Aragorn

Aragorn II, later crowned King Elessar, (T.A. 2931 - F.A. 120) is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy universe of Middle-earth.

Related Topics:
T.A. - F.A. - Fictional character - J. R. R. Tolkien's - Fantasy - Middle-earth

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Aragorn was born on March 1, in 2931 of the Third Age, as the son of Arathorn II and his wife Gilraen. Aragorn is a direct descendant of the elder son of Elendil, Isildur (he is Isildur's great x 37 grandson). Elendil founded the kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor in Middle-earth after his homeland of Númenor was destroyed in S.A. 3319. Aragorn is named after his ancestor, Aragorn I.

Related Topics:
Third Age - Arathorn II - Gilraen - Elendil - Isildur - Gondor - Arnor - Middle-earth - Númenor - Aragorn I

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Through his ancestor Elendil, Aragorn is a descendant of Elros Tar-Minyatur, Elrond's brother and the first king of Númenor.

Related Topics:
Elendil - Elros Tar-Minyatur

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While Aragorn was still an infant, his father was slain hunting Orcs. Like many of his ancestors, Aragorn was fostered in Rivendell by the elf-lord Elrond. At the request of his mother, his identity was kept secret, as she feared he would be slain like his father and grandfather if his true identity as the Heir of Isildur became known. Aragorn was named Estel (Sindarin for "Hope") instead, and was not told about his heritage until he came of age in 2951.

Related Topics:
Orc - Rivendell - Elrond - Sindarin

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At that time Elrond revealed to "Estel" his true name and ancestry, and delivered to him the shards of Narsil. It was also around this time that, in the woods of Imladris (the Elvish name of Rivendell), Aragorn met and fell in love with Arwen, daughter of Elrond, who had newly returned from her mother's homeland of Lórien.

Related Topics:
Narsil - Elvish - Rivendell - Arwen - Lórien

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From then on, Aragorn assumed his proper role as sixteenth of the Chieftains of the Dúnedain of the North, and went into the Wild, where dwelt the remnants of his people, whose kingdom had been destroyed through civil and regional wars centuries before.

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In 2953 he was not present in Rivendell for the last meeting of the White Council. Aragorn met Gandalf the Grey in 2956, and they became great friends. At Gandalf's advice he and his followers began to guard a small land known as the Shire, inhabited by the diminutive and agrarian hobbits, and he became known among the peoples just outside the Shire's borders as Strider.

Related Topics:
White Council - Gandalf - The Shire

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From 2957–2980 Aragorn took great journeys, serving in the armies of King Thengel of Rohan, and Steward Ecthelion II of Gondor. Many of his tasks weakened Sauron and his allies, which during the War of the Ring helped the West survive. His name in Gondor and Rohan was Thorongil (Eagle of the Star), and with a Gondorian attack force he led an assault on the long-standing rebel province of Umbar in 2980, taking the city and slaying its lord. Later in 2980 he visited Lórien, and there once again met Arwen. He gave her the heirloom of his House, the Ring of Barahir, and Arwen pledged her hand to him in marriage, renouncing her elvish lineage and accepting the Doom of Men-- death.

Related Topics:
Thengel - Rohan - Ecthelion II - Gondor - Sauron - War of the Ring - Umbar - Lórien - Ring of Barahir

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Elrond withheld from his foster-son permission to marry his daughter until such time as Aragorn should be king of both Gondor and Arnor. This seemingly harsh condition should be judged both in light of its most similar precedent-- the elf-lord Thingol's request that the mortal Beren wrest a Silmaril from the Dark Lord Morgoth before marrying Thingol's daughter Lúthien--and of Elrond's (and Aragorn's) knowledge that to marry a mortal his daughter would be required to herself choose mortality, and thus deprive the deathless and wifeless Elrond (Celebrian his wife suffered an injury by an orc raid and was healed by Elrond in body but she departed over the sea) of his greatest remaining love. Elrond was also concerned for Arwen's own happiness, fearing correctly that in the end she might find death, both her own and that of her beloved, difficult to bear.

Related Topics:
Arnor - Thingol - Beren - Silmaril - Lúthien

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In 3009 Aragorn went at Gandalf's request into Rhovanion in search of Gollum, and he finally caught the creature in the Dead Marshes in sight of Mordor, and brought him as a captive Thranduil's halls in Mirkwood, where Aragorn questioned him.

