Reincarnation in Tolkien's Works - Building a World
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 ก.ย. 2021
- In Tolkien’s legendarium, some heroes and villains lost their physical forms, but were returned through reincarnation. This video explores how such a thing occurred and the lore surrounding it! Thank you so much for watching, let me know your thoughts on reincarnation in Tolkien’s works in the comments below! As always, a great thanks to the online artists whose visual works made this video possible! If you are one of the artists, please let me know and I will post your name and a link to your work in this description!
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"I doubt Tolkienian metaphysics will be that popular on TH-cam." Whethet that's true or not, the world needs more stuff like this, man. Please keep it coming! I loved this video!
Aragorn and Arwen are so much like Beren and Luthien, that one has to wonder if the former pair do not share at least some spirit of the latter pair...like at least a spiritual echo or reflection as it were. Maybe similar to the quote, "History doesn't repeat itself, but it rhymes."
"Death is just another path, one that we must all take."
I used to not like the concept of reincarnation; one and done has the way I've looked at life.
But in this world it would make sense that a being that still has a purpose or mission to fulfill be sent back in order to complete that mission in order to bring about the divine Word that was set in the beginning. It also adds to the fact that history repeats itself, both in time and apparently in body :)
Reincarnation, like many other ideas has been poisoned and demonised by Christianity
@@Phoenix-King-ozai Christianity has propagated many bad views, but criticizing the idea of reincarnation isn’t one of them. Reincarnation isn’t true. Don’t live your life thinking you will be reincarnated because you won’t, and you won’t take this life seriously if you think you will reincarnate.
@@Phoenix-King-ozai Name checks out
@@Phoenix-King-ozai Christianity has its own unique form of reincarnation. Jesus reincarnated after his death by crucifixion. And thus he became the Christ. And so according to Christianity we all will be reincarnated either during the first or second resurrection.
Tolkien, the staunch Catholic, wasn't envisioning reincarnation as it is usually understood. Rather as he defined it himself and through his characters, he saw a new life after death as a resurrection for a specific purpose. This is confirmed by the special emphasis placed on the heroic deeds of those who were resurrected among the elves, and the singular exceptions in other races. Obviously, the Maiar Istari, who only took the outward form of a body in dealing with men, could be sent back to their original body if their mission was unfinished. Too bad for Sauron and Saruman. Keep up the good work. Namarie.
Funny that you say "the staunch Catholic" as if Tolkien's entire work isn't steeped in Paganism more obviously and (in my view, though I know it is now popular to disagree) also more deeply. All of the morals, including the concept of a moral victory itself, is to be found in European Paganism. I mean, just read Hávamál. So the concept of reincarnation fits perfectly in the Legendarium.
@@Dystisis You need to read more background on Tolkien's life and what he revealed about his legendarium. Yes, obviously, he was influenced by literature as that was his work. But theologically and philosophically, he was not influenced by pagans. His entire sub-creation is a tribute to his faith.
@@gandalfolorin-kl3pj what about the people of Rohan? They are based on Norse legends which are Pagan.
@@julzhallmann5411 Yes, originally pagan. But we have our days of the week and our sentence structure from the Norse also (Anglo-Saxon) but we are not pagan. The Norse were in process of conversion during those early years when the dates still had only 3 digits. St. Boniface chopped down the oak sacred to Thor and replaced it with the evergreen for Christmas. Their change of faith would not have obliterated all their customs, nor would their literature have radically changed all at once. Tolkien was a master at Old Norse and used the template of their mythos for the Rohirrim.
@@Dystisis
You're both right!
Tolkien wasn't trying to start a new religion. He was trying to create a mythology for England and for English speakers. He felt that other cultures had a rich history of mythology that England rather lacked. His creation of the Middle Earth legendarium was an attempt to redress this lack. He wouldn't have considered it blasphemous in any way, since it was a mythology and an invented one at that. And he absolutely DID draw from pagan mythology for many of his narratives, which may not be readily apparent to those unfamiliar with the mythologies of mainland Europe (the Germanic ones in particular).
