LotR -- Book 3 - Chapter 01 - The Departure of Boromir

[mark12_30]

Originally Posted by Aiwendil

Aragorn is indeed confident and proud, but he is also, I think, humble in what may be a peculiarly modern sense. I think that this is one way in which Tolkien's heroic ideal differs from the Norse or Anglo-Saxon or even Homeric ideal

Aiwendil, especially considering the thrust of Tolkien's "Homecoming" supplement to the Battle of Maldon, I think you are quite correct.

In a way, sending Frodo to Mt. Doom could be considered similar to letting the Vikings across the causeway-- not the way to win the battle, and a nasty way to sacrifice all your allies, too. As Beornoth was viewed by the old fellow combing the battlefield for the Earl's corpse, so Boromir viewed Gandalf, Elrond, et al-- lunatics who threw away a practical hope for victory for some overblown ideal. The difference is, I think, in where trust is placed. Boromir, like Beornoth, trusted in valor and strength of arms, whereas Gandalf and Elrond trusted, or at least hoped, for what we might loosely call a 'tactical eucatastrophe.'