Why was Boromir allowed to join the Fellowship?

[Calacirya]

Originally Posted by Pervinca Took

All that said, I wonder what Boromir did for the whole month they were at Rivendell before setting out. I suspect that he spent a lot of time with Aragorn. ... And would he fully have understood that Aragorn was going to claim the kingship of Gondor?

He was very clear on who Aragorn was during that month. As this happens in the Council of Elrond:

`And who are you, and what have you to do with Minas Tirith?' asked Boromir, looking in wonder at the lean face of the Ranger and his weather-stained cloak.
"He is Aragorn son of Arathorn,' said Elrond; "and he is descended through many fathers from Isildur Elendil's son of Minas Ithil. He is the Chief of the Dúnedain in the North, and few are now left of that folk."

With such a grand introduction from Elrond, Boromir couldn't be much confused about who Aragorn is, in many aspects.

Originally Posted by Pervinca Took

It's never really occurred to me before, but why on earth did someone as important to Gondor as the Steward's eldest son set out to Rivendell alone, with no escort or at least without even one other companion? Sure, he was hardy and mighty, but "the mightiest man can be slain by one arrow," as Pippin observed. Did he insist upon setting out completely alone? (It might have been said that he did, and I don't remember).

While I'd be more than happy to rant on about all the reasons I believe Boromir was sent on this quest, I believe Gandalf summarized it best in Return of the King when meeting Denethor for the first time in the books. Gandalf speaks,

Boromir claimed the errand and would not suffer any other to have it. He was a masterful man, and one to take what he desired.

So while we can banter all day about why Boromir was sent from Gondor, in the end I believe it was the simple fact that Boromir would not have allowed anyone else to take on this task. Boromir believed that the ring should come back to Gondor (or believed his father, anyway) and once he decided on his course of action, I do not believe there was any stopping him.

Originally Posted by Pervinca Took

BTW, a very warm welcome to the Downs, Calacirya.

Thank you very much! I've been looking for a place like the Downs for ages, but most places are years dead. Nice to see some active people still talking about these things.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

I was thinking more of Denethor's reaction if Boromir had indeed returned to tell how no one would accompany him on his journey back. That wouldn't have done much to elevate Denethor's considerations of other potential allies in the West.

But Boromir wasn't sent to seek allies, but to seek the answer to the dream-riddle. That he certainly found.

WRT another line of discusion: although Bormir certainly learned right off the bat who Aragorn was, that "Who" was "heir to the North-kingdom, Chieftain of the Dunedain of Arnor." That in itself did not imply advancing a claim to the throne of Gondor; a thousand years' worth of Aragorn's predecessors had not done so, even though some of them were certainly in communication with Minas Tirith from time to time. Boromir plainly had no problem with the idea of Aragorn coming to MT, seeing the Sword (and possibly the arm that wielded it) as great potential help in the war.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by William Cloud Hicklin

But Boromir wasn't sent to seek allies, but to seek the answer to the dream-riddle. That he certainly found.

True, but Boromir's words to the Company seem to indicate he would have been at least a bit irritated if he had had to go to Minas Tirith alone.

'To the tall isle I will go, but no further. There I shall turn to my home, alone if my help has not earned the reward of any companionship.'

FOTR The Great River

As much as Denethor loved his son, he might have seen Boromir returning by himself as a slight, which could have turned him even more against the thought of accepting aid from anyone but the Rohirrim.

Originally Posted by William Cloud Hicklin

WRT another line of discusion: although Bormir certainly learned right off the bat who Aragorn was, that "Who" was "heir to the North-kingdom, Chieftain of the Dunedain of Arnor." That in itself did not imply advancing a claim to the throne of Gondor; a thousand years' worth of Aragorn's predecessors had not done so, even though some of them were certainly in communication with Minas Tirith from time to time. Boromir plainly had no problem with the idea of Aragorn coming to MT, seeing the Sword (and possibly the arm that wielded it) as great potential help in the war.

Boromir though was possibly looking no further than the defeat of Sauron. If Aragorn survived the war, the question of kingship could then be dealt with.
It may be noteworthy that in Boromir's Ring-delusion, he "became himself a mighty king, benevolent and wise." Maybe his acceptance of Aragorn was indeed not as solid as it may have seemed.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

True, but Boromir's words to the Company seem to indicate he would have been at least a bit irritated if he had had to go to Minas Tirith alone.