Saruman sort of died like Faenor, the body disappeared and the spirit floated away. Feanor died by the greatest of enemies, Saruman died by (what he considered to be) the least.
Please do a series literally called metaphysics of middle earth. It’s my favorite element to all of your videos! A series specifically addressing it as a topic would be fantastic
Absolutely agree.
"Owlette the smith" - new pearl by YT subtitling. Excellent!
I suppose, since Tolkien was a Catholic, this reincarnation concept and the Halls of Mandos could have been his take on the Catholic idea of Purgatory. I could be wrong, but a lot of his religious beliefs could be found in his works. This video opened a lot of insightful thinking this morning.
But Buddhists believe in reincarnation too and a lot of this video made me think Tolkien had knowledge of other more Eastern philosophies, not just Christian.
This was interesting... definitely worth the watch. By the way, I just had a birthday, day before Bilbo and Frodo, (21st, also the day The Hobbit was published...) and my mom just informed me that she shipped a green shirt with the White Tree on it. My old one was navy blue, and full of holes from too much wear and tear. So now, I guess I can be the first Green Istari. Or perhaps, just a man of the West. Either way, thanks for the video.
Thanks for this! I do love the more esoteric concepts in the legendarium! A friend and I were discussing spiritual and religious practices in Middle Earth, the only prayers we could recall were the three in Numenor, and the "standing silence" as a means of observance of their faith. Maybe an interesting topic to expand upon?
Unlike his compatriot C.S. Lewis who wrote "in your face" allegories in the Narnia series, Tolkien wanted to keep the Catholic aspects of his works below the surface.
This is one of the most interesting topics, thank you!
Oh Yoyboy, you seem to live now in this life to give us all a sense of joy and love
Man, some of the great Elves in Arda who were reborn where from the First Age!!!
That was a lovely message at the end there Mellon, it reminds me of Gandalf's "all we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."
Thanks Mellon, for the Topic of Rebirth in Middle Earth...Until Legolas' *Updated* ECH, Marion Baggins Out!!!
Fabulous Research and Masterful Narration.
7:52 perfect assumption ♥️ we do not know in fact if he had a body after Elendil's death. Maybe he was just cloaked like his Nazgul. Great video 👍🏻
Gollum noted that he had a finger missing on one of his black hands.
Anything regarding this subject should be the only thing on TH-cam!
Last time I was this early, Melkor wasn't even a fallen Vala
Joke was lameer than Labadol 🤦🏾♂️
Loved this video, it’s so unique and different from the regular content … hope it does great and we can get something similar again
Really interesting video. Fantastic job! Thank you so much!
This subject in general is well worth deep diving provided one gets passed one's own religious and materialist blocks and lines of thinking that what there is to find is amazing even when looking back at said religions seeing things in a different light.
Very interesting video! I always thought the reincarnation in Tolkien’s world very fascinating. For the longest time I always wondered how the Eldar when it was time for them to be reincarnated, whether they were reincarnated into bodies similar to what they had in ME or if they were reborn as children. And also I do find it interesting to the fact that Mandos gets to deem when the time is right for an elf who lives in the halls gets to come back.
And upon his death his spirit looked west. Then a wind came and blew his spirit away. Even Maiar aren't guaranteed a spot in the halls of mandos.
Great video yet again Yoystan 👏
Very interesting topic, i've learned a lot from this channel over the year. Love seeing how big this channel has become!
I got a good theory video suggestions - What if Sauron creates the Rings of Power on the First Age?
Excellent video . Thank you for sharing
Love this topic! Thank you for sharing with us.
So many interesting topics to discuss in regards to Tolkien. I’d love to just take a year and study his works sometime. Great video!
