Opinions on Boromir
 

I know that there probably already are topics like this, but I know also that some people have strong opinions.

It isn't a secret that many people think of Boromir as being annoying, stupid, a mistake in the Fellowship, or just plain evil. To tell you the truth, I did too. (well maybe not evil.) People think of him like this especially if they have only seen the movie. (Well, lots of people who've only seen the movie have unfair opinions because of all that the movie left out. No offense to you non-readers) Even people who have read the books thoroghly think poorly of this character.
It may be because of his poor judgement of the choices to be made. It may be because of some of the things he did or said. It may be because his father is a madman and his brother is better than he. (sorry those who haven't finished the books.) I now think differently. These things may be true, but it is unfair to blame Boromir.
I think that the only reason he is this way is because of being poorly educated on the things he was dealing with. Anyone would want to help defend their home. Anyone could have been corrupted by the ring. Really, Boromir is a very brave person and a strong warrior.
This page can be used to throw insults at him (or at me--I hope my boromir-hating friend doesn't find this) or to discuss the good qualities of him. Even to talk about how the ring can corrupt and take over the mind of anyone-even its bearer (sorry again)

Well, I happened by here today just by chance. I had a request in my Inbox of someone wanting to use a piece of my art as a forum icon, so naturally I came to check the forum out. And what do I find but a topic on one of my favorite characters, Boromir!

Frankly, I think Boromir is the most misunderstood, unappreciated character from LotR. I've always loved him. He is, in every sense of the word, only human. His mistakes are mistakes any of us could have made. I drew an Oekaki of him (took over seven hours; I used a transparent one-pixel brush) and I posted this along with the picture:

"Of all in the Fellowship, Boromir was the first to crack under the Ring's pressure, but it was not merely some greed of his own that drove him to 't. No, it was far more an act of desperation than greed. Whose lands were being attacked, whose people were dying on the battlefield protecting the lands of all others? For whom was the danger of war most ominous? I tell you it was Boromir. His desire for the Ring was borne more from these circumstances than any ambition for power on his part. I will not deny that he had ambition, and that he would crave such power, but I present to you merely the picture of a great man brought to low deeds by the dangers facing his people."

I think it's true. He was a great man who deserves to be honored. And I registered on this forum just so I could say that. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

cool. I'd love to see that drawing if you have it posted.

Yes! I'm not a delusional idiot!

You guys are right Boromir was a great man. I don't think It was greed that lead him to what he did. He wonted to help his friends and family and also I think that he thought it was impossible to destroy the ring he thought it would get captured.

Oh, sure, it's at http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/fanq/e...irmir.jpg.html .

<font color=gold>I, too, think that he was misunderstood. The Ring is very powerful and because he was so desparate to help his people it probably made him more vulnerable to it. He wanted to use the Ring for good, but since he went about it the wrong way he is seen as being a bad guy. I was very sad when he died because he kept his nobility and protected Merry and Pippin to his death. He deserves to be an honored character, not a hated character.

Thanks for the quote, E.T. I like that a lot.

My own views on Boromir? I've always found him slightly unnerving, precisely because he's not malicious but is certainly very dangerous, with (and even because of) commendable intentions. The degree of sympathy I have for his agony only increases my uneasiness. This is not the same as dislike, of course.

That's how I feel when he's around. After his death, however, we begin seeing him through the eyes of Faramir and Pippin (I'm convinced that Pippin signed up for the army of Minas Tirith because of his memories of Boromir), and their affection for him changes things for me. I begin to see less of the threat and more of the worthy, if still flawed, human being.

In other words, he's a fascinating, brilliantly drawn character, and an essentially good man, but not somebody I'd want along on my hiking trip.

--Belin Ibaimendi

[ July 04, 2002: Message edited by: Belin ]

Boromir was a great man. He is the most accurate image of the human being. He is a brave man, but has it's weakness and makes mistakes, but that's what it makes him human. I admire him. He died to save the lives of Merry and Pippin.

