Summary
The concept of the underworld represents various realms of the dead, depicted in many ways across different texts and traditions. Terms such as Sheol in Hebrew scripture and Hades or Tartarus in Greek-influenced writings capture distinct yet interconnected views of the afterlife. Sheol typically denotes a shadowy place where all souls descend after death, regardless of moral standing, whereas Hades in New Testament usage similarly suggests a general abode of the dead. Tartarus evokes more specific imagery—a place of punishment reserved for the punishment of fallen angels or unrighteous people