[Boromir88]

Comparing Denethor to Theoden is a good comparison to make. The different reactions of each to grief and to a threatened realm demonstrate how people can react in very different ways in similar situations and it does make a point that perhaps the stronger person tackles their grief rather than retreating into it.

I've always liked to compare the two, because they are faced with similar situations. What's interesting is we hear of Denethor's greater days and being a much better man in the past, and we see his drastic spiral downwards in ROTK. In Theoden's case we vaguely see and hear his low point (being in the hands of Saruman and listening to Grima) and then his rise to triumph. So, the way they are portrayed in the books, and how they once were are polar opposites.

The only thing I can see as to why Theoden was able to get out of his hole, and Denethor wasn't was because Theoden put his hope and trust into Gandalf. Where Denethor did not, of course, as we know, he has disliked Gandalf since the earlier days.

You should not forget that the Ring has a sort of conscience of its own and in more than one instance we see it making choices, as (for example) slipping of the finger of Isidur when he tries to swim away from the Orcs, or becoming heavier and heavier as Frodo approaches Mt. Doom.

Also, when it slips of Gollum's hand, and Frodo decides to put it on a chain because Bilbo told him it had a tendancy to slip off. It seems that when the Ring is done with it's current bearer, it tries to get away. Once the bearer can be no more help or aid to the ring, it tries to get away, by slipping off, or in Frodo's case, since he wore it on a chain by becoming heavier.

I hope I'm not getting too far off topic, so I think I'll, ask about Eowyn? For she's always been an interesting character, and I've never really been able to fully grasp her. What was her biggest thing to overcome? Would it be getting over the early lust of Aragorn? And she gets over that lust when she falls in love and marries Faramir?