Strider the Ranger is back
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Could you be a little more specific with the question? What part of the passage is confusing you?
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Quite sorry. I was asking about Pippin's comment. What, didn't he recognise Aragorn before that, or did he think Aragorn's mood just reverted to the Strider they met at Bree?
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I think it was that he saw the same attitudes as Strider the Ranger. Pippin saw him more as Strider the Ranger than Aragorn the King. That's how I took it, anyways.
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Well Pippin was introduced to Aragorn as Strider, a ranger of the wild who did not exactly look pleasant because of his experiences. Yet more and more, Pippin saw a side of Aragorn that was more lordly and dignified so when he saw Strider with his legs on the table smoking pipe weed (where the quote comes from) he was reminded of the Strider he first "knew."
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Hmm, did you think then, Nilpaurion, that Pippin actually thought Aragorn was someone else? It was just a lighthearted comment. Aragorn at this point seemed to have reverted from his kinglike image to his old, worn Ranger of Eriador appearance; Strider had indeed returned.
As for North and South, these were the two kingdoms that Aragorn was setting out to reunite. The North-kingdom of old, Arnor, and the South-kingdom of Gondor. He was king of both of them. |
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I understand your point, actually I agree with you, Maéglin but it is kind of weird to say to someone that:" hey, you don't look like a king anymore...you look like a dirty, smelling ranger!" |
As Gandalf said to Pippin, right before they met Denethor,
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Good point, Finwe. I had forgotten about that. Pip probably felt like Strider wasn't acting like himself. He was acting more like a high, important, royal person instead of the Ranger that Pippin knew him as. I don't think he was insulting him, though. If anything, Pippin probably meant it as a compliment, because he felt it was the real, down-to-earth Strider.
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When Pippin saw Aragorn again he saw Strider not the King, he saw Aragorn as a Ranger.
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I imagine that Pippin was a little relieved to see the old "Strider", and perhaps Aragorn was a little relieved to assume that role again - if only for a little while. |
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Mmmmm, perhaps. I always thought of the Thain as more the head of whatever militia the Shire may have had. He kept no standing army, and though his advise may have been sought, he made no laws, nor passed out rulings or punishments on the citizens. And unlike a king, I imagine he spent his share of time down at the local pub.
As for acknowledging the King of Arnor, Hobbits did ask his permission when seeking to establish their own country, but after that you get the feeling they were left to their own devices, at least within their borders. No, Hobbits really don't seem to be much into this whole "King" business, all in all. Even Merry, who loved and admired King Theoden, did so because he just liked Theoden, not because he was a mighty warrior or powerful ruler. |
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It also shows us the heartening thought that Strider has not completely disappeared, and that Aragorn will still retain some of his humble roots. As an aside, I always liked Gandalf the Grey slightly better than Gandalf the White, but he seems to have disappeared even more than Strider has by the end of the story. |
Aragorn had been forced to "grow up," as you will, in a very short period of time. He had to take on numerous responsibilities, that he would never have taken on if he had been back North. Kings are responsible for an entire city, and in a city as big as Minas Tirith, there are thousands of people. Aragorn was probably so caught up in his "duties," that he had no time to spend with his "old friend," Pippin. Besides, Pippin was a member of the Citadel Guard, who were trained to serve and look up to the Steward (and technically, the King). It was Pippin's job to treat Aragorn as "Aragorn," but in that moment, he treated him as "Strider," merely an old friend.
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I think people tend to overlook the fact that hobbit society is pretty stratified, and a small group of leading families dominate the scene: these are essentially the families related to Bilbo as enumerated in the party chapter. The Bagginses are the 'gentry' for Hobbiton, for example. Right at the top are the two very rich and powerful hereditary figures of the Took and Thain and the Brandybuck Master of Buckland (whose family were formerly the Oldbucks, and Thains before the Tooks). Pippin and Merry are the eldest sons and heirs of these figures. They actually are 'princes of the halflings'. Social relations in the Shire are fairly good, but still although the Gamgees, Cottons, Sandymans and the rest may gossip about 'the quality' in the safety of the pub, they are deferential enough to their faces, while Merry and Pippin on their home ground are breezy and confident despite their youth, as their status would encourage.
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This is the second thread of mine revived. Aside from stoking my ego(seeing my name on the Books thread is good for the self), it makes me feel weird. So ignore this post.
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