When I first saw the movie, I thought he was evil trying take the ring. When I read the book, I realised he was a noble man who wanted to protect his city and his people.

hail thulorongil!

boromir is not a bad or evil man, and agreeably his portrayal in lotr is that of a good, high-born man of noble aspirations who fell into the most grevious of errors. oft in our passionate desire to do a noble deed do we lose sight of ourselves and become bewitched into committing the wrong choices. the fate of boromir demonstrates that even the best of men can make the worst of mistakes especially under such persuasion as the power of the one ring--but that is not to say that the very man himself is inherently self-serving, stupid or evil. indeed the above posts testify that boromir had only the succor, survival and ultimate victory of gondor over the forces of mordor at heart, and i believe never at any instance in lotr was it explicitly said nor implied that he desired the ring for his own aggrandizement.

i agree that boromir is one genuine representation of human nature. the message i personally derive from his character is that evil (or in this case, wrong) can emanate from something inherently good-- that there is a distinction between the nature of the offender and that of the offense committed. that human beings cannot be judged entirely on one great act of desperation or folly. we need to look at people beyond what they do when they are under intolerable pressure.

[ July 04, 2002: Message edited by: Amarinth ]

The Boromir character was a vital cog in the story to advance the plot, if not named so he would be named something else.

Why is there such a hate brigade against Boromir? Just because he attacked Frodo?
Boromir dies a hero and all he wanted to do was serve his people in the best possible way he could.

He is the perfect human specimen in the story, Aragorn is a bit hard to believe if you ask me. The elves on the other hand are another matter.

Hark! The horn of Gondor blows.....Hail Boromir!

[ July 04, 2002: Message edited by: Cimmerian ]

Joining the club of Boromir admirers.
Well, he was a warrior and a proud man (with a good reason for his pride). It may be all right for some to talk about the peril to the world, but it was HIS land, people and family that were in immediate danger and he probably welcomed the Ring as any other means to relieve them. He may not have been learned enough in ancient lore and history, but did he really have time and chance being his father's heir and with the war going on? I don't believe he should be blamed so for his basically good intentions. The Ring had managed to ensnare much greater persons before him.

Just one more thing that seems to be overlooked. During their failed attempt to cross Caradhras Boromir is the most caring for the lesser and weaker companions (hobbits). It's he who notices that they will not survive the night without fire. It's he who suggests digging a path in deep snow and then carrying the hobbits. Quite human, in contrast with all the elves, dwarves and wizards, who seem able to survive under any circumstances. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Besides, the way he wanted to get the Ring doesn't IMHO portray him as absolutely posessed by evil. He doesn't attack Frodo from behind the corner (or a tree). He tries to reason with Frodo first, then he loses his temper. I wish you heard me yesterday morning yelling at my sister to give me the phone THERE AND THEN. Alas, I'm posessed by the evil spirit of telecomunications... [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]
Sorry for the last bit, that's my sore conscience.

I'm sure that Boromir was really a "nice" person deep down inside, but I still think that he was rather mean. I would not like him to be in my fellowship.

Boromir is not my favorite character but I would not call him evil or say I hated him. I think he is perfect for the role he played and in representing what most "men" would do in that situation. He is extremely brave and valiant, and wants to protect his home and his people. There is a lot of honor in that. I know many many people who value strength and bravery above most other things...look at the military. Not that every branch of a military is based on physical prowess, but you have to admit it is a big requirement for parts of it. It's jsut for my personal taste, I value philosophers and visionaries more than warriors. Thus my tendency is to like characters such as Gandalf and Frodo more. Boromir is presented in the book as being one of the bravest men the city has seen as well as one of the strongest and most determined. I don't think that it was presented in a bad light...it was just the way it is. Everyone has a weakness and since Boromir so strongly wanted to help his people, he was blinded to the fact that the ring could not be used to do so because his strength had carried him through all other battles. Why should this be any different? I think the book presented him as a rather valiant character, and now that I am rereading it, I feel that even more strongly. But if I had to choose one of the characters to meet he would not be my first choice. I think it's just a matter of what the reader values as to what the reader percieves as being "good" personality trates and "poor" ones.

Just think, if he had not gone, how could we have related to his character? I mean we have all been tempted with something more times than we can count! If he had not gone, and no one else succumbed would the story seem real?

I too like Boromir, though he is not my fave. I think many people are hard on him for not making the "right" decision. But think about it, could you have resisted?

Resistance is futile! sorry had to, now you know my "trekkieness!"

Anyway, it added reality to the book.

Boromir is one of my fav. characters and while watching the movie, i was thinking...Of course everybody will hate Boromir if they haven't read the book yet coz he was so evil.
But actually the pressure and love for his land made him desperate for the ring.
Boromir should NOT be looked onto as a bad and evil person.

