The Lord of the Rings

Zahid Patel

10/26/05

Period 6

The Lord of the Rings

Aragorn is truly the epic hero form the Lord of the Rings. From the start, Aragorn displays hero qualities which continue to lead his group into success. His decisions are wise, and his fighting is brave enough for him to be considered a hero. At times, it seems that his friends would not be able to get by without him. Because of Aragorn's bravery and hope, the Battle of Helms Deep is won by the humans, ultimately making Aragorn the epic hero.

In order to be a hero, one cannot just be an above average person. When a dilemma arises, a hero must never give up hope and always know what to do. Aragorn is knowledgeable and leads his companions like a true hero. For instance, Legolas, Boromir, Frodo, Sam, and Gimli escape from the terrifying Mines of Moria thinking Gandalf is dead and it is Aragorn who steps up and decides to take command. It seems as if all hope is gone while everyone is in a state of misery and grief. Knowing that there is no time to sit around, Aragorn says, "By nightfall, these hills will be swarming with orcs." (The Fellowship of the Ring [video recording]). He even tells his companions that they must "reach the woods of Lothlorien." (The Fellowship of the Ring [video recording]) in order to stay alive. Although the group is weak from their loss, Aragorn knows what needs to be done for the best of everyone. After Aragorn states his destination of Lothlorien, the group is ready to go and Aragorn is immediately recognized as the leader. In Lothlorien, the fellowship takes another loss. Boromir dies fighting an orc and it is none other than Aragorn to lift up his spirits before he dies. Right before his death, Boromir tells Aragorn that he has failed because he tried to take the ring from Frodo and also because an orc defeats him. Aragorn informs Boromir that he has not failed by saying, "You have conquered. Few have gained such a victory. Be at peace! Minas Tirith shall not fall!" (Tolkien 404). Aragorn is making sure that Boromir knows that he did not fail and he also assures Boromir that Minas Tirith will not fall. This eases Boromir's mind before he dies. Again, Aragorn displays hero-like characteristics by knowing what to say to a fallen soldier. After this, only Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli are left. Gimli believes that the fellowship has failed. Aragorn says, "Not if we hold true to each other... Let's hunt some orc!" (The Fellowship of the Ring [video recording]). A hero like Aragorn never gives up hope. Instead, he always looks