The Fellowship - doomed to fail

[Inziladun]

Those who knew Gandalf, such as most of the Council attendees, had enough trust in him that they were willing to follow his plan, no matter how vague its ultimate ending might seem.

Originally Posted by Faramir Jones

That said, I can still understand Denethor's anger, although the problem is that he himself didn't have an alternative plan other than to keep the ring safe in Minas Tirith, not using it until things were really desperate...

I think a big part of Denethor's issue was his lack of trust in anyone opposed to Sauron, if they weren't subordinate to him, or closely allied, as the Rohirrim. Really, it's amazing that he allowed Boromir to go to Rivendell at all. Makes one wonder if the thought of consulting Saruman about the dreams of Faramir and Boromir had crossed his mind, and, if so, why he didn't just do that.

[Zigûr]

I'm not sure I trust Denethor's anger. Was he truly angry because the Ring had been sent to where it seemed almost certain that Sauron would recover it, or was he really just angry because this object of power which he seemed to secretly desire ("Not used, I say, unless at the uttermost end of need"), even if he did not consciously realise himself that he desired it, had been put beyond his reach? Gandalf outright says he does not trust him:

'Nonetheless I do not trust you,' said Gandalf. 'Had I done so, I could have sent this thing hither to your keeping and spared myself and others much anguish. And now hearing you speak I trust you less, no more than Boromir. Nay, stay your wrath! I do not trust myself in this, and I refused this thing, even as a freely given gift. You are strong and can still in some matters govern yourself, Denethor; yet if you had received this thing, it would have overthrown you. Were it buried beneath the roots of Mindolluin, still it would burn your mind away, as the darkness grows'

Gandalf seems to think, and I agree with him, that the best place for the Ring was far away from anyone who could wield it, and in my opinion it was the arrogance of Denethor - who seems to have falsely seen the struggle for the spiritual fate of Middle-earth almost purely in terms of a struggle for geopolitical dominance between himself and Sauron alone - which led him to anger about the Ring being beyond his grasp.

[Kuruharan]

An unlikely possibility, but has anyone ever considered the possibility that Gandalf (had he continued with the Fellowship) might have intended to take the Ring and fling it into the Crack of Doom himself?

[Faramir Jones]

Inziladun, I was interested in what you had to say here:

I think a big part of Denethor's issue was his lack of trust in anyone opposed to Sauron, if they weren't subordinate to him, or closely allied, as the Rohirrim. Really, it's amazing that he allowed Boromir to go to Rivendell at all. Makes one wonder if the thought of consulting Saruman about the dreams of Faramir and Boromir had crossed his mind, and, if so, why he didn't just do that.

The answer is very clear: Saruman was a rebel. When he was given the tenancy of Orthanc, still Gondorian territory, by Ruling Steward Beren, Denethor's ancestor and predecessor, it was on the understanding that he would accept his obligations as a tenant. Saruman later rebelled, effectively declaring his independence of Gondor. Why should Denethor, or any of his predecessors, trust Saruman, let alone let him into any of their confidences? This is even before Gandalf found out, due to his imprisonment, that Saruman was an enemy as well, in league with Sauron.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Faramir Jones

The answer is very clear: Saruman was a rebel. When he was given the tenancy of Orthanc, still Gondorian territory, by Ruling Steward Beren, Denethor's ancestor and predecessor, it was on the understanding that he would accept his obligations as a tenant. Saruman later rebelled, effectively declaring his independence of Gondor. Why should Denethor, or any of his predecessors, trust Saruman, let alone let him into any of their confidences? This is even before Gandalf found out, due to his imprisonment, that Saruman was an enemy as well, in league with Sauron.

Well, it's indicated that Saruman had been well received in Gondor even up to Denethor's time. Denethor himself told Gandalf that Saruman had been searching the archives in Minas Tirith (for records of the Ring).

[Faramir Jones]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

Well, it's indicated that Saruman had been well received in Gondor even up to Denethor's time. Denethor himself told Gandalf that Saruman had been searching the archives in Minas Tirith (for records of the Ring).

Thanks for that point. Is it clear whether Saruman's visits stopped in Denethor's time or not?

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Faramir Jones

Thanks for that point. Is it clear whether Saruman's visits stopped in Denethor's time or not?

The inference seems to be that the last time Saruman had been to Minas Tirith was when he did his search. Having gotten what he wanted, he had no further use for old Denethor.

[Faramir Jones]

Thanks for the reply, Inziladun. You're probably right in your inference. But just because Denethor may have allowed Saruman access to the archives in Minas Tirith doesn't mean that he confided in him. He appears to be a man who kept his own counsel, who listened to people, then made his own decisions.

It was clear from LotR that he knew who the 'Thorongil' was who lived and worked in Gondor and Rohan in his younger days. What I found interesting was that Faramir, after meeting Frodo and Sam, said that he concluded, from what Gandalf had looked at in the archives concerning Isildur, that the latter had taken something from Sauron before his departure to the North, although he didn't think that it was the Ring until Sam put his foot in it. My opinion is that his father Denethor had come to the same conclusion.

[Faramir Jones]

Zigûr, thanks for the quote from Gandalf to Denethor. I liked how the wizard softened his criticism of the Steward by pointing out that he didn't trust himself with the Ring, even though it was freely offered to him by Frodo.

The problem I have is that how could Gandalf expect Frodo not just to get to the Crack of Doom in the first place, but also to have the will left to then throw the Ring in? Even if Denethor can be accused of arrogance and a desire for the Ring, such a question from him (even if badly phrased by calling Frodo a 'witless halfling') is still valid.

It's just as well that Gondor isn't a democracy. Can one imagine Gandalf defending his stance at a public meeting?