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| language = [[Adûnaic]], [[Westron]], [[Sindarin]], [[Quenya]]
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In [[J. R. R. Tolkien]]'s [[
After the Downfall of Númenor, the name Dúnedain was reserved to Númenóreans who were friendly to the [[Elf (Middle-earth)|Elves]]: hostile survivors of the Downfall were called [[Black Númenóreans]].
The '''Rangers''' were two secretive, independent groups of Dúnedain of the North (Arnor) and South (Ithilien, in [[Gondor]]) in the [[Third Age]]. Like their Númenórean ancestors, they had qualities like those of the Elves, with keen senses and the ability to understand the language of birds and beasts.<ref>{{cite book |last=Chance |first=Jane |author-link=Jane Chance |title=Lord of the Rings: The Mythology of Power |publisher=[[University Press of Kentucky]] |year=2001 |page=39 }}</ref> They were [[Tracking (hunting)|trackers]] and hardy warriors who defended their respective areas from evil forces.
==History==
===
[[File:Downfall of Númenor.svg|thumb|upright=2|The Downfall of [[Númenor]] and the Changing of the World. With the downfall of Númenor, the world is remade, and only the Elves remain able to sail to [[Valinor]] on the [[Old Straight Road]].<ref name="Shippey 2005">{{cite book |last=Shippey |first=Tom |author-link=Tom Shippey |title=[[The Road to Middle-Earth]] |date=2005 |edition=Third |orig-year=1982 |publisher=HarperCollins |isbn=978-0261102750 |pages=324–328 |location=The Lost Straight Road}}</ref> The outlines of the continents are purely schematic.]]
{{further|Gondor}}
The Dúnedain were descended from the [[Edain]], the Elf-friends: the few tribes of Men of the [[First Age]] who sided with the [[Noldor]]in Elves in [[Beleriand]]. The original leader of the Edain was Bëor the Old, a vassal of the Elf lord [[Finrod]]. His people settled in [[Sundering of the Elves#Eldar|Eldar]] lands. At the beginning of the [[Second Age]], the [[Vala (Middle-earth)|Valar]] gave the Edain [[Númenor]] to live on. Númenor was an island-continent located far to the west of [[Middle-earth]], and hence these Edain came to be called Dúnedain: Edain of the West. Their first King was Lord Elros, a [[Half-elven|half-Elf]], and also a descendant of Bëor.<ref name="Straubhaar 2013">{{cite encyclopedia |last=Straubhaar |first=Sandra Ballif |author-link=Sandra Ballif Straubhaar |editor-last=Drout |editor-first=Michael D. C. |editor-link=Michael D. C. Drout |title=Men, Middle-earth |encyclopedia=[[J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia]] |year=2013 |orig-year=2007 |publisher=[[Routledge]] |isbn=978-1-135-88034-7 |pages=414–417}}</ref>
These first Dúnedain are the Númenóreans. They became a great civilization, and began maritime pursuits for exploration, trade and power. Some returned to Middle-earth, creating fortress-cities along its western coasts, dominating the lesser men of these areas. In time the Númenóreans split into two rival factions: the Faithful, remaining loyal to the Valar and Elves, and the King's Men, who were eventually seduced by the Dark Lord, [[Sauron]].<ref name="Straubhaar 2013"/>
Ultimately Númenor was drowned in a great cataclysm,<ref name="Shippey 2005"/> but a remnant of the Faithful escaped in nine ships. Led by [[Elendil]], they established the Dúnedain kingdoms of Arnor and [[Gondor]] in Middle-earth.<ref group=T>
