Dúnedain: Difference between revisions

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In the [[Fourth Age]], the Dúnedain of Gondor and Arnor were [[Reunited Kingdom|reunited]] under king [[Aragorn|Aragorn II Elessar]] (who was also called ''the Dúnadan'').
In the [[Fourth Age]], the Dúnedain of Gondor and Arnor were [[Reunited Kingdom|reunited]] under king [[Aragorn|Aragorn II Elessar]] (who was also called ''the Dúnadan'').


==Charactaristics==
==Characteristics==
Tolkien's Dúnedain are superior to the other men of Middle-earth in nobility of spirit and body, although they were still capable of evil if corrupted, and tended to do more evil in such circumstances. They were tall, with dark hair, pale skin and grey eyes.
Tolkien's Dúnedain were superior to the other men of Middle-earth in nobility of spirit and body, although they were still capable of evil if corrupted, and tended to do more evil in such circumstances. They were tall, with dark hair, pale skin and grey eyes.


In addition, Dúnedain, especially those of high rank, possessed great wisdom and discernment, and occasional prophecy. They benefited from long life-spans (three times the life of a regular man) and could retain their youth until the very end of their days. Though the reason is not fully explained in the 'Tale of the Years', one factor that almost certainly contributed to their numerical decline was an extremely low birth rate, with many couples having only one child.
In addition, the Dúnedain, especially those of high rank, possessed great wisdom and discernment, and occasional prophecy. They benefited from long life-spans (three times that of a regular man) and could retain their youth until the very end of their days. Though the reason is not fully explained in the 'Tale of the Years', one factor that almost certainly contributed to their numerical decline was an extremely low birth rate, with many couples having only one child.


==Etymology==
==Etymology==

Revision as of 20:05, 14 February 2018

Ted Nasmith - The Ships of the Faithful

The Dúnedain (S: "west-men", pron. [ˈduːnedaɪn]), singular Dúnadan (pron. [ˈduːnadan]), were the Men of Númenor and their descendants who peopled Middle-earth in the Second and Third Ages.

Some Númenóreans had settled around the haven of Pelargir, but others, who belonged to the Faithful, fled Númenor just before its destruction, led by Elendil and his sons. However there were also other colonies in Middle-earth founded by hostile survivors of the Downfall, known as the Black Númenóreans.

The Dúnedain formed the Realms in Exile of Arnor and Gondor, around the Middle Men who were ruled by Númenórean lords. Originally ruled by the High King of the Dúnedain, they were divided as the Dúnedain of Arnor and the Dúnedain of Gondor. Their lords and rulers communicated and surveyed their realms with the seven Palantíri they brought from Númenor, distributed around their lands.

After the fall of Arnor and then Arthedain, some of the northern Dúnedain became the Rangers of the North. The surviving Dúnedainic population of Arnor retreated to the Angle south of Rivendell. In the meantime the southern Dúnedain, the Men of Gondor, intermarried more and more with so-called Middle Men, except in some regions (such as Dol Amroth).

In the Fourth Age, the Dúnedain of Gondor and Arnor were reunited under king Aragorn II Elessar (who was also called the Dúnadan).

Characteristics

Tolkien's Dúnedain were superior to the other men of Middle-earth in nobility of spirit and body, although they were still capable of evil if corrupted, and tended to do more evil in such circumstances. They were tall, with dark hair, pale skin and grey eyes.

In addition, the Dúnedain, especially those of high rank, possessed great wisdom and discernment, and occasional prophecy. They benefited from long life-spans (three times that of a regular man) and could retain their youth until the very end of their days. Though the reason is not fully explained in the 'Tale of the Years', one factor that almost certainly contributed to their numerical decline was an extremely low birth rate, with many couples having only one child.

Etymology

"I thought you knew enough Elvish at least to know dún-adan: Man of the West, Númenórean."
Bilbo Baggins[1]

They are also called the Men of the West and the Men of Westernesse (direct translations of the Sindarin term) and comes from dûn and adan.

The Quenya name was Núnatan (pron. [ˈnuːnatan]), pl. Núnatani (pron. [nuːˈnatani]).

The Westron name for Dúnadan was simply Adûn, "westerner", but this name was seldom used.

References