[메모] “All that is gold does not glitter”

자료 1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_that_is_gold_does_not_glitter

※ 발췌(excerpt):

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 shadow shall spring;

Renewed shall be blade that was broken,

The crownless again shall be king.

─ J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Vol.1: The Fellowship of the Ring

( ... ... ) The way appearance displays reality in our world is largely inverted in Middle-earth with respect to the subject matter of the poem. The first line is a variant and rearrangement of the proverb "All that glitters is not gold", known primarily from Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice; resulting in a proposition bearing a completely different meaning: Aragorn is vastly more important than he looks.

The second line emphasises the importance of the Rangers, suspiciously viewed as wanderers or vagabonds by those the Rangers actually protect from evil. Lines three and four emphasise the endurance of Aragorn's royal lineage, while five and six emphasizes its renewal. They can also can be seen to represent a spark of hope during a time of despair and danger. Line seven refers to the sword Narsil. Line eight predicts Aragorn's rise to be king of kingless Gondor and vanished Arnor.[original research?]  ( ... )

자료 2: TOLKIEN GATEWAY: Rangers of the North

※ 발췌 (excerpt):

This article is about Dúnedain Rangers of Eriador. For the Gondorian Rangers, see Rangers of Ithilien.

Rangers of the North, or simply the Rangers, were the northern wandering people of Eriador, the last remnant of the Dúnedain of Arnor who had once peopled the North-kingdom of Arnor. They protected the lands they wandered although their secretiveness made other peoples consider them dangerous and distrustful in Bree and the Shire, where they were known as "Watchers".

They were grim in appearance and were usually dressed in grey or dark green, with a cloak-clasp shaped like an 6-pointed star.

The term 'Rangers of the North' was used most often by those who lived in the southern lands of Rohan and Gondor, perhaps to distinguish this people from their distant cousins, the Rangers of Ithilien. Like the Rangers of the North, these were also Dúnedain, but they belonged to the South-kingdom of Gondor, and their ancestors had been divided from the Northern Dúnedain for some three thousand years.

Background

The Dúnedain of Arnor dwindled after the breaking of Arnor into three kingdoms and the wars with Angmar. Cardolan and Rhudaur soon fell and only the petty-kingdom of Arthedain maintained the noble line of Isildur. Finally, that too was destroyed in the Battle of Fornost and Arvedui, the last King of Arthedain was lost in the sea.

Arvedui's son and heir, Aranarth claimed the title of the Chieftain, who would rule the remnants of his people. Elrond had in his keeping the heirlooms of the house of Isildur: the shards of Narsil, the Star of Elendil, the Sceptre of Annúminas and later the Ring of Barahir, ransomed from the Lossoth.

Each of Aranarth's heirs (who, like him, could trace his descent back to Isildur himself) would be secretly born and raised in Rivendell.

The Rangers became a secretive wandering and nomadic people around Eriador, far from Sauron's spies, little known or remembered, and their deeds were seldom recorded.

History

The Watchful Peace followed the loss of Arnor and after its end, the enemies concentrated mostly against Rhovanion and Gondor. During that time, the Rangers fought minor battles and skirmishes against orcs and wolves in order to keep the region safe. The hobbits of the Shire flourished under their protection.

During the rule of Arassuil, the Orcs of the Misty Mountains became more bold, daring to invade Eriador. The Rangers fought many battles trying to hold them back, but one party managed to reach the Shire, and were fought off by a party of brave Hobbits under Bandobras Took in T.A. 2747. Soon after, the Long Winter arrived and many lives were lost, and Gandalf and the Rangers had to help the Hobbits of the Shire survive.

In 2911, during Argonui's rule, the Fell Winter began with the Brandywine freezing over. This was a catalyst for White Wolves invading Eriador from the North which must have harassed the Rangers. In the last year of his reign, great floods devastated Enedwaith and Minhiriath leaving Tharbad ruined and deserted. The following years were peaceful although Arador was killed by hill-trolls and his son Arathorn II was killed while hunting orcs.

Arathorn's son, Aragorn II succeeded him, who between 2957 to 2980 took great journeys, serving in the armies of King Thengel of Rohan, and Steward Ecthelion II of Gondor. Many of his tasks weakened Sauron and his allies, and the West endured him during the War of the Ring.

At that time Aragorn's Rangers were scattered and diminished. When Halbarad led a troop of the Rangers into the south to Aragorn's aid in the War, in haste he could muster no more than thirty in this company who fought in the Battle of Pelennor Fields.

Aragorn eventually became King Elessar of the Reunited Kingdom and the Rangers became once more a united people under the line of Elendil in the Fourth Age.

( ... ... )