As far as the Dwarves are concerned they themselves believed that Aulë would gather them in a seperate part of the halls of Mandos and wait there so they could help him to repair the broken world. Even Thorin Oakenshield mentioned them when he died, "I go now to the Halls of Waiting, until the world is renewed. So i guess that even they mught expect to be reborn at least once and do their part.
I really enjoyed this video! It was excellent, well research, and well read(like all of your content). If I may make a request, is there the possibility that you might do a video about Gildor? I could not find one among your archives.
Thank you for covering this really interesting and important subject. More like this please.
Regarding Sauron, it was always my perception that he had a vast, complex, and adaptable form that was destroyed by degrees over the ages. First, he had the ability to take multiple forms, both fair and foul, but lost his ability to become beautiful after the Downfall of Numenor. Then only able to take a dark, warlike form, he lost even that after losing the Ring to Isildur, and was reduced (at least for the time being) to the great Eye that we all remember from atop Barad-Dur. Then at last, when the Ring was unmade, he lost all material aspect whatsoever, and will remain without it until after the Last Battle.
Excellent video always love to learn more about middle earth and my favourite franchise
Yes, a fascinating topic! Please feel free to make more!
A very good discussion on a difficult topic for all of us in middle earth. We all wonder about reincarnation, or the lack there of. We, of the mortal vein, look towards a reincarnation or a time in the “summer lands” before being brought back. On the other discussion they look towards a reward in heaven. Lock would have had an interesting discussion within himself on this very topic. He would have spent days in his study contemplating this very topic. Thanks Yoystan. Please keep up your great work.
I wonder, considering orcs are corrupted elves, do you have any thoughts on the nature of their afterlives? Perhaps some sort of redemption since their evil nature was imposed upon them?
I've often wondered about the final destiny of orcs. I don't think Tolien ever said really. I'd like to think you are right.
Perhaps, they didn't have souls and Morgoth simply used the original elves as a biological template. After the fall of Sauron the orcs lost all will and purpose, like they were empty drones. It would also explain why they could be killed without any mercy...
I imagine that the spirits of those Orcs that were originally uncorrupted Elves would end up in the Halls of Mandos, freed from their tormented lives. Perhaps, like Feanor, they would be reincarnated into new bodies after an long age spent in Mandos.
However, the vast majority of Orcs were born as Orcs, and were always evil, so their spirits would likely be destroyed, or cast into the Void like Morgoth.
@@jacobnelson9725 : I think that the Orcs would be set free by the fall of Sauron, but they would be extremely confused and depressed for a long while after.
Due to their evil natures, left to their own devices, they would be just as likely to attack and kill each other as they were to attack Men - just like the Orcs in the Tower of Cirith Ungol. So they would do a great job of wiping themselves out until only a few were left.
Ah so you did cover the dream of Lórien/Irmo for me in a roundabout fashion.
Haha
Thanks man , can't wait to watch.
Excellent topic!
Great topic. Thanks for the in depth look at elven afterlife. Tolkien himself said his works are about death and resurrection.
I really appreciated this video, as I was a bit curious about the fate of the elves but unsure where to look
Joystan, I am wondering if you would do a video on the story quests of the Shadows of Angmar lotro base game. Many people don't even finish the story and it would awesome to see how much that game respects Tolkien's writings.
Very interesting! I, too, love philosophy!
Old joke by Johnny Hart incorporated into a "B.C." comic strip: I don't believe in reincarnation. I used to, but that was in another life.
Beauriful content.
You and nerd of the rings are my main sources when it comes to my LOTR fixation
I love topics like these :)
Fascinating!
I wonder if the “perfect match” rules apply to all beings in Tolkien’s Universe. Elves need Fëa and Hroa to match. This appears to match the Abrahamic definition of resurrection.
Dwarves appear to explain the succession of Durins as a Dharmic reincarnation like Tibetan Lamas.
I’m puzzled by shape shifters like Sauron. Are they able to shift after returning from death? Would that be a Dharmic reincarnation or an Abrahamic resurrection?
