Opinions on Boromir - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Aratlithiel · 02-22-2003, 11:49 PM

Salk, welcome to the board and we look forward to many new postings.

I was wondering if you would mind clarifying your view on the Fellowship's feelings toward Boromir. I never got the feeling that anyone didn't like him or that Tolkien drew him poorly. Can you expand a little on this? I always felt he was treated with respect and honor by the Fellowship and the author...what makes you feel differently?

Thank you!

Thinlómien · 12-15-2004, 09:34 AM

Boromir (one of my favorite characters) was certainly not bad or evil. He is the most human in LotR. Nearly all other characters are super-heroes or nearly perfect. Boromir´s a human; he makes mistakes.

I once had a dream about Boromir. He was in Lothlórien, talking with Galadriel. As in the book, Galadriel saw through him. He said: "It´s hard to be the only evil among good people. It's hard to be the only man among women."

At first I nearly laughed at my dream. But then I realized that it described him actually quite well. Boromir was a human among super-humans and he might be consired as evil compared to them. But if he was taken off the book and for example to our world, he would have been considered maybe as a good person.

I had my first touch with LotR when I was six and my father read it aloud to me and my liitle sister. Then, and also much later in the following times I read it, I thought that he was evil and one of the few characters I didn´t like.

Now he´s one of my favorites and I understand him. He´s a tragic character. Quite a change in my attitude towards him? Maybe it's because I´ve now read LotR so many times and understand it better or maybe because I was so small then (around both sides of 10 years) and little children easily think that people are "good" or "bad".

Boromir is lovely and always will be.

Boromir88 · 12-15-2004, 09:50 AM

One little thing I'd like to add, even after getting into an argument with Aragorn, Boromir says...

Quote:

"We men of Minas Tirith do not abandon our friends in need."

This is a pretty strong testimony of Boromir's "good" nature. Even if he doesn't get his way he still won't abandon his friends

.

02-22-2003, 11:49 PM	#1
Aratlithiel Wight Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 196	Salk, welcome to the board and we look forward to many new postings. I was wondering if you would mind clarifying your view on the Fellowship's feelings toward Boromir. I never got the feeling that anyone didn't like him or that Tolkien drew him poorly. Can you expand a little on this? I always felt he was treated with respect and honor by the Fellowship and the author...what makes you feel differently? Thank you! __________________ - I must find the Mountain of Fire and cast the thing into the gulf of Doom. Gandalf said so. I do not think I shall ever get there. - Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup. - Where are we going?...And why am I in this handbasket?

12-15-2004, 09:34 AM	#2
Thinlómien Shady She-Penguin Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: In a far land beyond the Sea Posts: 8,093	Boromir (one of my favorite characters) was certainly not bad or evil. He is the most human in LotR. Nearly all other characters are super-heroes or nearly perfect. Boromir´s a human; he makes mistakes. I once had a dream about Boromir. He was in Lothlórien, talking with Galadriel. As in the book, Galadriel saw through him. He said: "It´s hard to be the only evil among good people. It's hard to be the only man among women." At first I nearly laughed at my dream. But then I realized that it described him actually quite well. Boromir was a human among super-humans and he might be consired as evil compared to them. But if he was taken off the book and for example to our world, he would have been considered maybe as a good person. I had my first touch with LotR when I was six and my father read it aloud to me and my liitle sister. Then, and also much later in the following times I read it, I thought that he was evil and one of the few characters I didn´t like. Now he´s one of my favorites and I understand him. He´s a tragic character. Quite a change in my attitude towards him? Maybe it's because I´ve now read LotR so many times and understand it better or maybe because I was so small then (around both sides of 10 years) and little children easily think that people are "good" or "bad". Boromir is lovely and always will be.