Sauron's spirit also escaped, and fled back to Middle-earth, where he again raised mighty armies to challenge Gondor and Arnor. With the aid of [[Gil-galad]] and the Elves, Sauron was defeated, and the [[Third Age]] began. Sauron vanished into [[Rhûn|the East]] for many centuries, and Gondor and Arnor prospered. As Sauron re-formed and gathered strength, a series of deadly plagues came from the East. These struck harder in the North than the South, causing a population decline in Arnor. Arnor fractured into three kingdoms. The chief of the Nine [[Ringwraiths]], the [[Witch-king of Angmar]], assaulted and destroyed the divided Northern Dúnedain kingdoms from his mountain stronghold of [[Carn Dûm]]. After their fall, a remnant of the northern Dúnedain became the [[Rangers of the North]], doing what they could to keep the peace in the near-empty lands of their Fathers. The surviving Dúnedain of Arnor retreated to the Angle south of [[Rivendell]], while smaller populations settled in far western [[Eriador]]. The fragmentation of the kingdoms has been compared to that of the early [[Frankish kingdoms]].<ref name="Straubhaar 2013"/>
Over the centuries, many southern Dúnedain of Gondor intermarried with other Men. Their lifespan became shorter with each generation. Eventually, even the Kings of Gondor married non-Dúnedain women occasionally. Only in regions such as [[Dol Amroth]] did their bloodline remain pure. In the [[Fourth Age]], the Dúnedain of Gondor and Arnor were reunited under King [[Aragorn|Aragorn II Elessar]] (''the Dúnadan''), a direct descendant of Elros and Elendil. He married [[Arwen]], reintroducing Elf-blood into his family line.<ref name="Straubhaar 2013"/> In addition to the Faithful, Men in the South manned Númenórean garrisons at places like [[Umbar]]. Many of these folk were turned toward evil by Sauron's teachings, and became known as the Black Númenóreans.<ref name="Straubhaar 2013"/>
=== The Dúnedain among the Half-elven ===
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=== Rangers of the North ===
The Rangers were grim in life, appearance, and dress, choosing to wear rustic green and brown. The Rangers of the Grey Company were dressed in dark grey cloaks and openly wore a silver brooch shaped like a pointed star during the [[War of the Ring]]. They rode rough-haired, sturdy horses, were helmeted and carried shields. Their
During the War of the Ring, the Rangers of the North were led by [[Aragorn]], but the northern Dúnedain were a dwindling
Aranarth would have been King of Arnor at the death of his father Arvedui.
Aranarth's line descended father to son to Aragorn II, a protagonist in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. His father Arathorn was killed two years after his birth. He assumed lordship of the Dúnedain of Arnor when he came of age. He was a member of the [[Fellowship of the Ring (characters)|Fellowship of the Ring]] and fought in the War of the Ring. He was crowned King Elessar of the Reunited Kingdom of Gondor and Arnor. That same year, Aragorn married [[Arwen]], daughter of Elrond. Their son, Eldarion, succeeded him as king. In Eldarion the two bloodlines of the [[Half-elven]] were reunited, Arwen being the daughter of the immortal Elrond and Aragorn the 60th-generation descendant of Elrond's mortal twin brother, Elros.
=== Rangers of Ithilien ===
The Rangers of Ithilien, also known as the Rangers of the South and Rangers of Gondor, were an elite group who scouted in and guarded the land of [[Ithilien]]. They were formed late in the Third Age by a decree of the [[Stewards of Gondor#Stewards|Ruling Steward of Gondor]], for Ithilien was subject to attack from [[Mordor]] and [[Minas Morgul]]. One of their chief bases was [[Henneth Annûn]], the Window of the Sunset. These were descendants of those who lived in Ithilien before it was overrun. Like the Rangers of the North, they spoke Sindarin as opposed to the Common Speech. They wore [[Camouflage|camouflaging]] green and brown clothing, secretly crossing the [[Anduin]] to assault the Enemy. They were skilled with swords and bows or spears.
