Q: Did the Star of the Dúnedain Confer a Special Social Status on Sam?
ANSWER: The Star of the Dúnedain has long been a subject for speculation, and my own speculation (as summarized in that article) is that it did confer some special authority upon the Mayor of the Shire. But a reader asks if Sam’s social status outside the Shire was in some way elevated by Aragorn’s gift.
Well, leaving aside the speculations for a moment, let me say that I am not sure Sam’s status required any further elevation outside the Shire. He was, after all:
- A member of the Fellowship of the Ring
- A Ringbearer
- Frodo’s companion on the journey into Mordor
Even Aragorn (another member of the Fellowship) did not match those credentials. In the book, when Sam awakes after being rescued from the ruin of Mordor, he and Frodo were taken to Aragorn, who bowed before them in front of his army. This moment is captured in the movies, when Aragorn says to all four hobbits, “My friends, you bow to no one”. I cannot imagine that there was any higher social status in Middle-earth for anyone than that bestowed upon Frodo and Sam (and Merry and Pippin in the movies) for their role in defeating Sauron.
The Star of the Dúnedain had a very special significance in that it represented the authority of Elendil. There are several references to stars in The Lord of the Rings that are used as emblems of authority, including the silver brooches worn by Aragorn’s Rangers. Aragorn himself wore “The Star of the North” (a “white gem” known as the Elendilmir and the Star of Elendil). Hirgon, the errand-rider Denethor sent to King Théoden, wore a helm with a silver star emblazoned on the front, signifying his authority as a messenger of the King of Gondor (the Stewards wielded the royal authority “until the King returned”). A similar helm was issued to Pippin when he joined the Guards of the White Tower.
We can probably agree that any emblem bearing the symbolic star would have conferred some special status or authority upon its recipient. In the case of Aragorn’s gift to Sam it’s just not clear what form it took. I doubt that Aragorn gave him the Elendilmir. It might have been a replica but I think it was more likely a brooch or silver circlet denoting the King’s authority.
Whether the Star of the Dunedain was conferred as a personal honor upon Sam or handed to the office of the Mayor of the Shire is not really important with respect to Sam’s social status. He could have gone anywhere in Middle-earth that the authority of the King of Arnor and Gondor was recognized and he would have been treated with great honor.
And as Mayor of the Shire Sam also became a member of the Council of the North-kingdom. He did not lack for social status, in my opinion. But he could have accumulated various honors and perhaps awarding Sam the Star of the Dúnedain was just another way that Aragorn chose to honor his friend and companion.
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Love this.
Thank you, Michael, for your posts and this blog.
I like that the Elendilmir’s backstory is explained in Unfinished Tales (the whole plot of searching through Orthanc with Gimli being able to find hidden cache behind a wall, secret entrance and a treasure inside hehe :)) and I also doubt that Aragorn would give out the crown of North Kingdom even if he had two of it (original and copy made in Imladris). Star of Dunedain is fittingly speculated to be like a silver brooch of Rangers. The significance of this event is unclear but it’s interesting topic to speculate about. Maybe it was a badge of honor of some sort, who knows.
I appreciate your attempt in describing the Star of the Dunedin as similar to the picture of the silver star you included, but Tolkien wrote in a number of places in the Chapters about Rohan and the Grey Company that the Rangers had brooches in the shape is a ‘rated star’. This makes me think that it might have been a little more elaborate.
Oops that’s rayed. star
I always thought it was a six-point star myself but when I found that illustration by Tolkien the matter was pretty much settled for me. Of course, no one has to agree with me. Tolkien relied on the reader’s imagination as much as he did his own. If he had been developing graphic novels there would have been far less discussion about how things appeared in his stories.
Thank you, Mr. Martinez, for clearing up my confusion. Whenever I think of a star it already has the points (4,5, or 6). Of course stars are just blobs of gas – Tolkien knew that so probably the elves did to. We in our imagination (and marginal viewing conditions) add the ‘points’. I never really thought of the points as ‘rays’ and thought when Tolkien wrote ‘rayed star’ he meant something beyond what my Mom or early teachers gave me for being good. Obviously the clasp on the Rangers cloaks was most likely as you point out an oversized 5 – rayed star. I had written some fan fiction where the clasp played a part and had always wondered what it looked like and why no one had created a sellable likeness. (Like the pendants and rings)