Quote:
Originally Posted by Galadriel55
I hear what you are saying, and I like the comparison with Beregond. However, Beregond didn't renounce Denethor completely, no matter how much he disagreed with him.
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But the moral failings of Denethor is on a wholly different level to the moral failings of Celegorm, wouldn't you say? The failing of Denethor really was losing hope, he saw the vast armies of Sauron in his Palantir and realised that while they just might win this one battle they would surely lose the war (save a miracle). In a moment of despair and madness he decided that it would be better if he and his son and heir died together in freedom and in their own house, than later, at the hands of their enemy. He also thought that hope already had passed for Faramir. I don't think Beregond doubted that Denethor always had the best of intentions for his people and that he really did try his best to guard them, though he ultimately failed.
Edit: And pride (as always), he felt that everything depended on him and on Gondor, and if they failed, all must be lost.
Celegorm on the other hand was calculating, ruthless and callous in his dealings with Beren and Luthien. His motivation wasn't a great love for Luthien (though he did fancy her no doubt) but rather a personal hunger for power and riches with (as I believe) the Oath only as a secondary motive (that is, enhancing his chances of winning the Silmarils back). With Luthien by his side, and the realm of Nargothrond under his (and his brother's) control in the absence of Felagund he felt that he could forge, or force, a powerful alliance with Thingol and Doriath and thus become a mighty Elf in Middle Earth. And he was obviously willing to get rid of those hindering him, one way or another.