Lord of the Rings on Film

Lesson 2: Characters and Actors

Men -- Aragorn and Boromir

Men are the "Younger Children" of Ilvutur (Elves are the Eldest) and awoke in Middle-earth after the elves arrived there. They are mortal (although the Dúnedain live for about two hundred years and can choose when to die) and are often portrayed as corruptible, such as in Isildur's and Boromor's desire for the Ring. The Fourth Age, after Sauron is defeated, is the age of Men as the elves go into the west.

ARAGORN - Viggo Mortensen

Aragorn is one of the remaining Dúnedain and is a direct descendant of Isildur, meaning that he is the heir to the throne of Gondor. His father Arathorn was killed when Aragorn was two years old, and Aragorn went to live at Rivendell with his mother. When at twenty he learnt he was the heir to Gondor, Elrond told him that there were many difficult tasks ahead before Aragorn would fulfil his destiny, and that he could not marry until this happened. Aragorn spent thirty years fighting against Sauron, becoming friends with Gandalf and becoming the strongest and hardiest warrior of his time. It was Aragorn who tracked down Gollum when Gandalf needed more information about the Ring.

Aragorn turns up in time to save Frodo and company from the Nazgûl, and guides them to Weathertop and finally Rivendell (this might have been an easier task but for the hobbits’ fire on Weathertop). He leads the company after Gandalf’s fall in Moria, leads Legolas and Gimli in their pursuit of Merry and Pippin, and directs the battle at Helm’s Deep. In the third film he takes the Paths of the Dead to force the dead to fulfil the oath they made to Isildur, and helps defeat Sauron’s forces at the Pelennor Fields. When Frodo and Sam might be getting close to their quest, Aragorn proposes a diversion and leads the alliance to the gates of Sauron’s stronghold Barad-dûr. When Sauron is finally defeated, Aragorn is able to claim his kingship and marry Arwen. He rules Gondor for sixty years before deciding to "sleep" and laying himself to rest.

There is general agreement that Viggo Mortensen excelled as Aragorn, capturing the character’s strength and depth well. The extra touches added by Jackson/Mortensen, such as when Aragorn mouths "It’s the beards" to Éowyn when Gimli is talking about dwarf women, develop the character further. Like Bilbo, Aragorn in the film is a more likeable character than in the book. And devilishly handsome too.

BOROMIR - Sean Bean

Boromir is the eldest son of the steward Denethor, the twenty-sixth Steward of Gondor. He is not as reluctant as his father to cede power to the true king, but he cannot accept Aragorn as his king at first. At the Council of Elrond, Boromir cannot see why the Ring must be destroyed – Gondor has been in decline since the ending of the kings and the ruling Ring would provide the means by which to defeat Sauron. He cannot or does not want to understand that the Ring will finally corrupt whoever bears it.

Boromir is a brave Fellowship member, fighting well in Moria and finally giving his life to try and save Merry and Pippin. His one great fault was wanting the Ring so badly, but this was mitigated by his heroic death. Before he dies he finally accepts Aragorn as his captain and king (sniff).

Sean Bean surprised many in his portrayal of Boromir. Again the character on screen was more sympathetically played in the book, and Bean did an excellent job of getting audience sympathy for Boromir. Boromir in the book is arrogant and dislikeable; Bean’s portrayal shows much more effectively the power of the Ring and Boromir’s desire to help his kingdom Gondor – the scene where Boromir "wakes" after trying to take the Ring from Frodo is very poignant, as is Boromir’s death.

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