Middle-Earth Tours

Tour 1: The People of Middle-Earth

Aragorn

image from the
official movie site. 		Suddenly Frodo noticed that a strange-looking weatherbeaten man, sitting in the shadows near the wall, was also listening intently to the hobbit-talk. He had a tall tankard in front of him, and he was smoking a long-stemmed pipe curiously carved. His legs were stretched out before him, showing high boots of supple leather that fitted him well, but had seen much wear and were now caked with mud. A travel-stained cloak of heavy dark-green cloth was drawn close about him, and in spite of the heat of the room he wore a hood that overshadowed his face; but the gleam of his eyes could be seen as he watched the hobbits. --FotR, "At the Sign of the Prancing Pony"

detail of Aragorn, by Ted Nasmith		 What his right name is I've never heard: but he's known round here as Strider. Goes about at a great pace on his long shanks; though he don't tell nobody what cause he has to hurry.' --Barliman Butterbur in FotR, "At the Sign of the Prancing Pony"

pic from the October 2000 Vanity Fair, via ringbearer.org
detail of Aragorn, by Inger Edelfeldt
Fear not!' said a strange voice behind him. Frodo turned and saw Strider, and yet not Strider; for the weatherworn Ranger was no longer there. In the stern sat Aragorn son of Arathorn, proud and erect, guiding the boat with skilful strokes; his hood was cast back, and his dark hair was blowing in the wind, a light was in his eyes: a king returning from exile to his own land. ---FotR, "The Great River"


Then Aragorn said: 'The hour is come at last.... And when all this land is clean of the servants of Sauron, I will hold the oath fulfilled, and ye shall have peace and depart forever. For I am Elessar, Isildur's heir of Gondor.' --trotK, "The Passing of the Grey Company"
detail of Aragorn, by Inger Edelfeldt

Arwen and Aragorn, image from Entertainment Weekly

 Then Aragorn, being now the heir of Isildur, was taken with his mother to dwell in the house of Elrond; and Elrond took the place of his father and came to love him as a son of his own. But he was called "Estel," that is "Hope," and his true name and lineage were kept secret.... --trotK, Appendix A, "The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen"

They were so deep in the doings of the Four Farthings that they did not notice the arrival of a man clad in dark green cloth. For many minutes he stood looking down at them with a smile.
   Suddenly Bilbo looked up. 'Ah, there you are at last, Dunadan!' he cried.
     'Strider!' said Frodo. 'You seem to have a lot of names.'
     'Well, Strider is one I haven't heard before, any way,' said Bilbo. 'What do you call him that for?' --FotR, "Many Meetings"

Echthelion II, son of Turgon, was a man of wisdom.... In much that he did he had the aid and advice of a great captain whom he loved above all. Thorongil men called him in Gondor, the Eagle of the Star, for he was swift and keen-eyed, and wore a silver star upon his cloak; but no one knew his true name nor in what land he was born. He came to Echthelion from Rohan, where he had served the King Thengel, but he was not one of the Rohirrim. He was a great leader of men, by land or by sea, but he departed into the shadows whence he came, before the days of Echthelion were ended. --trotK, Appendix A, "The Stewards"

In that hour I [Legolas] looked on Aragorn and thought how great and terrible a Lord he might have become in the strength of his will, had he taken the Ring to himself. Not for naught does Mordor fear him. But nobler is his spirit than the understanding of Sauron; for is he not of the children of Lúthien? Never shall that line fail, though the years may lengthen beyond count.' --RotK, "The Last Debate"
detail of Aragorn, by Alan Lee
All that is gold does not glitter,/ Not all those who wander are lost; / The old that is strong does not wither,/ Deep roots are not reached by the frost./ From the ashes a fire shall be woken,/ A light from the shadows shall spring;/ Renewed shall be blade that was broken,/ The crownless again shall be king. --FotR, "Strider"
image from theonering.net

The Crowning of Aragorn, by Inger Edelfeldt
detail of Aragorn, by Michael Kaluta
Full-size versions of these pictures are on display at Rolozo Tolkien, the official LotR movie site, and theonering.net.