I also have a great deal of appreciation for Boromir, and with all due respect, I really don't think he was portrayed as overly "Bad" or "Evil" in the movie. I feel that he was indeed portrayed as a man of great honor, yet desperate to protect his people in a desperate situation. And that's exactly the Boromir I read about in the books. Was he impatient and a bit rash? Assuredly so. But so are all of us, in our more honest moments.

I think Boromir is a really important part of the story. During the course of the story (especially the fellowship of the ring) we learn about middle earth from the people on the journey - the wizard, the hobbits, the dwarf, the elve and the humans. Boromir is our only link to Gondor. Aragorn, because of his 'destiny' must be pretty much perfect, but Boromir shows us the desperation and valor of Gondor, as well as the downfalls of men.

I personally think Boromir is definitely good - his actions are always driven by good intentions, and he dies a hero.

He also gives us a warning of what is to come, i.e Denethor, but hope because there are many like him.

That is so true. He was a nuissance to me in the movie, but looking at myself in the mirror, I am as imperfect as he is, and I would have snatched the ring from Frodo just the same as he did.

When he died, I saw my own mortality, and that I am as vulnerable to the ring as any person.

Boromir might not have been the strongest link in the chain, but he was still a good man, and it was his home and people and his concern for their safety that drove him to want the ring so much.

I agree with E.T. I saw the movie first, and thought Boromir was a brave and noble man. I believe that his "annoyingness" is simply due to the fact that much is weighed upon his mind - like in the movie (sorry), the scene before the Council meeting where he talks to Aragorn and "dishonors" the shards of Narsil. While Mr. Strider is off doing ranger stuff in the middle of the wilderness (not offense to Aragorn fans; I like him too), Boromir's leading and trying to save a country. Which of these do you think is more desperate to save Gondor? Eeeh? (Hehe, just kidding. =))

I cry everytime I see Boromir die... @_@ He's so awesome. (I love his friendship with Merry and Pip. It's so cuuuute..! Okay, sorry. I'll be quiet now..)

My sentiments precisely.

Everything that I think has been said, and much more besides.

I pretty much agree with what Faramir said about him to Frodo. He was not lacking in courage or self-sacrifice, but in wisdom. Alas that he met a temptation too great for his will so early. He could've been a great king...

That's beautiful E.T., thanks for kindling an appreciation for bookBoromir in me. On reflection I may have fallen from wisdom and done the same thing in his place. I had never really liked him in the book, apart from marvelling at his epic journey to Rivendell (which even Gandalf couldn't easily find at one point!). I think this is more because of other characters' treatment of him, especially Gandalf and Aragorn. He is constantly rebuked and derided by the rest of the Fellowship, even gently by the saintly Frodo outside Moria. Strangely enough, seeing him maligned like this didn't make me pity him, probably because I trusted the opinion of the Fellowship so (too?) much.

Dare I say it here, but I thought that the movie portrayal of Boromir allowed the strength of his character to come out, making his fall even more regretful. The effect might have been even more powerful if he had not redeemed himself in the end.

I really like Boromir. Few people I know do but well he is a noble man, just to "unlearned" to understand why he can't use the Ring to protect Gondor. That is, in my opinion, a very important fact-he doesn't want to use the Ring for himself, for getting personal advantages, but for Gondor, to help his land against Sauron. His intentions were good even if he didn't think about them well enough. In the end when he tries to get the Ring by force the power of the Ring is just too strong, the temptation is too much for him and he can't resist, but you can't blame him for that because it just came over him and he lost his temper. He very proud of his country so he'd do anything to protect it and the Ring is just too perfect for letting it be destroyed as long as you can take it as a weapon against Sauron. So I can understand him very well, and at the end he has at least a good death since he dies to protect his friends.
I apologize for this long message and hope that my English isn't too bad.

I have never been a big fan of Boromir and never really looked into his character. Never have I thought of him as an evil person nor a bad one. He did it out of desperation for his people not for the glory of Gondor. Who themselves could resist the power of the ring especially if it was going to save your home, family, and friends? It is saying no man is perfect in Middle-Earth or on this Earth. Elves know they couldn’t use it, Aragorn was a special case being of the Numenoreans, Gandalf was an Istari, and the hobbits were like the men of the world who had not been tainted by evil, greed, and destruction. Now I am surprised that Gimli did want to use it. Im not to sure who to further explain on this the point of him. Boromir is not a bad person he was only doing what he thought was going to help his people and destroy the evil around him.

