The White Council

Re: Was Elrond being arrogant?

Tolkien and Inklings Discussion

I believe Aragorn was at least equally if not more committed than anyone to the main purpose of the people of the west - the overthrow of Sauron. The rest, i.e. being allowed Arwen as a wife and regaining the kingship of Gondor and Arnor for his line, were mere consquences of the victory over Sauron. Highly desirable consequences for sure, but still only that.

Around "The Breaking of the Fellowship" Aragorn speak of whom would go to Mordor (I think this is while Frodo is wandering on his own being trailed by Boromir) and he says that if anyone is to go into Mordor then it should be Frodo (obviously), Sam (cause no one could stop him really), Gimli and himself. He must have known that even a small company like that had little or no chance of slipping into Mordor, yet he was willing to risk it all in order to get the job done.

Aragorn says to Eowyn in Dunharrow something along the lines of - "If I were to take me where my heart desires, then I would be wandering the fair valley of Rivendell' - or something like that, just before he embarks on possibly the most dangerous road he had ever taken (short of things like Moria), the Paths of the Dead, and whats more he risks his entire company and friends as well. All to ensure that the forces of Sauron coming from the South are defeated.

Elrond may have been arrogant, but I believe it was more that with such a restriction Aragorn could then focus more fully on becoming the man he needed to become in order to play his part in the overthrow of Mordor and its Dark Lord. As soon as Elrond refused his daughter to anyone short of King of both Gondor and Arnor, Aragorn was off, into the Wilds, making contacts - Gandalf - traning, hunting, riding with the Rohirrim, serving Gondor, travelling to Harad and learning as much of Middle-earth and its inhabitants as he could so that when the *&^% hit the fan he was as prepared as was possible for the great tasks ahead.

As well as all that, as has already been said, Elrond was simply being a concerned father. Aragorn and Arwen loved each other, for sure. But what would be the point for this love to develope too far, if at the end of the day, Aragorn had NOT done the necessaries to become the man he did become and therefore fail in his task. Aragorn would be dead for not having become as great as he did, Arwen would be heart broken, all the Eldar would have had to flee Middle-earth and Sauron would have conqured the entire land.

Not much of a choice really. Of course Elrond's words did not overthrow Sauron, but it allowed Aragorn to focus on the important issues that would get him his prize at the end of the day!

Cheers

Padster