It would be interesting to understand shape shifting better. Could it actually be incarnate transmigration, Dharmic reincarnation without death? There’s a topic for another video.
This is a fascinating look into the concept of life beyond death. I've often wondered that if the spirits of men leave the physical world and their sorrows behind, where did they go, to Ilúvatar, or somewhere else beyond both Middle Earth and Aman?
My belief is that Iluvatar is capable of making other worlds, not just Arda, and that he sends the spirits of Men to be reincarnated in those other worlds (but obviously without their memories of their time in Arda).
Of course, the Valar and the Maia don't know anything about this, since Iluvatar has confined them to Arda, which is their home and their prison for all time.
@@timonsolus An intriguing theory, as the wielder of the Flame Imperishable it would be well within Iluvatar's power. If it is so I wonder if Melkor in his roaming in the outer dark was aware of these worlds? Of course, this is only speculation, but still, it does indeed tantalize the imagination.
I have a question.
When Gandalf the Grey dies in battle with the Balrog, he already had Nenya, the ring. He must have brought it back with him then when he resurrected as Gandalf the White. But how did he bring the ring with him?
Nice!
doffsdf Tolkien, in creating his mythology for England, used Old English motifs and characters, which were pre-Christian, ergo pagan, but not in a deeply philosophical way. Although avoiding direct allegory, he took great care not to contradict Catholic theology, especially in regard to morality or the afterlife of men. He really was a staunch Roman Catholic all his life. Tolkien's mother was cut off from the rest of her family and in laws, even financially, when she converted to Catholicism, and this had a profound effect on him. He and his brother Hilary went to school at the Birmingham Oratory, a Catholic school founded by John Henry Newman.
I’m really curious on your thought about where in Aman these reincarnated elves would live. Obviously any reincarnated Noldor and Falmari would go back to their original settlements in Aman but what about the reincarnated Silvan/Nandor, Avari and Sindar elves? I’m sure some Sindar would settle with the Noldor or Falmari in Tirion/Alqualonde but there are so many Sindar that would end up in Aman that those cities wouldn’t hold all of them. I would assume Orome would allow the Silvan elves into his woodlands but would he also accept the Avari who refused his original call to Valinor?
All life energy continues on, and is repurposed. We are vessels for the Universe to discover its self.
Tolkien believed literally in the God of Judeo Christianity, not a New Age Universe, capital U.
@@mfcabrini Fortunately Tolkien was wise enough to not force his religion within his narratives, and eloquent enough to bring out the duality of those beliefs. The practitioner makes all of those systems either good or evil, the Universe is neither.
"Energy cannot be created or destroyed.. It can only be changed from form to another." Albert Einstein.
@@vaeloreonari7516 Eru begs to differ.
I believed in Reincarnation and consider myself a Gnostic Christian. I have always wondered who Tolkien had been in his past lives. It occurred to me that he could be one of the souls that saw the destruction of Atlantis and that is why he wrote of Numenor.. he said he had a dream of land sinking below the waves.
I hope this will be incorporated to the upcoming TV series.
7:32 What about with Luthien at Tol in Gauroth?
7:15 NO! I do still claim that *Gandalf never actually died* he was just allowed more of his Maia spirit to shine through his 'fake' old man body.
Read once more the passage in Two Towers: he says to Aragorn and his friends "darkness took me" and that sounds more like fainting.
Further proof: he did not come like the Istari or Glorfindel back across the sea in a NEW-ish body.
He just woke up again.
I believe the movie is misleading there and certainly envious of Tolkien sort of people like Martin.
You made a very interesting argument! However, in Letter #156 of Tolkien’s Letters, he states Gandalf actually died and was sent back by Eru.
@@MenoftheWest oh really? Got to check that out! Tolkien sometimes changed parts of the story with time...Thank you 😊
@@MenoftheWest question: can/should we consider letters as canon? (Might be an interesting duscussion/video there...) 😊
@@Enerdhil Because it was actually Eru who intervened in Gandalf's fate, not the Valar. Gandalf may have even been taken to Eru's Timeless Halls.
