THE RING and corruption

[Dain]

Both Gollum & Boromir were similar in that they were solitary types who kept their own counsel. They were also primarily concerned with self and what they wanted. Frodo & Bilbo were very connected to other people and to the earth as were all the others who resisted the Ring. Gollum and Boromir did not look much further past their own desires

I think you are being a bit unfair to Boromir. He was a bit of a loner in the Fellowship because he was the only representative of his people and the rest were friends already (bar Gimli, but Legolas seemed to fit in). If we hear about his exploits in Gondor, he was not selfish, necessarily, but proud and headstrong, and a very valiant warrior and beloved captain. He was just overcome by fear and years of constant fighting with little or no hope, and then the thought of sending a Hobbit (something he'd never seen before, but looked like a child) into Mordor with it seemed like a terrible idea to him. He was looking for a way to save his people, and I think that's how the ring got to him, not because he thougth only of himself and not of others--on the contrary he was always thinking of Gondor. But, that's probably another thread.

It would make sense that after over 2,000 years at the bottom of a river the Ring would exert a considerable influence since Sauron had moved out in the open.

I agree. The fact that the ring is found three years after Sauron's return is a big clue to how it responds to his power, and backs up my earlier post, I think.

[ February 19, 2003: Message edited by: Dain ]