This is just a thought that popped into my head tonight after the reading? As we all know Boromir tries to take the ring before Frodo departs the fellowship. However, he gives his life in order to save the other Hobbits, well at least he tried anyway.
The question I pose to everyone is this, are Boromir's actions at Amon Hen enough to gain his honor back after he tried to take the ring? Or is he destined to be remembered as a "betrayer" and "backstabber"?
I believe this does redeem his actions with Frodo. I mean granted he shouldn't have tried to take the ring, but, he was only doing so because he though it would help his people in the coming war. Is it so wrong for him to do so? And can anyone really be blamed for giving into the power of the ring? He must have realized the error of his ways because he gave his life in an attempt to save other fellowship members and maintain his honor.
What does everyone else think?
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8 comments:
I agree with you that Boromir does redeem his actions, but I didn't find him that likeable of a character. He can claim he is wanting the ring to help his people, but wanting the ring for the power is ultimately selfish and destoys the individual. (i.e. Gollum)
Going back to what we discussed in class today, I don't know if Boromir's redemption is a factor in his being killed off. I think Tolkien's really just saying, "That's enough of you, time to go." Boromir was just being a distraction to the rest of the Fellowship because he just wanted to go home instead of go to Mordor. This was getting in everyone's way, so he had to be removed like any obstacle. You can see things like that in every day life, like having to stop hanging out with friends who are bad influences who distract you from achieving the goals you need to reach. Boromir was a distraction who kept the group from remembering what Gandalf told them like how the girl who sits in the front row and plays video games on her computer distracts everyone who sits behind her from hearing what the teachers have to say. The group could have just ignored what Boromir had to say, but its a whole lot easier if the girl just doesn't play video games.
Boromir is one of those wonderful characters (like Gollum) who cause us to pause and think about the supposed clear-cut morality of Middle-Earth.
Did Boromir betray Frodo? Was that truly Boromir who strove to take the Ring (which would make him culpable for his actions) - or was he possessed by the Ring (which might serve to mitigate his responsibility for the betrayal)
As I was reading the original post, I was surprised that the class said very little about the influence about the ring on Boromir as we have been prefaced to know that the ring will have an effect of Frodo and those around him.
I do believe that Boromir is able to redeem his honor. However, this is, in my opinion, only able to happen through Aragorn not stressing the fact that Boromir attacked Frodo. By keeping this fact greatly subdued, Boromir's death is held honorable by a noble who understands the ring's evil persuasion and by the others unbiased naivity.
Boromir redeems himself with a pointless action of death yet. To the people of the fellowship his secret is held with aragorn and none of the others know of his true actions. I don't really think boromir is a bad guy for doing what he did, he was trying to protect his home in minis tirith as others would have done if it was such a dire need. In the end Aragorn takes up boromir's role and defends the castle. It also shows that nothing is perfect and there will always be a weakness in some sort of friendship or foundation.
I think that Boromir's actions were redeemed after he fell when trying to catch Frodo and then realized that he had done something wrong. I think he was sorry for his actions and probably wouldn't have gone after the ring again.
Even Galadriel and Gandalf were tempted by the Ring. Just as both of them "passed the test," I think Boromir had as well. It just took him a little longer to do so.
I think that Boromir tried to redeem himself for himself alone. I think that he felt guilty about what he did, even though he was the only one besides Frodo that knew what happened. I think that this can relate to real life. By, if someone stole something and no one saw; the person that took it has to deal with knowing that it wasn't theirs to begin with and the guilt that goes along with that.
But would Boromir have "passed the test" if Frodo hadn't been able to escape, or did he pass simply by luck?
Is a criminal guilty if he gets caught before committing the crime? If I'm attacking someone, and that person escapes just before I thrust my knife, am I a bad person?
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