LotR -- Book 3 - Chapter 06 - The King of the Golden Hall

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Fordim

Well, I suppose that this is where we disagree, as I believe that Aragorn already is the King, he is just not acknowleged yet. It goes to the basis of Kingship in Middle-earth, I suppose. This is not a democratic system in which there's a person (Aragorn) who can be or should be King but who is waiting to be 'made' King through and by the acceptance or nomination of his people. Aragorn has always been the King of Gondor, by right of birth, he has just never chosen to exercise that right -- or, perhaps, he has been afraid that his claim would not be acknowleged. . .?

The way I see this scene is that Aragorn is not the King of Rohan, nor will he be the King of Rohan. He will be King of a neighbouring and more powerful state, and one with which Rohan is allied, indeed, one which Rohan was once a territory of. But Aragorn has no right to retain his weapons within Meduseld if Theoden wishes him to give them up. I'm thinking of the saying "An Englishman's home is his castle" - this can be applied when we think of Aragorn literally trying to enter Theoden's House, but it can also be applied symbolically, as Meduseld is an 'emblem' of Theoden's own Kingship and authority.

As Gandalf says, it is "idle talk", but he can see that it will be better to acquiesce with grace and dignity than to challenge those who were and will be allies of Gondor. Gandalf is the diplomat ever at the side of Aragorn, his personal adviser (a Sir Humphrey to Aragorn's Jim Hacker?); he dissuades Aragorn from taking the firm hand where it is not needed. I say it takes a better King to acknowledge his less powerful neighbours' right to independence; this is not only more dignified but in the long term, more strategic view (I really do sound like the bureaucrat I am now...) it makes sound political sense, as alliances are stronger where there is a real consensus between parties.

I don't think that these words of Aragorn indicate anything sinister about him or his intentions, in fact, I also think they show his strength, but they also demonstrate some vestige of his inexperience, and possibly, his sense of frustration at the lack of real progress.