LotR -- Book 2 - Chapter 10 - The Breaking of the Fellowship - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Bêthberry · 11-17-2004, 08:28 AM

Sauce, as always, a superb bit of work. Boromir carries so much of the weight of the story, as a character. As you point out, the dialogue with Frodo is superbly done. I always read that and cringe, greatly saddened, over its terrible truth: how often do people begin with politeness and compassion and courtesy and fall into hectoring and bullying if not outright violence as a resort when they don't get their own way? Countries as well as people, too. That "Come, come my friend" followed closely by ""For I am too strong for you halfling" is as creepy to me as anything Grima says. Tolkien knew what he was about here.

I would agree with you and Estelyn that this is not Borormir's true repentance. After the curse upon not just Frodo but "all halflings" and "Miserable trickster", it is too easy and quick a change to trust fully "A madness took me, but it has passed." Besides, a character as important as Boromir needs a more fully worked out repentence, which the next chapter provides, if justice is to be done to his role in the story.

Who else other than Gandalf calls hobbits fools, though? Why, Boromir: "Fool, obstinate fool!"

11-17-2004, 08:28 AM	#20
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 6,005	Sauce, as always, a superb bit of work. Boromir carries so much of the weight of the story, as a character. As you point out, the dialogue with Frodo is superbly done. I always read that and cringe, greatly saddened, over its terrible truth: how often do people begin with politeness and compassion and courtesy and fall into hectoring and bullying if not outright violence as a resort when they don't get their own way? Countries as well as people, too. That "Come, come my friend" followed closely by ""For I am too strong for you halfling" is as creepy to me as anything Grima says. Tolkien knew what he was about here. I would agree with you and Estelyn that this is not Borormir's true repentance. After the curse upon not just Frodo but "all halflings" and "Miserable trickster", it is too easy and quick a change to trust fully "A madness took me, but it has passed." Besides, a character as important as Boromir needs a more fully worked out repentence, which the next chapter provides, if justice is to be done to his role in the story. Who else other than Gandalf calls hobbits fools, though? Why, Boromir: "Fool, obstinate fool!" __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away.