Related Topics:
Rhovanion - Gollum - Dead Marshes - Mordor - Thranduil - Mirkwood

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On September 30, 3018, Aragorn was waiting in the Inn of the Prancing Pony in Bree, near the northeastern borders of the Shire, where he introduced himself to Frodo Baggins, and began his role in the War of the Ring. Aragorn was aged 87 at that time--nearing the prime of life for one of royal Númenórean descent.

Related Topics:
Inn of the Prancing Pony - Bree - Frodo Baggins - Númenórean

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The restoration of the line of Elendil to the throne of Gondor is a major subplot of The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's adventures not only aid Frodo in his Quest, but also bring him closer to his own kingship-- a kingship which, although his by lineage, has due to historical and legal circumstances been left open for centuries, with the people of Gondor under the rule of Stewards, while it was widely doubted whether any of the royal line still lived. Aragorn overcame all doubts as to his legitimacy by his accomplishments during the War of the Ring, as well as by his gracious and noble character, which during the last weeks of the war won over the most important figures in Gondor, including the last ruling Steward, Faramir.

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Aragorn was the founder of the West's endgame strategy in the War of the Ring. Prior to the downfall of Isengard there was no clear plan which recommended itself to Gondor and Rohan, but when Aragorn recovered the Palantir of Orthanc, a stone which allowed direct communication with Sauron, he determined to show himself as the Heir of Isildur, and in doing so fooled Sauron into believing that Aragorn possessed the One Ring of Power. Following up on this ruse became the basic policy of Gandalf, who took over Gondor's military command after the incapacitation of the Steward Denethor.

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Aragorn's unexpected arrival at the Battle of Pelennor Fields leading Gondor's Southern Army turned the tide of the battle and brought about the decisive victory over Mordor's armies.

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Essential to his personal popularity in Gondor were Aragorn's abilities as a healer, which he exercised most notably on the evening following the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. Aragorn's healing of the Steward Faramir, who had been expected to die, won him the immediate recognition of the Steward as the rightful heir to the throne, and his humility and self-sacrifice gained him the hearts of the inhabitants of Gondor's capital city.

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In order to ensure safe passage across Mordor for Frodo to fulfill his quest, Aragorn then led the Army of the West out from Minas Tirith to make a diversionary feint on the Black Gate of Mordor itself in the Battle of the Morannon. On the occassion he deferred to Gandalf, who served as the spokesman for the Host of the West. Aragorn's combat contributions to the battle, while undoubtedly great, were inevitably overshadowed by the destruction of the Ring, the fall of Barad-dur, and the rescue mission mounted by Gandalf to find the Ring-bearer.

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Upon Sauron's defeat, in late 3019 T.A., Aragorn was crowned as King Elessar (Quenya, translated as Elfstone), a name given to him by Galadriel. He married Arwen Undómiel shortly afterwards, and ruled the Reunited Kingdom of Gondor and Arnor until year 120 of the Fourth Age (TA 3141). His reign was marked by great harmony and prosperity within Gondor and Arnor, and by a great renewal cooperation and communications between men, elves, and dwarves, both of which were fostered by his vigorous rebuilding campaign following the war. He died after 210 years of life and 122 years of reign. He was succeeded on the throne by his son Eldarion. His wife Arwen, gravely saddened by the loss of her husband, gave up her now-mortal life shortly afterwards in year 121, aged 2,901. He and Arwen also had a number of daughters, whose names are not included in Tolkien's legendarium.

Related Topics:
Sauron - Quenya - Galadriel - Reunited Kingdom - Fourth Age

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Aragorn is also known as the Dúnadan ("Man of the West"), Strider, Elessar Telcontar ("Elfstone Strider"), Longshanks, Thorongil, Wingfoot (given by Éomer), and Estel ("Hope") He was the founder of the House of Telcontar (or "Strider," after the mistrustful nickname given him by the rustics of the north), which ruled Gondor well into the Fourth Age of Middle-Earth.

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In The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy (2001-2003) by Peter Jackson, Aragorn is played by US actor Viggo Mortensen. Instead of explaining the complicated circumstances of an heir of Isildur taking the throne in Gondor (see the article on Pelendur for an example), in the movie Aragorn must overcome his self-doubt to choose the kingship, a cinematic element that adds appeal to the modern audience. In the books, however, there is no doubt as to his purposes of returning as the king.

Related Topics:
''The Lord of the Rings'' movie trilogy - 2001 - 2003 - Peter Jackson - Viggo Mortensen - Gondor - Pelendur

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Aragorn was voiced by John Hurt in the 1978 animated film version and by Robert Stephens in the 1981 BBC Radio serialisation.

Related Topics:
John Hurt - 1978 - Animated film version - Robert Stephens - 1981 - BBC Radio - Serialisation

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