME, then he wouldn't be considered a High Elf anymore. [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]
I think that that makes it clear that Glorfindel left to Valinor.