FOTR The Great River

As much as Denethor loved his son, he might have seen Boromir returning by himself as a slight, which could have turned him even more against the thought of accepting aid from anyone but the Rohirrim.

But the context by the time of that debate was wholly different. Gandalf had fallen, Aragorn now had responsibility for Frodo and the Quest, as opposed to his original plan to go to MT with Boromir, and at any rate Boromir had declared from the beginning his intention to return home, where he was needed. At this point of course he is trying to make an argument for the whole Company to go with him- in which it must be said that Ring-lust might have been a factor by now.

I don't think Denethor would have seen much of a 'slight' in what was conceived as in essence an into-the-blue reconnaissance; Boromir was sent off to find "Imladris," about which even Denethor hardly knew anything, even where it was, save that "Elrond and Half-elven once dwelt" there. He wasn't expecting allies or even a solo Great Hero, just an answer to the riddle (and the sudden reappearance of 'Thorongil' would hardly have made him happy!).

[Inziladun]

Well, maybe after all it was just because Boromir was "going their way" that he was chosen. But the fact that he was the son of the Steward surely was a partial factor as well. Would a Beregond or an Ingold have necessarily been given the same consideration?

[Juicy-Sweet]

I imagine Elrond and Gandalf having the final say - and maybe discussing the composition of the fellowship a bit after the somewhat chaotic council.

As regards to Boromir...

There's a political issue as well. Gondor is THE most important ally among the human kingdoms. Offending them is no-go. Refusing a fully qualified son-of-the-steward to join the fellowship and have him trek home alone 50 miles behind them would be so insulting as to ruin Rivendell-Gondor relations for years. That just would not work at all with the big was coming up and all.

Just for that reason, they HAD to accept him, and they would have let him join even if he had been much more tempted than he actually was.

As for his temptation - I am sure they were aware uf it, but saw into his Heart and thought he would most likely be able to cope, although you could not be 100% sure. But then again, nobody in the fellowship were 100% ring-resistant anyway.

The book for me is consistent with ANY of the fellowship trying to take it at one point or another. (Maybe apart from Sam - but at the end, even him started to feel the ring's tug a bit.)

Thus I think their reasoning was " Yeah, he is tempted, but it is so important for politics that he joins that we have to just cross our fingers and hope he behaves. In any case, there's Gandalf and Aragorn in case he misbehaves. He can't kill Gandalf, he can't sneak up on Legolas, and if he kills Frodo and runs away, Aragorn will track him down. The Fellowship is pretty safe as it is, everyone guarding on everyone and nobody being strong enough to take everybody else Down. It'll be alright with this guy!."

And lastly - Boromir wasn't that tempted! He managed to break the spell himself really fast. And he didn't even try to kill Frodo as Smeagol killed Deagol. I don't find it unreasonably that you could estimate in Rivendell that he would be able to resist the ring...

[Formendacil]

The only problem with saying that there was a concern for Rivendell and Gondor's relationship is that there WAS no relationship between Rivendell and Gondor--when Boromir and Faramir had the vision, they had no idea where Imladris was, and though Denethor is able to tell them basically where it lies, it is clear that he is speaking of ancient lore--not correcting geopolitically-challenged sons. After all, the last time Gondor was properly involved with Rivendell in anything, there was still a King on the throne.

In the sense that both were opposed to Sauron and in desperate straits should he win, Gondor and Rivendell were certainly allies--but not in the sense that there was anything deliberate about this, especially on the side of Gondor which saw itself as alone against the world (save Rohan). Gandalf, it is true, was known in both, but I think it's fair to say he was already less-than-popular in Denethor's court.

Rather than the political reality, I think it comes down more to Gandalf and Elrond's assessment of Aragorn. Aragorn, we are told, is also going to Minas Tirith--if the Fellowship is about those only going with Frodo and the Ring, he should be out too. One could even argue that two parties leaving Rivendell in different directions for the southlands would have been good cover for the more important mission, but--and this is more my impression than something I have a direct quote handy for--it would seem that Gandalf thought that some Aragorn was better than no Aragorn on the trip.

And if you're going to take Aragorn, you should probably take Boromir then too. While that does have a political dimension (Boromir is, after Denethor, the one who will be most directly impacted by the return of the King and his support would mean the difference between a coronation and civil war), it's also courtesy--and I don't think courtesy for its own sake likely to be undervalued by either Gandalf or Elrond.