==
[[File:1989 CPA 6128 Picture.png|thumb|[[Aragorn]] has been likened to the ranger [[Natty Bumppo]] (left) in [[James Fenimore Cooper]]'s 1823–1841 ''[[Leatherstocking Tales]]''.{{sfn|Kullmann|Siepmann|2021|p=269}} ]]
The Rangers of Arnor and their lost realm have been compared to medieval tribes and societies of the real world. Like the [[Franks]] after the [[fall of the Western Roman Empire]] or the Christianized [[Anglo-Saxons]], the northern Rangers inhabit a "romanized nobility" and keep protecting the borders of the "realms of good" while Gondor in the south is decaying and finally arrives on the verge of destruction.<ref>{{cite book |title=J. R. R. Tolkien's Sanctifying Myth: Understanding Middle-earth |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TyKDAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT81 |first=Bradley J. |last=Birzer |author-link=Bradley J. Birzer |publisher=Open Road Media |year=2014 |isbn=978-1-49764-891-3}}</ref> This protection of the weak from evil by Aragorn and his rangers has been identified as an inherently [[Christianity in Middle-earth|Christian motif]] in Tolkien's design of his [[Tolkien's legendarium|legendarium]].<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FRiViwMylSUC&pg=PA74 |title=The Battle for Middle-earth: Tolkien's Divine Design in The Lord of the Rings |first=Fleming |last=Rutledge |author-link=Fleming Rutledge |page=74 |year=2004 |publisher=[[William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company]] |isbn=978-0-80282-497-4}}</ref>
The Rangers have been compared to the 'Spoonbills' in [[John Buchan]]'s 1923 novel [[Midwinter (novel)|''Midwinter'']], while the Ranger-like 'Lakewalkers' in the 2006–2019 ''[[The Sharing Knife]]'' series by [[Lois McMaster Bujold]] have been seen as part of a deliberate commentary on Middle-earth.<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=98VQ3gHsVsMC&pg=PA165 |title=Tolkien and the Study of His Sources: Critical Essays |editor-last=Fisher |editor-first=Jason |editor-link=Jason Fisher |chapter=Reading John Buchan in Search of Tolkien |first=Mark T. |last=Hooker |page=165 |year=2011 |publisher=[[McFarland & Company|McFarland]] |isbn=978-0-78648-728-8}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4RrxCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA71 |title=Lois McMaster Bujold |first=Edward |last=James |pages=71–72 |year=2015 |publisher=[[University of Illinois Press]] |isbn=978-0-25209-737-9}}</ref>
Thomas Kullmann and Dirk Siepmann comment that Aragorn's pathfinding lifestyle and [[Tolkien's prose style|style of speech]] resembles that of the ranger [[Natty Bumppo]] in [[James Fenimore Cooper]]'s 1823–1841 ''[[Leatherstocking Tales]]'', suggesting that Aragorn's "If I read the sign back yonder rightly" could easily have been spoken by Bumppo.{{sfn|Kullmann|Siepmann|2021|p=269}} On the other hand, they write, Aragorn's awareness of "a historical and mythological past", and his continuity with those, is "emphatically lacking" in Cooper's writings.{{sfn|Kullmann|Siepmann|2021|p=269}}
== Portrayal in adaptations ==▼
=== In film ===
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Halbarad is featured in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game]]'',<ref>{{cite web |title=Lord of the Rings: Expanded Middle Earth - Halbarad Deluxe Draft Box (54 cards) |url=http://www.inmint.com/lotr-middle-earth-halbarad-draft-set.html |website=InMint |access-date=27 August 2020}}</ref> and, together with his fellow Rangers, in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Harman |first1=Joshua |title=Where do I find...? Characters |url=https://www.dchobbitleague.com/uploads/4/5/9/3/45938835/wdif-1_characters_v2.pdf |publisher=DC Hobbit League |access-date=27 August 2020}}</ref>
Rangers of the North appear in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'', with Ranger camps and named characters such as Calenglad.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rangers of the North Quest |url=https://lotro.gamepressure.com/quest.asp?ID=760 |website=GamePressure.com |access-date=27 August 2020}}</ref>
Tolkien's Rangers are the primary inspiration for the [[Dungeons & Dragons]] [[character class]] called "[[Ranger (Dungeons & Dragons)|Ranger]]".<ref>{{cite book |last=Tresca |first=Michael J. |title=The Evolution of Fantasy Role-Playing Games |page=40 |publisher=[[McFarland & Company]] |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-7864-5895-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8H8bzqj6S4sC&pg=PA40}}</ref><!--any additions here must be cited to a reliable source-->
== References ==
=== Primary ===▼
▲===Primary===
{{reflist|group=T|28em}}
=== Secondary ===
{{reflist|28em}}
=== Sources ===
* {{cite book |last=Kullmann |first=Thomas |last2=Siepmann |first2=Dirk |title=Tolkien as a Literary Artist |publisher=[[Palgrave Macmillan]] |publication-place=Cham |year=2021 |isbn=978-3-030-69298-8}}
* {{ME-ref|ROTK}}
* {{ME-ref|Silm}}
{{Middle-earth}}
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