Gilraen

Tolkienchar
character_name = Gilraen
character_alias =
character_title =
character_race = Men
character_culture = Dúnedain, House of Isildur, Númenórean
character_birth = ME-date|TA|2907
character_death = ME-date|TA|3007 (age 100)
Book(s) = "The Return of the King"

In J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium, Gilraen was the mother of Aragorn II, the last chieftain of the Dúnedain. Her story is recounted in Appendix A, Part I, Section v, of "The Lord of the Rings".

She was born in the year 2907 of the Third Age. She was the daughter of Dírhael and Ivorwen, and a descendant of chieftain Aranarth. Her father at first did not want her to marry Arathorn II, partly because she was at the time younger than customary for marriage, and he also foresaw that Arathorn would have a short life. However, Ivorwen persuaded him in the end, saying that Arathorn's short life was a further incentive to have a quick marriage, so that an heir could be born to be their people's leader.

Gilraen's son Aragorn was born in 2931 Third Age, but her husband died two years later while fighting Orcs. She then brought her son to live in Imladris. She later returned to her people, where she died in 3007, aged one hundred years.

Her words from the books are used in the movie by Elrond and Aragorn: "Ónen i-Estel Edain, ú-chebin estel anim". [The Sindarin text, with a long initial "O", follows the latest editions, which in turn follow Tolkien's manuscripts; see Hammond and Scull, "The Lord of the Rings: a Reader's Companion", p. 700.] meaning "I gave Hope (an obvious reference to her son's childhood epithet Estel, meaning "hope") to the Dúnedain, I have kept no hope for myself."

Although not included in the official soundtrack, a song for Gilraen was recorded by Howard Shore and later featured in The "Fellowship of the Ring: The Complete Recordings". Track 9 on disc two of the recordings, "Gilraen's Memorial" is sung by alto Hilary Summers.

Notes