I'm quite new here, but I was directed to this message by a friend on another message board and thought I'd put in a good word about Denethor, Boromir, and Finduilas (the family of the last ruling steward being of my personal interest).
Denethor, if you did not know, had the love of his father (Ecthelion II) stolen from him by a man calling himself Thorongil, who is actually Aragorn. In addition to this, the wife he loved was taken from him when she was still young, his eldest and most beloved son was gone, and his youngest son was near death. And Minas Tirith appeared to be falling to those who would only ruin her.
Controlling his own death was simply Denethor's way of exerting his right not to be controlled. It is quite Numenorian; rather then die at the hands of the enemy, he would rather perish in a last testimony to prove that he can, after all, control his own fate. He is not to be pitied- after all, death did not frighten him- seeing his city fall did. This is part of the "near true" Numenorian Gandalf mentions- fierce pride, determination, and a desire to control his own destiny.
Boromir shares his father's spirit; what does he fear the most? The falling of the White City. As can be made clear through "The Departure of Boromir" in The Two Towers, he wants nothing more then for Minas Tirith and Gondor to be kept safe. His failure was not in trying to take the ring from Frodo, but from dying, and therefore being unable to keep Mordor at bay, to hinder the enemy. Boromir is very Numenorian in some ways; he has the spirit, pride and temper of Numenor, though not the sight or wisdom.
Faramir is very different from either his father or his brother. He is more like his mother in temperment. Finduilas was apparently quite gentle and understanding. This probably comes from her elvish blood, though high Numenor flowed in her veins as well. Though he has the gift of sight, being able to percieve motives, he simply does not have the spirit of Numenor; there is not fierce pride in his veins, nor the Numenorian ambition. Yes, he has a gift of Numenor, but not the temper, pride, ambition, fierceness, or stubborness of Numenor, which his brother and father both display. Only the wisdom.
Think on this line from the Council of Elrond (book verse); "Believe not in the land of Gondor the blood of Nuemnor is spent, nor all its pride and dignity forgotten." As is evident by the conduct of both Boromir and Denethor, the pride remains. We can see clearly that dignity too remains, as well as the temper and fire. And yes, perhaps even the wisdom.
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"How is a man to judge what to do in such times?"
"As he ever has judged. Good and ill have not changed since yesteryear."
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