I think Boromir was very gallant and determined to defend his country. The fact that the ring was his weakness was his only downfall in my eyes. Yet, I must say I like Faramir better. Both brothers loved their father, but Boromir was the one who he loved. Faramir was dedicated to defending his country as much as Borimir. But I admire Faramir because it's way easier to love and honor someone who loves you back, than to love and honor someone who doesn't love you back.

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When the cold of winter comes
Starless night will cover day
In the veiling of the sun
We will walk in bitter rain
But in dreams
I can still hear your name
And in dreams
We will meet again
When the seas and mountains fall
And we come to end of days
In the dark I hear a call
Calling me there
I will go there
And Back again

I agree...there is so much to admire in Faramir. It seems like he doesn't do much wrong. (Of course we all do) But I think what draws me and so many others to Boromir, like laurel was saying happened to her, is that we relate to his mistakes because we make the same ones ourselves sometimes. We can relate and I think that kind of bonds us to him in a way so when he dies, a part of us dies too.

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"If you do not find a way, no one will."

I actually could say the same as that but about Faramir, really...

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<3
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Yeah, except, Faramir doesn't die though... LoL.

_________________
When the cold of winter comes
Starless night will cover day
In the veiling of the sun
We will walk in bitter rain
But in dreams
I can still hear your name
And in dreams
We will meet again
When the seas and mountains fall
And we come to end of days
In the dark I hear a call
Calling me there
I will go there
And Back again

Interesting.

I defintely think Boromir was incredibly brave and strong. He was fighting with three arrows sticking out of him, for one thing. Just because he gave into the ring doesn't mean in any way he's weak. After all, that's what most people would do. The ring had incredible power.

I think a lot of it had to do with perspective. We look at Boromir and then we look at Aragorn and Faramir who seem to gallant and...strong, I guess (can't think of the word) because they resist the ring. We see Boromir as the one who "failed" maybe - the one who couldn't hold up.

I think Boromir represents the human part in us all. Everyone has pride, some more than others. Everyone lusts after something, some more than others. He's the part of us that's a little bit selfish.

Personally, I hated Boromir in the beginning, but I've come to realize he represents the human part of us in a way. While I can't say I like him or he's my favorite character, I defintely respect him.

So, yeah, that's just my two cents. Not sure if it made sense.

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Heh. I actually changed my sig. Wow.

"I'll tell you truly: I value my thought and work terribly, but in essence - think about it - this whole world of ours is just a bit of mildew that grew over a tiny planet. And we think we can have something great - thoughts, deeds! They're all grains of sand." - Levin

I like your thought about Boromir representing "the human part in us all". Do you think Tolkien purposefully associated Boromir with the sin of lust? He did lust after the Ring, but is that Tolkien really wanted us to think of him? Personally, I don't think so, but if you dig down deep that's what you get. Boromir was lustful and prideful, but he also had a better side that really only came to light in his final moments.

I agree with ya about what Boromir represents. On the contrary, I loved Boromir because I knew someone should have been affected by the temptation of the ring. Are we all effected by temptation of something like IPODs. or Audi, Mercedes, PC? He shows that people are the creatures that could make mistakes but nonetheless people could learn lessons from what they had done before and fix it. This is why Aragorn says "You saved your honor" to Boromir.

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Will be going to London on March of the 30th

i think Boromir represented as well as the lustful element of Men, also the unfortunate "Tunnel vision" that people all too often suffer from. He only saw in the ring the power to change the here and now, rather than the long term consequences of it corrupting his soul and sauron arising again to take it back from Gondor.
I think people should be careful comparing him with Aragorn or Faramir cos they all have different motives and characters. Aragorn knows of the power of the ring but also has a point to prove; to resist and help destroy the ring his ancestor should have destroyed. Faramir, though less skilled in war, was more wise and learned if you will. His strength lay in his will and his duty, which heled him resist the power of the ring.

In the end, Boromirs death showed as someone said, his true side. He died for his honour, that he could right what he had tried to do. This in a way shows the loss of pride, him freely giving his life away than coveting it for himself.

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"This is the hour of the Shire-folk, when they arise from their quiet fields to shake the towers and counsels of the Great. Who of all the Wise could have foreseen it? Or, if they are wise, why should they expect to know it, until the hour has struck? "

I definetly agree with you.Boromir shows that no matter of the physical streigh you
posess,you still can be corrupted by evil,but he showed that he is strong enough to fight against the power of the ring.

