10-06-2001, 06:37 AM | #1 |
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aragorn's broken blade
wouldn't it have been better for aragorn to leave the shards of is blade in imladris?
and carry a real sword with him his dad and grand dad where killed in the wilds. When did he start carrying it around ? he HAD to use other blades when he was younger in the guise of thorongil
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About Eowyn, Does anyone know what her alias Dernhelm means? She was kown as dernhelm because of her exclaimation when she realized that the rider's headgear was heavy and obscured her sight. 'Dern Helm" Culled from Entmoot From Kirinski 57 and Wayfarer. |
10-06-2001, 12:59 PM | #2 |
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He was given Narsil the day Elrond told him who he really was. I guess him having possesion of the sword was a symbol of him and his heritige, even if was supposed to be secret.
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10-06-2001, 02:24 PM | #3 |
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In some respects, yes, it seems a tad ridiculous to carry an old broken blade wherever you go. On the other hand, it was a precious heirloom and his carrying it had a lot of significance, marking him as the heir of Elendil and Isildur.
I'm not sure what he actually fought with. You're right, he must have had some kind of weapon, either another sword or a bow and arrow, when he was tramping around and killing evil things as a Ranger. If he had another weapon when he met the hobbits, Tolkien failed to mention it. If I remember correctly, Peter Jackson & Co agree with you, and in the movie Aragorn will be carrying around a normal sword until he reaches Rivendell.
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10-06-2001, 02:30 PM | #4 |
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Even if you break a sword in two, you can still use it. In fact, it will be sharper though a tad shorter
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10-06-2001, 05:17 PM | #5 |
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There is a logical explanation as to why Aragorn would be carrying around a broken sword, but I have forgotten it. He certainly managed well enough without a whole one, didn't he?
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10-06-2001, 05:38 PM | #6 |
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When you recall the reason PLEASE post it.
That bugged has me for awhile. when he was traisping around as thorongil. wouldn't denethor and his father( or anyone ) be a little curious as to why he was carrying a broken blade? that is of course IF he carried ALL the time and not just before LOTR
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About Eowyn, Does anyone know what her alias Dernhelm means? She was kown as dernhelm because of her exclaimation when she realized that the rider's headgear was heavy and obscured her sight. 'Dern Helm" Culled from Entmoot From Kirinski 57 and Wayfarer. Last edited by afro-elf : 10-06-2001 at 05:43 PM. |
10-09-2001, 11:10 PM | #7 |
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The Broken Blade
Was proof that He was Aragorn.
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05-22-2002, 02:48 PM | #8 |
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My interpretation here from when I first read the books, whick was in 1976, but my mind's eye has always held to this. narsil was broken and was somewhat shorter than the full sword. If the first several inches is broken it is still quite a formidable weapon. Also, it would only be known to be broken when unsheathed, and when he offered his sword in allegence to the King of Rohan and th Steward of Gondor, questions may have mcome to him, but I could see them turned aside eloquently by Aragorn. Also, a broken and notched sword (Boromir's showed much use) was a sign of being a good warrior.
One needs to forget the image of Narsil of the PJ movie.
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05-22-2002, 05:30 PM | #9 |
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well the most easily explained reason was that he thought the sword so precious and valuable that he could not just leave it in imladris and depart from it. what else is kinda weird is he sets off intot he wild with th e sword the same year sauron openly declared himself in mordor (2951 TA)
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05-22-2002, 09:41 PM | #10 |
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I read somewhere that he only ocasionally carried Narsil. He needed to show the hobbits ptoof he was Aragorn.
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02-14-2003, 03:12 PM | #11 | ||
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Quote:
Quote:
I assume Aragorn would have carried the shards around as soon as he took ownership of them. Last edited by Andúril : 02-15-2003 at 01:13 PM. |
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02-14-2003, 09:20 PM | #12 |
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Aragorn's sword was given not only as an heirloom, but also because it was reforged, which means it could be used again.
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02-14-2003, 10:58 PM | #13 | |
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'Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien. Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-metta!' - And those were the words that Elendil spoke when he came up out of the Sea on the wings of the wind: 'Out of the Great Sea to Middle-earth I am come. In this place will I abide, and my heirs, unto the ending of the world.' 'Then Tuor arrayed himself in the hauberk, and set the helm upon his head, and he girt himself with the sword; black were sheath and belt with clasps of silver. Thus armed he went forth from Turgon's hall, and stood upon the high terraces of Taras in the red light of the sun. None were there to see him, as he gazed westward, gleaming in silver and gold, and he knew not that in that hour he appeared as one of the Mighty of the West, and fit to be father of the kings of the Kings of Men beyond the Sea, as it was indeed his doom to be; but in the taking of those arms a change came upon Tuor son of Huor, and his heart grew great within him. And as he stepped down from the doors the swans did him reverence, and plucking each a great feather from their wings they proffered them to him, laying their long necks upon the stone before his feet; and he took the seven feathers and set them in the crest of his helm, and straightway the swans arose and flew north in the sunset, and Tuor saw them no more.' -Of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin "Oh. Forgive me, fairest of all males of Entmoot...Back down, all ye other wannabe fairest males! Dunedain is the fairest!" --Linaewen |
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06-21-2007, 07:04 AM | #14 |
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True, true. It only makes logical sense.
EDIT: This thread contains my first post!
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06-21-2007, 09:41 AM | #15 |
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Yes, but those damn movie script writers moved the forging of the sword into the third movie. Bugger! But. Since the sword was broken it needed less space, and I think that Aragorn used another sword for fighting and carried Narsil as a reminder and as a light in darkness, to avoid forgetting his heritage and fate. Even though Narsil was a sword of great length, broken, it hardly needed anymore space than a long knife. By the way, if you notice some grammar mistakes in my posts, please make me know, for I wish to even further improve my English.
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06-21-2007, 09:48 AM | #16 | |
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No, no mistake at all. Very well put, actually.
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06-21-2007, 10:06 AM | #17 | |
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06-21-2007, 02:52 PM | #18 | |
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IIRC, the sword is described as being broken near the tip (or end) of the sword. (I do not remember where, but I think it took place in the Chapter on Strider at the Prancing Pony.) I have envisioned this as a sword missing only the last 10-12 inches (25.4-30.48cm) of its blade. The sword still has a usable length of about 3ft (1m) in length. This is sufficient for orc necks.
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06-21-2007, 03:16 PM | #19 |
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But in FOTR (book) Aragorn says to Sam "not much use, is it Sam? But the time is near when it shall be forged anew."
mithrand1r: the blade is described as being broken a foot below the hilt, not a foot from the tip, which wouldn't give Aragorn a sword of any length to fight with. He might have had another sword to fight with, but was carrying Narsil as proof to the hobbits of who he was and also as a reminder that the shards would soon be forged again and he would have to assume all the burdens that that entailed.
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06-21-2007, 03:26 PM | #20 |
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Thank you all. You're awesome.
I am now convinced more than ever that I need to re-read the books.
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