What happened to Elves after they died?
[This updates question V.D.1 of the Tolkien LessFAQ.] A great deal of information on this topic can be found in Morgoth’s Ring (HoMe X). Tolkien’s latest thoughts on the issue can be found in “Note 3” to the “Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth” and in the Appendix to that text. In brief, when Elves died, they were summoned to Mandos. Once the Valar deemed them to be ready, they could (if they wished) be directly re-embodied (with the aid of the Valar) in a body identical to the one they had lost. Tolkien clearly abandoned the idea that the Elves could be re-born as children. “Note 3” says that Elven spirits “could refuse the summons [to Mandos], but this would imply that they were in some way tainted”. Details of such refusals are not given in the text above, but are discussed in an earlier essay: “Laws and Customs among the Eldar”, part of “The Later Quenta Silmarillion (II)” in Morgoth’s Ring. Those who refused “then had little power to resist the counter-summons of Morgoth.” The reason for
[This updates question V.D.1 of the Tolkien LessFAQ.] A great deal of information on this topic can be found in /Morgoth’s Ring/ (HoMe X). Tolkien’s latest thoughts on the issue can be found in “Note 3” to the “Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth” and in the Appendix to that text. In brief, when Elves died, they were summoned to Mandos. Once the Valar deemed them to be ready, they could (if they wished) be directly re-embodied (with the aid of the Valar) in a body identical to the one they had lost. Tolkien clearly abandoned the idea that the Elves could be re-born as children. “Note 3” says that Elven spirits “could refuse the summons [to Mandos], but this would imply that they were in some way tainted”. Details of such refusals are not given in the text above, but are discussed in an earlier essay: “Laws and Customs among the Eldar”, part of “The Later Quenta Silmarillion (II)” in /Morgoth’s Ring/.
