Hi Lalaeth, thanks for coming on board and please feel free to play devil's advocate all you want. With me at the helm there's a real danger this LJ could become some sort of Aragorn 'love-in site' so some other points of view are most welcome! However you might need to learn to duck quickly to avoid all those flying tomatoes LOL!
'Free will' is very important in Tolkien's world and both Aragorn and Denethor had plenty of scope to exercise it. Aragorn had lots of choices. He could easily have taken the ring and justified it to himself when he saw how irresponsibily the hobbits behaved in Bree. But he didn't; he trusted Gandalf's judgement. When he finally made it to Minas Tirith, he could have taken the crown there and then and tried to ride out the storm like Denethor did. But he didn't. He chose to ride to the Black Gate. It was the sensible option for Middle-earth as a whole but an extremely self sacrificing one for those who actually went.
As to Denethor, he undoubtly had more than his share of problems. Losing his wife so young and then his eldest son, as well as living with Sauron on his doorstep for most of his life would indeed be challenging for anyone. But as Aragorn pointed out to Boromir at the Council of Elrond, the fight against Mordor was not Gondor's alone. Aragorn too had fought Sauron all his life and without any of the status or physical luxuries that Denethor as Steward had enjoyed. He spent decades ensuring the scorn and derision of people like Bill Ferny. For a man born to be a king, how hard was that? And all the while denied what must men take for granted; the right to marry the woman he loved.If anyone could become bitter over the hand dealt to him it would be Aragorn. But he didn't. He kept hope in his heart and he retained his humanity throughout.
Gosh, I have gone on rather. Now I've probably put you off posting here ever again!
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branchandroot
(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-15 07:18 pm (UTC)'Free will' is very important in Tolkien's world and both Aragorn and Denethor had plenty of scope to exercise it. Aragorn had lots of choices. He could easily have taken the ring and justified it to himself when he saw how irresponsibily the hobbits behaved in Bree. But he didn't; he trusted Gandalf's judgement. When he finally made it to Minas Tirith, he could have taken the crown there and then and tried to ride out the storm like Denethor did. But he didn't. He chose to ride to the Black Gate. It was the sensible option for Middle-earth as a whole but an extremely self sacrificing one for those who actually went.
As to Denethor, he undoubtly had more than his share of problems. Losing his wife so young and then his eldest son, as well as living with Sauron on his doorstep for most of his life would indeed be challenging for anyone. But as Aragorn pointed out to Boromir at the Council of Elrond, the fight against Mordor was not Gondor's alone. Aragorn too had fought Sauron all his life and without any of the status or physical luxuries that Denethor as Steward had enjoyed. He spent decades ensuring the scorn and derision of people like Bill Ferny. For a man born to be a king, how hard was that? And all the while denied what must men take for granted; the right to marry the woman he loved.If anyone could become bitter over the hand dealt to him it would be Aragorn. But he didn't. He kept hope in his heart and he retained his humanity throughout.
Gosh, I have gone on rather. Now I've probably put you off posting here ever again!