Feanor, even as he lay dying, made his sons keep their oath re the Silmarils. So he learned nothing. Did he still get to go to the Halls of Mandos? Did every elf get to go? Even the “bad” ones like Feanor and Eol?
Yes, Fëanor did go to the Halls of Mandos and he will probably remain there until the end times.
From War of the Jewels:
Fëanor’s spirit remained in the Halls of Mandos and would never be reincarnated in Arda . It is said that he will return for Dagor Dagorath, and will finally reclaim his beloved Silmarils and break them so Yavanna can use their light to restore the Two Trees.
Oh, I’ve never read that. Thank you! Answered in one!
Fëanor’s mother Míriel also remains in the Halls, she was so exhausted given birth to him, that she never recovered, not even in the Halls. Fëanor was easily the most powerful in all ways of the Children of Ilúvatar. If I recall correctly, he was able to put fear in Morgoth himself when Morgoth tried to intimidate him. This was the Morgoth that was not yet wounded by Ungoliant. Though it was his less powerful half-brother Fingolfin that fought him for hours in Middle-Earth and wounded Morgoth 7 times.
Speaking of the Halls of Mandos and returning. Glorfindel died slaying a Balrog at the Fall of Gondolin in the First Age. His sacrifice allowed Tuor, Idril & Eärendil and many others to escape. He was rebodied probably in the second age and was sent back to Middle-Earth on a mission much like the 5 Wizards to help the Free People of Middle-Earth.
Interesting Tolkien Gateway summary of info from Morgoth’s Ring regarding Miriel:
" After the deaths of Finwë and Fëanor, the former couple were reunited in the Halls of Mandos. Meeting Finwë again, Míriel felt lightened from her sadness and released of her reluctant will. She spoke to him through thought, apologizing of her errors and promising to weave a tapestry about his people and children. Seeing that Míriel wished to come back to life, Finwë asked Vairë to allow it, while he would remain in the Halls of Mandos till the end of Arda with his son Fëanor. Mandos accepted this, and Míriel’s spirit was released and went to her body in Lórien. Then she awoke again like from a dream, and was refreshed.
However, she was still sad and did not wish to come back with her people, so she went to the House of Vairë, being the only living creature to live there. She became the handmaid of Vairë, and fulfilled her promise, weaving historical webs telling the deeds of the Noldor."
That is one I didn’t recall. Thank you.
De nada. I seem to remember reading something recently about Miriel and her return to a body, so it may have also been mentioned in The Nature of Middle Earth.
Sooo…The Halls of Mandos are just another place to chill and hangout? Being filled with dead people I kinda expected they were, you know, dead. Suspended animation at best as a spirit.
I didn’t think you got to still “live” and reunite and be less sad. Seems weird to me. Is that canon?
Yes. The Elvish Fëa (spirit) persists within Arda (the world as created by Eru, JRRT’s name for God), after the hröa (body) is destroyed. Doesn’t mean they’re partying or socializing with each other. They get to meditate on their lives and mistakes etc. Truly repentant ones may get a new body (and JRRT wrote TONS of stuff on this process, quite often in very contradictory ways).
Meanwhile, Humankind’s spirit leaves Arda once their body is destroyed, after a brief stop in the Halls of Mandos.