Why Boromir Was Not a Bad Guy

We all know about the tragedy that takes place at the end of The Fellowship of the Ring; Boromir’s betrayal of the Fellowship’s trust and his mission. Although we start catching glimpses of the catastrophe that will come to the Fellowship and the Quest long before, I think it still comes somewhat as a surprise to the reader.

     However, should this really be a surprise? Considering the pull of the Ring, someone was bound to bend under its influence. Does the fact that the someone was Boromir make him evil? I know that his betrayal is a sore blow to the Quest, but was it necessary for its completion? I think it might not only have been necessary but the essential element that propelled the Quest to the finish line.

The Ring’s Effects

     From the very beginning, even as far back as Chapter 1 “A Long-Expected Party”, the Ring’s pull is evidenced in the confrontation between Bilbo and Gandalf. When Gandalf requests that Bilbo leave the ring behind to his nephew, Frodo, his reply is that he had planned on leaving it along with everything else. However, he hadn’t actually left it behind. It was still in his pocket. Once Bilbo realized that, he planned on keeping it. He then started accusing Gandalf of trying to take it for himself.

     What could possibly make Bilbo so possessive of his treasure, or should I say his “Precious”? Before this event, he would never have even contemplated challenging Gandalf or accusing him of taking anything against his will. The Ring that he had carried for a relatively short time and used even less had already placed its mark on him, an especially strong and sensible hobbit. It had caused even Bilbo to threaten violence against Gandalf, his long-time friend and role-model.

If it could do that much to Bilbo, who knew and respected Gandalf, even more so would it prompt Boromir to attempt violence on Frodo, whom he had known for only a few months. It is also noteworthy to remember that he believed that, by going directly to Mordor, Frodo was about to directly throw himself into harm’s way, thereby pretty much handing the Ring over to Sauron.

Galadriel’s Involvement

    Tolkien suggests that Lothlórien is a very dangerous place, although the Fellowship seemed to have experienced otherwise. Faramir in (TTT) also believes this; not necessarily that it is dangerous in regard to peril, but that meeting the Lady Galadriel can be dangerous to the mind. He said

“‘It is perilous for mortal man to walk out of the world of this Sun, and few of old came thence unchanged.’” (TTT pg 309)

He obviously believed that Galadriel had something to do with Boromir’ betrayal, and he may have been right.

When the Fellowship arrived at Caras Galadhon, Galadriel looked at each one to see if they were faithful by giving them a choice between “A shadow full of fear that lay ahead, and something that he greatly desired” (FOTR pg 401).

This adds to the possibility that Galadriel may have even brought the idea to take the Ring from Frodo to Boromir. Boromir himself even hints to this when he says “Almost I should have said that she was tempting us, and offering what she pretended to have the power to give.” (FOTR pg 402).

      After Faramir spoke of the dangers of entering Lothlórien, he mourned the temptation introduced to Boromir there and wished that he didn’t go at all.

“‘Boromir, O Boromir!’  he cried ‘What did she say to you, the lady that dies not? What did she see? What woke in your heart then? Why went you ever to Laurelindórenan, and came not by your own road, upon the horses of Rohan riding home in the morning?’”

Though entering Lothlórien did not make him betray the Company, it made him recognize and reflect on his greatest desire which ultimately led to his betrayal.

Legitimate Motives

     Most of Boromir’s actions were influenced by a sense of loyalty and patriotism to his country, Gondor. He only wanted to save his country from inevitable conquest and truly thought that the Ring was the key to do just that. He didn’t believe in the warnings of the Wise that the Ring couldn’t be used by any for good. Instead he believed that they were just too afraid to use it. This was due mainly to his pride, Tolkien’s pet flaw.¹ He thought he knew better which probably made him more vulnerable to the Ring’s influence in the first place. This was one of the reasons for Isildur’s fall as well.

Ancestry

     However, Isildur was the first king of Arnor who saved a fruit from the white tree before it was destroyed and with his father and brother led the Faithful from Numenor. Boromir was only an heir to the stewardship of Gondor with a mixed bloodline. If Isildur could fall to the Ring’s influence, Boromir’s was inevitable. In fact, it’s amazing that no one else in the Fellowship fell as well.

This might have been because the Hobbits were too loyal to Frodo and knew or comprehended too little to even think about taking the Ring. Gimli was safe due to the Dwarves inability to fall under the power of others as was shown by their immunity to Sauron’s control through the Dwarven rings during the Dark Years. Legolas was protected by the Elvish wisdom and caution as well as their previous experiences with Sauron.

It must have been tempting for Gandalf though. We have already been shown that it is possible for a wizard to turn bad through Saruman. However, when the Istari were first sent to Middle Earth they were forbidden to “match his [Sauron’s] power with power or to seek to dominate Elves and Men by force or fear.” (Appendix B, pg 403) That, combined with the thought of what he would become if he took the Ring, were what influenced him to stay away.

Boromir and Aragorn were the only members of the Fellowship truly at risk to fall under its temptation. That Aragorn remained unaffected says something about his strength of mind, though being heir king and growing up in Rivendell certainly helped.

Conflicted Thoughts

     Let’s not forget that the Ring’s power over someone grows stronger both in the number of times used and the closer it gets to its master, Sauron. Faced with a major decision, as the Fellowship was, as to where they should go: Mordor or Minas Tirith, Boromir possibly thought that by talking to Frodo he could tip the scales in the favor of his home country. However, while talking to him, he quickly noticed that Frodo had already decided against him when he said

“You are kind. But I don’t think that any speech would help me. For I know what I should do, but I am afraid of doing it Boromir: afraid.” (FOTR pg 446)

     After trying to convince him otherwise, anger and a sense of betrayal incensed Boromir to succumb to the pull of the Ring that he had clearly felt since before he had left Lothlórien. However, by trying to take the Ring from Frodo he inadvertently chased him away; thereby inducing him to overcome his fear and make the decision to take the journey to Mordor alone.

Repercussions on the Quest

     I don’t believe that Frodo would have had the strength of mind to actively declare that he was going to Mordor to the rest of the Fellowship. The temptation to not destroy the Ring in addition to his fear of both going and causing others to follow him would have been simply too much. Boromir’s betrayal (although it had the opposite effect than intended) had provided the final push that repelled the Quest on to its last stages.

     After chasing Frodo away Boromir came to his senses.

“Suddenly he wept. He rose and passed his hand over his eyes, dashing away the tears. ‘What have I said? He cried. ‘What have I done? Frodo, Frodo!’ He called. “Come back! A madness took me, but it has passed. Come back?’” (FOTR pg 449)

Once the Ring was out of sight he realized what he had done and regretted it, although he doubtless still felt that the Ring should go to Minas Tirith. Regret and apology were too late, but it still serves to show that he had not wholly succumbed to the Ring’s pull. Boromir was certainly not evil but very misled, at least while in the Ring’s presence.

Works Cited

Tolkien, J.R.R. The Fellowship of the Ring 1955. Del Rey. Date Accessed Sept 18, 2018.

Tolkien, J.R.R. The Return of the King. 1955. Del Rey. Date accessed Sept 18, 2018.

Tolkien, J.R.R. The Two Towers. 1955. Del Rey. Date accessed Sept 18, 2018.

---

1 See Silmarillion characters Túrin, Feanor, and Saeros (Chapter 21), among many others as well as Lord of the Rings and Hobbit characters Thorin, Smaug, Denethor, and Eärnur, last king of Gondor (Appendix A).