Viggo Mortensen – Aragorn

‘What is Aragorn like?’ Viggo Mortensen asks rhetorically, ‘He is someone who is self-reliant and a little reclusive.’ It is tempting to see parallels between the player and the role: Mortensen is perfectly content to spend days with just his own company and admits to being happier among trees than around people.
Born in Manhattan, New York, Mortensen’s family travelled extensively, living in Venezuela, Argentina and Denmark (his father is Danish) so that, by early age, he and his two brothers had developed a knack for adapting to new and different surroundings. He feels a particular affinity, therefore, with the character of Aragorn, who in the book, is first encountered in the guise of a wandering Ranger known as ‘Strider’.
Mortensen’s role in ‘The Lord of the Rings Trilogy’ is complex and demanding: when Frodo first meets him at the Prancing Pony Inn at Bree, he is mysterious, seemingly sinister figure who seems to know an alarming amount about Mr Baggins and the mission that is taking him out of the Shire. As the story unfolds, however, ‘Strider’ is revealed to be Aragorn II, the uncrowned King of the race of men in Middle-earth. The fate of the Ring-bearer, it becomes clear, is inextricably linked to Aragorn’s own destiny.
The actor has indicted that he identifies easily with characters who find themselves set apart from those around them as Aragorn does. However, in a career spanning more than thirty films, Mortensen has played a wide range of roles, from the romantic suitors of Nicola Kidman in ‘Portrait of a lady’ and Diana Lane in ‘A Walk on the Moon’, to an assortment of villains and hard men. Early performances by Mortensen in films by Jonathan Demme and Woody Allen ended up on the cutting floor, but his eventual debut in Peter Weir’ ‘Witness’ created an immediate awareness of his talent and, over the ensuing years, he came to be seen in such diverse films as ‘The Indian Runner’, ‘Boiling Point’, ‘The Prophecy’ ,’Carlito’s Way’, ‘G.I.Jane’, ‘A Perfect Murder’ and ‘Psycho’.
Although few cinema audiences would be aware of the fact, all the painting and photoscarely suprising that the actor is now frequently referred to as a Renaissance Man, since not only is he a painter, but also a published poet, whose multimedia books and CDs include ‘Ten Last Night Recent Forgeries’ and ‘The Other Parade’.
Viggo Mortensen approached the role of Aragorn both as an actor who responds to physical challenges, welcoming the opportunity to do his own riding and fighting, and as a poet, reacting the symbolism in Tolkien’s myth: ‘Aragorn is deeply aware of the burden of his heritage and he carries the knowledge that, all too soon, he will have to reveal his true self in order to play his part in the fight against Sauron. That burden, that knowledge is what shapes and colours his perceptions.’

Aliases: Elfstone, Strider, Longshanks, Wingfoot, Elessar, Thorongil, Estel, Telcontar, The Dunedan, the Renewer, Isildur's Heir
Date of Birth: TA 2931
Race: Man of Gondor, of Isildur's Line
Height: Tall
Date of Death: FO 120
Alignment: Good
Parents: Arathorn, Gilraen
Spouse: Arwen Evenstar
Date of Marriage: TA 3019
Children: Eldarion, and several daughters

He led the Fellowship after Gandalf's fall into Moria as far as Parth Galen. Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas then turned toward Isengard in pursuit of the band of orcs that had captured Merry and Pippin. After meeting up with Gandalf again, seeing the destruction of Isengard, and finding Merry and Pippin safe, Aragorn then made for the Paths of the Dead because of what he saw in the Palantir. Once he emerged from the Paths of the Dead, he arrived in Gondor with a large army of men, and turned the tide of the battle of the Pellennor Fields. Soon after, He was Captain of the Army of the West, which rode forth to challenge Sauron. After the War of the Ring, Aragorn was crowned king of the reunited kingdom, and wed Arwen Evenstar. During his reign, he restored peace to the land, and extended its borders. Aragorn met and instantly fell in love with Arwen when he was twenty years old, but Elrond would not permit a wedding until he had reclaimed his throne.

The riddle of Strider
"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 the blade that was broken, The crownless again shall be king. "

"Aragorn is the heir of Isuldur and heir to the Throne of Gondor. Aragorn meets Frodo and the Hobbits under the identity of Strider, a ranger that looks everything besides a King. Gandalf knows his descent, however, and knows the large role he must play in the War of the Ring. Aragorn was raised in Rivendell where he met and fell in love with Arwen Evenstar, the daughter of Elrond. It was also in Rivendell that the Isuldur's sword that was broken, was forged again and Aragorn gave it the name of Anduril, the Flame of the West. It was Aragorn that walked the Paths of the Dead and with the Army he gathered there he conquered the Corsairs and played a crucial role in the victory of Minas Tirith. After the War of the Ring, Aragorn claimed his Throne of Gondor and became King. He married Arwen and lived a long life untill he died in 120 F.O. Soon after Arwen also died in Lorien."