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Return of the Rings 2011- make it happen

sig.set:by me;
my unbiological sissy is Aerlinn

I think that Boromir was a brave man but at the end of the day he was still a normal human being. Isildur was tempted by the ring and he never felt remorse for not destroying the ring. Boromir, on the other hand, was ashamed of his lust for the ring. He was not perfect but he was pretty good. At first, he wanted it because his father wanted it, I think. Afterwards, the ring drew him towards it. Faramir was, I have to say, a better human being. He did what he tought was good for Middle Earth but Boromir was just worried about his country. I still won't say that he was not weak just being a normal human being. *stubborn, aren't I?*

i think boromir is noble and brave, but he is also weak in some way. he couldn't resist the temptation the ring brought to him, and he could have never decided like his brother to let frodo go, and do the wright thing, that is his weakness, but in the same way he realized his mistake an was ready to do things right. not many of us can do that. he is not one of my favourite caracters, i like his brother much better but he is a person who would do anythyngto protect the ones he charish... in the end he died trying to save merry and pippin, no matter what. he is not a bad person, but his will was not strong enough, and so he let the power of the ring to seduce him, he just wasn't strong enough to resist the temptation.
. he is noble and he would do whatever it takes to save and protect the ones he love, but he is at the same time very proud , and that makes him weak.... . but i can't just talk bad about him, he did in the end fought against the power of the ring once he realized what he had done, he felt real guilt and he trully was sorry. he was ready to admit the mistake and never again let the ring to seduce him, which means that from two choises he made the wright one. he is noble and he is a good person, and he really loved his brother, i mean he did fall under the influence of the ring, but in the end was strong enough to resist him and do the right thing and to that a man needs a lot of courage and strenght, and a strong will, because it means to be able to defeat inner demons, to be able to say no.... i know i'm a little contradictory, but i can only say one thing about him, he was weak enough to fall under the influence of the ring, but strong enough to see what he has done, to realize, to get out of that state, admit that he made a mistake and feel really sorry for it, and also beg for forgivness. he is a good person, noble but has his weaknesses just like every one of us....

Just had to comment on your thoughts elenmire and Larael. I have always related to Boromir because I experience those same sins. I think the thing I have come out with in the end is that even though our journey can be trying and hard and filled with weakness and pain, it is how it ends that counts. Of all the characters in LotR that fell into evil and were given a chance to redeem themselves, only Boromir stands as an shining example of one who turned back and repented. That is huge and it fills my heart with wonder and hope.

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"If you do not find a way, no one will."

i agree. he saw what he had done and he repeled and did his best to try to correct it.

That is simply what we all need to do but it is not easy. It is one of the hardest things.

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"If you do not find a way, no one will."

And it is just that which makes Boromir amongst the strongest and truest character in the book.
A famous quote which I believe is completely relevant here is "Every man has his price.".

True, some people may have resisted the temptation of the ring, but it obviously wasn't the 'price' which would make them turn to evil.
But powerful (and once good) characters such as Saruman fell to it but did not have that inner strength and goodness to turn back from their 'price'.

For me, that moment when Boromir turns away from that temptation, rises from that fall, is one of the greatest moments of strength in the books, and proves one final time that Boromir is in no way weak.

Strength indeed Celebwen! Subduing the heart is where strength meets its greatest challenge.

Some of my friends have challenged me here saying, "Of course he repented! He was dying--wouldn't you if you were going to die anyway?" My problem with that is that I know from personal experience that when someone acts on a call to repentance and change it is because they have been listening and responding to that call (their conscience if you will) for some time and not forcfully shut it out. They have nurtured in their heart a growing desire and longing to do it. Many hardened souls (some unfortunately among my family and friends) refuse even when they are in the grip of death.

I think that is what is so admirable about the ancient biblical king David of Christian tradition. He may have messed up again and again but every time he did he had a truly contrite, humble and repentant heart.

So I must learn to do the same thing. It seems inevitable that I will sometimes turn aside and give in to my lusts. (Sometimes, at least for me, its just that the path of evil seems like the right path.) But I must not become hardened by them.

A tender, humble heart will resonate with what Boromir felt. It may be through tears that we respond but through them we, too, will smile.

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"If you do not find a way, no one will."