I really like the drawing you did. I saw the glow as his goodness and life being crushed by the darkness. His eyes also show that he has given up hope.

As a life-long reader of LotR, it has always been my opinion that Boromir is one of the most tragic figures in literature. This is a good and noble man capable of great deeds and small kindnesses. It was his fate to succumb to the power of the Ring but only because he did not possess the wisdom needed to resist the powerful temptation.

I think anyone who doesn't like this character (or even out-right hates him) feels that way only because he reminds them of themselves. Who is Boromir in this Fellowship if not us? We see the reflection of what would most likely be our own destiny if we ever found ourselves in a similar position.

Everyone looks for themselves in a story and chooses a character they most closely identify with...are we Frodo? No - who among us has the purity of heart and iron will required to attempt such a Quest? Are we Sam? No - I'd be surprised if anyone had ever even met someone of his like; someone willing to push someone to their doom because it was what they wished. Wouldn't we all have tried to stop Frodo at some point? We're certainly not the Hobbits, nor Gimli or Legolas (although being Legolas would totally rock). And Aragorn's lineage, goals and purpose are much too lofty for any of us to aspire to.

No, I think we're all Boromir - understanding the dangers all around us but being able to use only those tools which we possess to fight them. Seeing our own weaknesses reflected back at us in the character of Boromir, it's no wonder some of us don't like him.

In Boromir's case, his tools were not wisdom or insight, it was simply strength of body and will - and that strength had served him and his people well for years so why would he doubt it now? Instead, naturally, he would doubt the wisdom of those who lived in a different world from his and could not possibly understand what it was that he and his people were facing. Who cares about the future and loftier purposes? Boromir was dealing with the here and now and witnessing the decline and possible extinction of the city and people he loved. It would have been less noble of him NOT to try everything in his power to save them.

Boromir tried (even while attempting to take the Ring) to do the RIGHT THING as he understood it up until the end. He just had a different understanding of what the right thing was. And when he finally recognized the power that the Ring had wielded over him, he immediately repented. I think Boromir's epitaph could very well be, "I did not understand."

Everything that I'd like to write down is already written, and I think Aratlithiel wrote it best.
The reason I like Boromir so much is beacause he is human, and makes mistakes, tries to make things right and gives what he has of himself. Good and bad.

Extremely well put, Aratlithiel. I too have always viewed him as an incredibly sympathetic and incredibly tragic character.

He is not the only man of high birth to display human frailties. Theoden (under Wormtongue's influence) and, of course, Denethor do too. But he is the most striking example. He reminds us that ME is populated by normal humans with familiar human weaknesses, and not just Wizards, Elves and the like.

And, I don't think anyone could describe him as a "bad" or "evil" character in view of the service he gives to the Fellowship, his realisation of his mistake, and his noble and redeeming death.

So, where are all those Boromir haters? [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[ January 14, 2003: Message edited by: The Saucepan Man ]

i couldnt read through everyones entry, but i just thought Boromir was an important character. I mean, he was such a good guy too (except for the ring inccident). he died protecting Pippin and Merry. and when i read the books and watched the movie, i cried, because....yah...anyways....i thought he was an important character, why else would tokien have him be in the book??

[ January 14, 2003: Message edited by: Eglaladiel ]

I think that Boromir is musjudged. Anybody could have been tempeted by the ring, Faramir almost took it too, but he let Frodo go.

Well, the film Faramir almost took it. The book Faramir says:

... but let's not forget that Frodo is unable to throw the Ring into Mount Doom, claiming it as his own instead.

I am going to share with you something.
Many times in my life I have been in Boromirs boots. I fell in love with Boromir BECAUSE he was HUMAN!! Sounds wierd, let me explain. He wanted to please his father, save his people, loved his homeland and was always at war with Mordor. He was so angery that he wanted to use Saurons own power to destroy him, to shove it in his face that he brought about his own destuction, that Boromir him self fell to that destruction.
I love, pity and mourned Boromir. Honestly Every time I read The Lament of Boromir I cry! There is a big bump in my TTT book were the pages have been wetted [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img]. Okay thats enough being personal with Yavanna [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] LOL
VERY GOOD POST !! I LOVE IT -(~<~> Yavanna
p.s. I didn't really read any of the other posts because I was afraid there would be some one that posted negatively of him [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img] Sorry

[ January 21, 2003: Message edited by: Yavanna Kementari ]

LOL, Yavanna. I think you're safe. It seems most of the above are in defense of Boromir. Read away!