Aragorn threw back his cloak. The elven-sheath glittered as he grasped it, and the bright blade of Anduril shone like a sudden flame as he swept it out. 'Elendil!' he cried. 'I am Aragorn son of Arathorn, and am called Elessar, the Elfstone, Dunadan, the heir of Isildur Elendil's son of Gondor. Here is the Sword that was Broken and is reforged again! Will you aid me or thwart me? Choose swiftly!

One of the most mysterious and enthralling characters in The Lord of the Rings is Aragorn. This tall, rugged man with the piercing blue eyes a gentle if frightening constitution is the heir of Gondor and the single human to remain faithful to the Fellowship and the Quest to destroy the One Ring.


Aragorn is the rightful heir of Gondor, a direct descendent of Isildur, although he spent most of his childhood and younger years in Rivendell under the tutelage and guidance of Elrond. His true name and inheritance was kept from him until his twentieth year in order to protect the child from the enemies of Gondor. When his coming of age had passed, he was given the Narsil blade that Isildur had used to cut the Ring from Sauron's hand in the battle of the Last Alliance.


About this time he also met Arwen, Elrond's daughter, and fell in love with her beauty, but their romance did not fully blossom until some time later, when they were reunited in Lothlórien after nearly thirty years. During that interlude of time, Aragorn had become a wandering Ranger of the West and a friend of Gandalf the Gray. Arwen pledged herself to him, leaving her immortal life, and Elrond was approached for permission for their marriage. But he would not give it unless Aragorn claimed his full inheritance and became a King of Gondor.


Thus Aragorn returned to the wilds, biding his time and awaiting patiently the day when he could claim his rightful inheritance. It was during this time that Gandalf approached him in alliance with capturing Gollum. Aragorn tracked the creature for many weeks until at last he was found and questioned; he was then sent to Bree to meet Frodo and guide him to Rivendell. With his intense knowledge of Middle Earth's terrain, he was able to shield and protect the halflings from the Ringwraiths until a near-fatal attack at Weathertop.


At Rivendell he participated in the Council of Elrond and was chosen to accompany the Fellowship in their Quest. After Gandalf's death in the Mines of Moria, Aragorn became the natural leader of the Fellowship and lead them to the safety of Lothlórien. At Amon Hen, he chose to pursue the Orcs who had kidnapped Merry and Pippin rather than follow Sam and Frodo toward Mordor.


Lingering Thoughts:

It would be virtually impossible not to consider Aragorn one of the three central Christ-figures of Middle Earth. Everything about him -- right down to the actor's looks -- is reminiscent of a spiritual viewpoint of Christ. Our first introduction to him is of a man quiet and withdrawn, not drawing attention to himself. And yet this man is a king in disguise, just as Jesus was in his time on earth.


To the natural eye, Aragorn is nothing out of the ordinary; he does not look like a King. Nor did the humble Savior that came to earth to die on the cross for our sins. Jesus was like Aragorn... to any normal person, He was merely one of the crowd. There was nothing extraordinary about his looks or his bearing; he did not carry himself with great dignity and pompous self-exaltation. He was overlooked until He chose not to be.


By nature, Aragorn is a natural leader, both fearless and committed. There is a feeling of security that he brings to the Fellowship, of protection; but also that sense of mysterious wonder. Later, when Frodo is asked why they should trust "Strider," the hobbit replies that he does not know, but that there is something trustworthy about him.


The Fellowship follow him unquestioningly, even Boromir, who relinquishes his position immediately without protest despite the possible reservations between them. Even as Aragorn sits at the corner table in Bree, there is a hint of majesty to him, the promise of the future. And his story will continue as the one-day ruler of Middle Earth.


Things to Watch For:

Naturally the most obvious parallel seen in Aragorn is his mysterious presence in Bree. Although there radiates from him almost a sinister quality, there is also something of the trustworthy in the carved face and shrewd voice. Notice how, too, he leaps into the fray at Weathertop to save Frodo's life, oblivious to his own fate. Yet when his medicine cannot save Frodo, he relinquishes the hobbit into Arwen's capable hands.


In Rivendell he is respectful at the Council and asks that Legolas quiet his defense of Aragorn's position. He shows both humility in his title and quiet acceptance to his lot in life; yet he has a foreseen determination to have what is rightfully his own. At times Aragorn is uncertain of himself and his own powers of restraint where the Ring is concerned, but Arwen's reassurances help him to choose the right when he is tempted by Frodo.


He is fully prepared to protect the Quest should Boromir turn on them. Pay close heed to the conflict in the Misty Mountains when he demands that the Ring be returned to Frodo. Notice how Aragorn's hand is on his sword just in case Boromir refuses. And yet note the tenderness in which he bids Boromir farewell at his death. A respectful, empathetic moment between fellow mortals. He is willing to overlook Boromir's past sins for the more prominent concerns.


Memorable Quotes:

[to Frodo] "Are you frightened? Not nearly frightened enough! I know what hunts you."

[to Pippin] "He is passing into the shadow. He will soon become a Wraith like them."

[to Boromir] "You cannot wield it. No one can. The Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master."

[to Frodo] "I would have gone with you to the very end, into the fires of Mordor."