Fëa and hröa

In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, fëa and hröa are words for "soul" (or "spirit") and "body". The plural form of "fëa" is "fëar" (pronounced [IPA|ˈfɛ.ar] ) and the plural form of "hröa" is "hröar" (pronounced [IPA|ˈɹ̥.ar] ). (The words are also spelt "fea" and "hroa" because the spellings "ëa", "öa", where they occur, are only meant to remind people used to English orthography that the two vowels should not be drawn together as in English "sea" or "load")

The "Children of Ilúvatar" (Elves and Men) are described as existing as two parts: they have a "spirit" or "soul" called fëa, and a body or hröa which is made out of the matter of Arda ("erma"); for this reason "hröar" are Marred (or, using another expression by Tolkien himself, contain a "Melkor ingredient" [X:400] ), and this explain also why it was easier for Melkor and his servants to seduce Men rather than Elves, because mannish "fëar" have much less control of their "hröar" [X:334] . According to the Elves, the "fëa" is powerless without the "hröa", and likewise the "hröa" would die without the "fëa".

The Elves' fate is to live as long as Arda exists; they are bound to the world and cannot leave it. Unlike Men, Elves do not die of disease or of old age. However, Elves may be slain or lose the will to live, for instance because of grief. When an Elf dies, the "fëa" leaves the "hröa", which then "dies". The "fëa" is summoned to the Halls of Mandos, where it is judged; however as with death their free-will is not taken away, they could refuse the summons [X:339] . If allowed by Mandos, the "fëa" may be re-embodied into a new body that is identical to the previous "hröa" (in earlier versions of the "legendarium" it may also re-enter the incarnate world through child-birth. [X:361-366 ; Tolkien abandoned this conception in the '50s] ).

Glorfindel died in battle during the First Age, and is the only Elf known to have returned to Middle-earth (probably around 1600 Second Age). This was remarkable not only because Elves after their re-embodiment were unlikely to leave Aman and return to Middle-earth, but also because he was a Noldo under the Doom and Ban of Mandos. [XII:377-382] .

A "fëa" may decide to stay in the Halls of Mandos, or it may be denied re-embodiment. This would normally only occur if it had done much evil (or those Noldor under the Doom of Mandos). In such a case the "fëa" might have to wait very long or might never be allowed to leave Mandos. One example of such an elf is the Noldorin leader Fëanor (whose name, incidentally, means "fire-"fëa").

The situation of Men is different: a Mannish "fëa" is only a visitor to Arda, and when the "hröa" dies, the "fëa", after a brief stay in Mandos, leaves Arda completely. Originally men could

surrender themselves: die of free will, and even of desire, in "estel" [X:341. "Estel" is a kind of hope, the "trust in Eru."]

but Melkor made Men fear death, instead of accept with joy the Gift of Eru. Men able to surrender themselves were the Númenóreans in their first centuries, and Aragorn.

For this reason it is said the Fates of Men and Elves are sundered. The choice of the Half-elven is one of the "fëa", not of the "hröa". Lúthien is the only known elf to have been permitted to share the Fate of Men, and so her "fëa" passed out of Arda and was lost to her kin (together with her lover Beren, the only known Man to have been permitted to be re-embodied and return to Middle-earth for a while).

Not only the Children of Ilúvatar possessed "fëar": they were also granted to the Ents and some animals, such as Huan the Hound and perhaps also the great Eagles. When Ilúvatar adopted Aulë's children, the Dwarves, he granted them, too, "fëar" of their own.

ee also

* Elf (Middle-earth)

References