@@Enerdhil I do not believe it was Eru. Or at least not like this.
Men of the West talked about inherent Maia qualities (that Eru gave all of the Ainur, Eldar, etc.)
Sauron for instance was hurt much more often, even Beleriand and returned.
I see the holes in my theory as well, but if you look just at LotR, then he clearly did not die.
He remained on the top of the mountain.
Gandalf says so himself in Fangorn
Also is there an official lotr discord server or anything? Can't find anything
Love it
After Gandalf the Glockmaster pulled up, Mandos was workin overtime with giving new bodies.
7:31 Wasn't Sauron disembodied as a result of his combat with Huan in the First Age?
Thanks
I'd suggest that the Ainur's embodiment runs with a very Platonic notion of the relationship between body and soul (i.e. the body is just the clothing of the soul). For incarnates, you're dealing with Aristotle instead.
Ever played War of the Ring, the old RTS, much like Warcraft 3. It has a bit of interesting lore, such as Aragorn retaking Minas Ithil after the downfall of Sauron.
But Aragorn also said that Minas Morgul would be utterly destroyed (that means the entire city razed to the ground), and that Men would not dwell in that place for a very long time (probably not for a thousand years at least.)
So how did the one ring physically get from numinor to middle Earth ? Sauron's body was destroyed.
🙌🏻
Then there is Ar Pharazon and his army, who but sleep until awoken for the Dagor Dagorath.
I like the idea that Ar Pharazon and his army could redeem themselves, as the spirits of the Oathbreakers did after they fought for Aragorn at the Battle of the Pellanor Fields.
Who is the thumbnail?
Over 2k likes not bad for methaphisics😉😊👍
I have often considered that hell might be living in the back of someone else's mind.
You're technically 'here' again, but with little ability to act.
Being part of someone's 'conscience'.
Or maybe that's heaven.
Or maybe it's both, depending on how you see it.
Great episode. We expect too much from what Tolkien wrote, ya know? We want his writings to tie together metaphysics, history, and include multiple character studies. That's not really what he wrote. Outside of the characters of the Fellowship/The Hobbit, character arcs barely bend, the metaphysics is a mess, and their are countless inchoate ideas. We treat him like an RPG publisher too often.
On a related topic, did Sauron have the ring with him when Numenor was destroyed? If so, how did he get it back with him when he fled to Mordor?
@@Enerdhil is there a source on this?
@@Enerdhil In commonly told ghost stories, some are able to manipulate physical objects somewhat. I don't find it implausible that a spirit as powerful as Sauron could carry the ring back, particularly given how closely the two were bound.
@Men of the West there's a debate i have just come across that Melkor spreading his power to strengthen his army made him a little weaker than Sauron. Does this argument have any merit?
I loved that. . 😃
It is a morbid question: but what happened to the remains of the previous body? We have some explicit examples of bodies that were buried. But let’s use as an example Finrod Felangund. Let’s pretend that Beren buried thr elven king’s body somewhere and that place somehow survived the destruction of Beleriand. If a person tried to retrieve Finrod’s remains (presuming that they survived for millennia) in the third age, knowing that Finrod was living at the same time in the undying lands, would his previous remains still exist? Or would they have vanished the moment he was brought back to life?
We know Sauron was a mighty smith. Maybe he crafted a body.
Sort of like a Golem I suppose. That would certainly keep him from shapeshifting.
So if goblins were made from elves, do their spirits go back to the halls of mandos when they die? Are they immortal like elves?
I think that only the first Orcs were made from Elves. After that, they reproduced biologically like the other races.
Re: reincarnation of Ainur: I would imagine that the mechanism there is the same as that of the original incarnation, when some of the Ainur became Valar and Maiar by entering Eä. If more and more power is vested into the fana (e.g. by Balrogs), or if the fana suffers devastating damage (e.g. Sauron in the Akallabêth), it becomes more difficult for the ëala to shapeshift - similarly to Morgoth's Ring being the whole of Arda, thus reducing the personal power of Morgoth in the process of corrupting the rest of the world.
