Boromir - An example of a man?

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Pervinca Took

My gut feeling is that Eomer would not have fallen to the Ring. He doesn't ever seem to have the pride that Boromir does, and I think that was simply a part of Boromir's personality. Plus the fact that the need of strong warriors meant that he was very much prized in his day. His father's favouritism didn't help, either. All this does point to Boromir being the ordinary man, because his flaws are very human.

Gandalf makes it clear to Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli that the Ring was especially hard for Boromir to resist because of his status as a military leader and a man-at-arms. It would seem the Ring presented him with an acute vision of it's being both the solution to Gondor's problems and a means for his own glorification.

You know, I think a better example of an "ordinary man" would be Barliman Butterbur. No high birth, no lofty ambitions, just a man with an inn.