Middle Earth "afterlife"

[Captain Grishnahk]

Like in this world we live in, there is a Heaven and a Hell. And in Middle Earth, i think the thing that represents Heaven is the Halls of Mandos (or somthing like that, i haven't read the Silmarilion yet). I was wondering, is there a Middle Earth Hell-like place? I hope i'm not offending anyone. But when an Easterling dies, where would he go?

Another question, if an orc dies, does it go to some place like an evil man would, or because it has been made does it just die like a dog, and not go anywhere... it's just the end.

For the longest time i thought it was like the void or somthing, or the aybss. But i'm not wholy sure.

Thanks,
-Cap

[Bergil]

ELVES (good and bad) go to the halls of mandos. No-one (possibly not even the valar) know where peiple go. As you're newer (weaker in convincing people) then me, I won't argue real-world theology with you.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

As Bergil says all elves goes to the halls of Mandos, unless they chose mortalety.They are not decribet as good or bad place to be, infact I beliv if you have been "good" you might get reincarnated. I see it more as a neutral place. . .

[Legolas]

Mandos is really just a place of waiting. It's more like purgatory than heaven or hell. There is no 'heaven and hell' for elves. Not until the end of the world, anyway. As long as Arda exists, they remain inside.

Elves cannot 'choose mortality.' They can be slain, and die from grief. That is all.

[Gothmog]

Elves cannot 'choose mortality.' They can be slain, and die from grief. That is all.

Actually they can. Take Luthien for example! She chose to become mortal and live her last years together with Beren. It was more complex than just choosing mortality, but that was the outcome of it. Because of her "labours and her sorrow" Iluvatar himself (through Manwe) gave her the choice to go back to ME as a mortal. It had never been granted before and haven't since, but it is possible to become mortal.

Elros and Arwen also chose mortality, but as there's Man-blood in their veins they might be a special case.

I think Captain Grishnahk offers us an interesting question concerning orcs, a question I've wondered about myself. If we go by the corrupted-elf theory, should they go to the halls of Mandos? I can't imagin filthy orcs in the halls were all the waiting elves dwells... But do they leave the confines of the world, like men? The unknown fate of the men was considered a gift, so why would the orcs be granted such a gift? I think I've heard a theory that stated that the orcs came to the Halls of Mandos, but to a part separated from the elven halls, but I don't know if it was based on any real information from Tolkien.

And what happens to the dogs? And cows and horses and cats and.... Do they just disappear? And what about Ents and Eagles, both inhabited by "spirits from afar", do they go to Valinor when they're physical body die? There's much to discuss in this topic...

If we assume that animals just disappear, that should been htat they are considered soul-less, or am I wrong? But what about a horse like Shadowfax, can he be considered nothing more than a transport from point A to point B? I think not.

Someone of the Masters in Lore of Tolkien on the site, please help me out here!

[The Saucepan Man]

Originally Posted by Gothmog

Someone of the Masters in Lore of Tolkien on the site, please help me out here!

Well, if you're done disputing with him, Legolas might help you out.

Originally Posted by Legolas

Elves cannot 'choose mortality.'

Originally Posted by Gothmog

Actually they can.

I believe that Legolas' point was that Elves are not themselves able to choose between mortality and immortality. They are immortal by default. The choice was granted only to a select few (none of whom were of pure Elvish blood), by the grace of Eru Iluvatar.