Just my thoughts on the subject. Would be interested to know what others think.
Lúthien was not slain. She died of grief when Beren was killed.
👍
WONDERFUL topic/vid....
Somthin to think about right?
EVERYTHING in the known multiverse has its cycle(s)...
WHY would the human soul NOT follow suit?...;)
I've always really enjoyed the parallels between Tolkien's world and Hinduism.
One thing to note is that Tolkien was a Catholic, and himself claimed that The Lord of the Rings is a thoroughly Catholic work. Thus, parallels with other religions are purely incidental. And the similarities between Hinduism's reincarnation and Elvish reincarnation are superficial: if I recall correctly (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong), Hinduism holds that one can be reincarnated in the body of any creature, while elves, as stated in the video, can only be brought back in an identical body to the original.
@@caseydubois3645 So Catholicism has a lot of Hindu influences in its practices and it's not surprising that they bled into the world of Middle Earth. While there are some similarities, the two religions did evolve separately from each other and would therefore have many differences as well. I've done a lot of research into the Eastern influences of Christianity, specifically Catholicism, because at one point I considered becoming a nun. There are parallels because the religions have parallels, plus it's just a nice thing to think about. Raining on someone's parade, however, isn't very nice.
@@b0nem0ther If you don't mind, could you point out some of these influences? The two faiths seem to be too geographically distanced in their orgins for there to be much interaction, much less exchanging of ideas, to my amateurish mind. Not that I'd be surprised at the existence of parallels between them, seeing as all humans have the same sense of moral law, as C. S. Lewis put it. And it was by no means my intentions to rain on your parade; my purpose was merely to point out that Hinduism would most likely have played very little part in Tolkien's Judeo-Christian and Euro-centric writings. My apologies.
@@caseydubois3645 Nonsense. There's nothing incidental about Valar being shaped after Greek and other non-Christian pantheons, just as there's nothing Catholic in the idea of God leaving the governorship of the world to a group of Archangels. Tolkien's Middle-earth is a fusion of his Catholic beliefs and pre-Christian myths that he loved. The quote you're referring to btw, says that LotR was a Catholic work *unconsciously* at first. When he wrote LotR, he had already worked on Middle-earth for 30 years.
@@caseydubois3645 I really don't have the patience to teach about a subject that you could easily Google yourself. Try again.
Hey I have a "What If?" scenario. What if Gandalf made it out of Moria with the rest of the Fellowship? Never becoming Gandalf the White. How would that effect the story?
Combine that with "What if Pippin had never dropped that stone down the well in Moria, and woken up the Orcs far below, and who then woke the Balrog?"
Whenever the subject of an elf’s spirit is brought up I always think about all the elves that never sailed back to the west and their spirits overtook their bodies and they could not go back to Valenor
Do you mean the Avari, the Dark Elves that never went to Valinor at all, but stayed in Middle Earth?
No not just them it’s all the elves that stayed after the 4th age
@@billychops1280 : Not sure about that. There’s no reason why the spirits of dead Elves couldn’t go to the Halls of Mandos anymore after the 3rd Age.
Yes their is in fact Finrod explained exactly why they couldn’t in the silmarilion
Tulcas Vs Tom Bombadil who would win
Bill the Pony.
@@tominiowa2513 Great Answer! 🐎
@@tominiowa2513 what about Bill the pony Vs Durins Bane
It's not technically reincarnation, because in most cases in Tolkien, you return as essentially the same person, it's more resurrection
Alternate title: Reincarnation in Tolkien's Works -- RECTIFYING THE WORLD. Ronald knew what he was doing. 💖
Speaking of reincarnation, what if you, Man of the West, were reincarnated into middle earth, with all your memories intact? Let's say either right before the events of The Hobbit or right before Frodo leaves the shire with the one ring.