Its so annoying when you think of what your gonna say, then read down and find someone whos written the same thing! doh!

i agree with the saucepan man (luv ur name!)-if being tempted by the ring makes boromir evil then frodos evil too! i really like boromir, i think that he's as flawed as anyone reading the book, so if people dont like him they obviously hav far too high opinions of themselves! he may hav been the first to crack, but he had been under pressure fighting for his country for years.

All right, so faramir resists but then faramir (in the book- i really hate his film portrayal) is my idea of perfection in human terms, forget elves and forget aragorn! and faramir loves his brother, and if he approves then boromir has to be fine by me!
all he wants to do is save Gondor, which seems understandable, no?

i think boromir is seen quite sympathetically in the film actually (pity they didnt extend it to other members of his family [img]smilies/mad.gif[/img] ) my favourite line is what he says in lothlorien about "Have you seen it Aragorn, banners caught high in the morning breeze, the white tower of ecthelion gleaming like a spike of pearl" etc, which is taken (i think) from Pippins first impressions of minas tirith at the beginning of rotk?

how could anybody doubt the pride and love on sean beans face then? the death scene doesnt compare.


ps sorry i got distracted by the movie there!

This thread is suffering from an overload of consensus. I repeat:

[img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[ January 22, 2003: Message edited by: The Saucepan Man ]

We don't want Boromir haters [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img]
We LOVE Boromir! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] I have read through the posts and I feel the same as alot of you feel. Boromir was under great ammounts of presure. He wanted to please his father, save his family and homeland and defeat the enemy. I too have felt the presure of wanting to please my Parents at times and have done things that were not so well.
- Cheated on a test
- Copied a friends homework.

Things like that. Does that make me evil?
Of course not! That just makes me sound desperate;...or lazy.. [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img] NEVERMIND LOL [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]
You see what I mean.

How many of you have had a " Boromir Moment?"
-(~<~> Yavanna

Boromir is the perfect example of what the ring does to a human and how powerful the ring is. It shows how easy it is to corupt humans. This is why the hobbits had to get the job done. Sometimes I feel so guilty that our species is so easy to corupt. I thought Boromir was very brave especially in the end when he kept on fighting till the end.I think he fought so well to make it up to Frodo.

Hello! I have just registered in order to write on this thread. I read it carefully from top to end finding the best descriptions being the ones of E.T. and even better perhaps, akhtene's. It's really true what these two girls are saying about Boromir. I can not be objective being the eldest prince of Gondor my favourite character of the book but I compliment akhtene and E.T. for the words they speak for me too. The special all feminine understanding of deep feelings seem to me's showing so brightly from their post. I might add few things. It's true Boromir is generally not very appreciated by the readers (I don't speak about the movie which is fairly good but can't satisfy a real fan of the unmatched atmospheres and flavours of the epic trilogy) but we are lead by Tolkien himself down to this feelings. You can clearly feel that the fellowship is usually harsh and ungrateful to Boromir. Aragorn and Gandalf above all but Frodo himself never really liked him. Tolkien's description of how the whole fellowship acts towards Boromir makes up only partly on the tragic end heroic end of the Gondor warrior. Superbly described even. It seems like Boromir has lived to be a pain for the fellowship and the readers and can just leave a good memory of himself by dying in one heroic battle. But Boromir is much more than that. It's not true that people like him just because he's "just human". Here I disagree a bit with the rest of the fans. The humans are often proved of being mean and evil (you all remember the hordes from the south supporting Sauron...). Boromir is a real hero and his qualities bring him above the common human race despite he belongs to it not having numenorean blood in his veins. But this is the paradox, perhaps. His birth is not as noble and as important as Aragorn but in my heart he is the only, real hero of the company. He gets himself to the extreme sacrifice. I am not english so you all will forgive me but I cannot find the right words to say what I'd like to. Thanks for your patience.

Salk, welcome to the board and we look forward to many new postings.

I was wondering if you would mind clarifying your view on the Fellowship's feelings toward Boromir. I never got the feeling that anyone didn't like him or that Tolkien drew him poorly. Can you expand a little on this? I always felt he was treated with respect and honor by the Fellowship and the author...what makes you feel differently?

Thank you!