Aragorn's changed character

[Gwaihir the Windlord]

The film was actually quite a marvel, I could see, despite Sam’s rather sad attempt at an English west country farmer’s accent; but one thing spoiled it all really. Aragorn, one of my favourite characters, was transformed from the noble, secret heir of Kings, having prepared with the full care and backing of Elrond all his life to take up the kingship again, to sort of opportunist.<BR>For a start, he didn’t carry the shard of Narsil around with him, instead leaving them at Rivendell and wearing another, whole sword on his belt. While undoubtedly a more practical idea, it took a lot of the romance out of the story and implied that Aragorn ha chosen to take up the life of a nomad, leaving the great task of taking up the Kingship to his descendants.<BR>Secondly, Elrond seemed to have a passionate distaste and mistrust for Men, which goes against the book completely and severely embitters his character. It also tells us that Elrond hadn’t had all that much to do with Aragorn’s upbringing.<BR>As well as this Elrond says that Aragorn has himself ‘chosen a life of exile’ – the final blow which takes Aragorn’s character from the noble Númenórean with a purpose that he is, to an opportunist who seems to say, at the last minute as it were, ‘Well, seeing as they’re going that direction anyway, I’ll just tag along and see what happens.’ <BR>It’s needless.