Where would you want to wake up at? Would you try and involve yourself in the events of the hobbits or would you merely be content with living in Middle Earth?
Only two men have reincarnated in middle earth. Beren and Colin.
Beren because of luthien's love for him and Colin because no one would delete his browser history....
Oh I thought luthien did too. I gotta read the silmarillion again
Hmmm interesting :)
I thought it was a brilliant added storyline within Lord Of The Rings Online regarding Lendelen. He was Gandalf in a previous form sent to aid the Last Alliance against Sauron. Very good made up content outside the Tolkien bubble. Check it out
100% agree! I’m always fascinated by that story especially after the Silmarillion states Olórin sometimes took the shape of an Elf!
Friends. I've fallen into a train of thought that has saddened me. Perhaps it's silly and if proven so I can hopefully cease this train of thought.
As we know certain super sensitive people have at times attacked the depiction of Tolkien's works for "lacking diversity" (ethnic). Which is b.s. as obviously people are tribal and the stories revolve around certain tribes.
But part of me is heart broken because it's clear to me that this world/universe Tolkien created seems to be mostly of one race. Or at the very least people of much different ethnicity seemingly didn't factor in beyond the few who sided with Sauron. Which seems off since Melkor and Sauron are obviously enemies of all creatures and life itself. It seems off that Sauron/Melkor would only threaten one part of this world and not the whole of it. It seems off that folks from far away lands wouldn't make any effort to help rid the world of this menace, be it Sauron or Melkor.
Tolkien didn't create his works to be "Ethnically Diverse" in fact he never wanted it to be seen that way. Tolkien was trying to create a fairy tale for England. He believed that England did not have a proper fairy tale. Other than the story of King Arthur which isn't necessarily purely British in culture. All the lands did fight against Sauron and Melcor at one point or another. Or they simply sided with the side of evil. There was not one race that didn't get involved in the wars. So I don't really understand why you'd be upset or heartbroken in anyway. If you TH-cam "Interview of JRR Tolkien British Fairytale" you'll see where he discusses the main drive of creating the books was for that reason. Why would it be appropriate to be Ethnically diverse in a culture that is primarily not diverse at the time of the story? You wouldn't say an African story needs more whites would you? So what's the difference?
I am the first to comment
But real talk, I love these videos!
Why didn’t Mandos reincarnated Fingolfin? I mean, didn’t he wounded Morgoth 7 times, and also gave him a limp? Didn’t he lead the rest of the Noldor to Beleriand? He did so much good deeds that changed the world and the fate of the Noldor! Why not him?!
Humans then had best afterlife in Tolkiens universe?
Is there any evidence that Tolkien was inspired by Gnostic beliefs? The composition of the Eru iluvatar, Ainur and Melkor remind me of the Monad, Aeons and Yaltabaolth. I understand Tolkien was a devote Catholic. If true, it's hard to imagine that a devote Catholic would utilize beliefs from a "heretical" sect of Christianity.
It kinda takes away the fear and impact of death in Middle Earth. I'd rather reincarnation be a rarely bestowed gift granted for important tasks or dire situations.
Believe it or the Bible itself speaks of reincarnation of sorts as in the end times during judgment everyone that has ever lived will indeed be reincarnated if you will.
Tolkien was profoundly Catholic so he probably used that as a starting point.
Didn't been and luthien reincarnate? Iirc
Yep! Beren was the only man to do so.
I think it would be more like reanimating because didn’t Beren and Luthien go back to their original bodies?
Thoughts on an Arwen Epic Character History?
Would be a short video since she never does much.
Only the most special, most selfless beings were reincarnated it seems.
Nope. There was for example a quite nasty Elf called Saeros, who died and in Unfinished Tales is said that Mandos kept him in for a long time, but not forever. Feanor is the only one who is specifically said to never been released, but that might be either because of his crimes, or because he refuses to repent and give up his claim for the Silmarils.