Rachel Port
Well-Known Member
In the last class, Corey says that Aragorn is not setting out to claim his kingship, but self-sacrificially to die as Elendil died in defeating Sauron. This bothered me. Aragorn is setting out, putting everything including his life on the line to defeat Sauron in order to have the right to the kingship. He's not sacrificing himself, but he has to risk everything to earn his kingship and his bride. Death in battle is always a possibility. Frodo's quest is almost certain to bring death, and is really a self-sacrifice. Aragorn's is not.
I think it's an important difference in understanding Aragorn, but also because we have one (and another possible) heroic but suicidal setting out later. Eowyn is in a deep depression, and so is Faramir, as Gandalf recognizes when he warns Faramir not so seek death. And both come very close to dying. I think that's why I so love the story of their healing each other. I imagine that when Eowyn is brought to Faramir he has just learned the story of Denethor's madness, or learns of it soon after. But that's another story (though I might as well get my two cents in now since I am not likely to be around when we get to it).
I think it's an important difference in understanding Aragorn, but also because we have one (and another possible) heroic but suicidal setting out later. Eowyn is in a deep depression, and so is Faramir, as Gandalf recognizes when he warns Faramir not so seek death. And both come very close to dying. I think that's why I so love the story of their healing each other. I imagine that when Eowyn is brought to Faramir he has just learned the story of Denethor's madness, or learns of it soon after. But that's another story (though I might as well get my two cents in now since I am not likely to be around when we get to it).