Boromir - Middle-Earth Encyclopedia Gift of Lorien: Gold-colored Belt Boromir played by Sean Bean in the New Line film Biography Boromir was a noble man of Gondor and the son of Denethor II , Steward of Gondor. Boromir was therefore the heir to stewardship. He was a tall and bold man and was favored by his father over his younger brother Faramir . Boromir was a splendid warrior and a brilliant captain. He was eventually sent on a quest to take the One Ring from Frodo Baggins , which ultimately brought about his downfall. Boromir was born in 2978 of the Third Age to Denethor II and Finduilas . Denethor II became Steward of Gondor in 2984, but it bothered Boromir that his father would never be King. Finduilas became weary as the shadow of Mordor and Sauron drew near. After the birth of her son Faramir in 2983, Boromir's mother died. He was only ten, and he slowly watched his father lose any sense of sanity.

Boromir had the task of raising his young brother because of his father's insanity. They differed in many ways: Boromir was bold and outgoing while Faramir tended to be shy; and, though both could wield a sword, Boromir was more war-like and Faramir had a love of learning and telling tales. Though both had good qualities, Denethor strongly favored Boromir. However, the brothers supported each other and cared for one another. Boromir was named a Captain of the White Tower, but later he was promoted to Captain-General and then to High Warden of the White Tower. He fought in several battles and proved himself to be a hero. In June of 3018, Orcs of Sauron led by the Witch-King of Angmar attacked Osgiliath . Boromir defended the city with his brother until they had to swim in the Anduin to safety after the bridge collapsed into the river. One night that summer, Boromir had a dream in which the east was filled with storms and a black sky and the west was filled with light.

A voice stated that in Imladris, there were the remains of an important sword that was broken, which turned out to be the sword of Aragorn , the heir to the throne of Gondor. Boromir asked Denethor about his dream, but his father only told him where Imladris was: it was the home of Elrond in the north, also known as Rivendell . Boromir decided to take the long journey there to find out what his dream meant. It was a long and dangerous journey to Rivendell. Boromir travelled 400 leagues, which took him 110 days. He had lost his horse in the Greyflood and walked much of the way. He finally got there on October 25, 3018. Boromir attended the Council of Elrond. He was chosen as a representative of Gondor. He was to join the Fellowship of the Ring, which planned to destroy the One Ring of Sauron in Mount Doom , a volcanic peak in Mordor. The Ring-barer was a Hobbit named Frodo Baggins.

His uncle Bilbo had once possessed the Ring, and the two attended the Council. Boromir had heard of Hobbits in legends, but only believed them to be mythological creatures. In his dream, Hobbits were mentioned for saving Middle-Earth. Boromir took an immediate interest in the Hobbits and the One Ring. He tried to convince the Council to bring it to Gondor, but this idea was rejected. The Fellowship of the Ring departed from Rivendell on December 25. At their departure, Boromir sounded the Great Horn . The Fellowship then headed south. During a blizzard on Caradhras in January, Frodo dropped the Ring in the snow. Boromir picked it up, enchanted, and wondered how something so small could cause so much greed and horror. He was under the power of the Ring and nearly touched it, but it was snatched away by Frodo. On January 14, the Fellowship reached Moria . They had no choice but to pass through the mines. Boromir had suggested that they pass through the Gap of Rohan , but this idea was rejected by Gandalf, who explained that it was too close to Isengard .

They fought off Wargs and the Watcher in the Water before Gandalf finally opened the Doors of Durin at the West-Gate. Boromir had been throwing stones into the water, which had awoken the watcher. The Fellowship reached the Chamber of Mazarbul on January 15. They were attacked by Orcs and a Cave- Troll which Boromir had tried to hold back. He failed, and door flew into pieces and Orcs led by a terrifying chieftain entered. Boromir killed many Orcs before the chieftain threatened him and then continued to Frodo. Aragorn killed the chieftain and Boromir charged after the others. The Orcs became afraid and scurried away. Boromir then led the Fellowship through the eastern door of the chamber and pulled it shut behind them. On the Bridge of Khazad-dum , Gandalf challenged a Balrog . Boromir and the Fellowship watched in horror as he fell into the deep black hole below them. He even revealed himself to the Balrog to be from Gondor, crying his homeland's name and wielding his sword, but then Gandalf ordered them to flee.

Boromir and Aragorn led the remaining eight Fellowship members out of Moria. Aragorn assumed the title of leader of the Fellowship. He told them that they would be passing through Lothlorien , but Boromir rejected this idea, stating that the woods were mysterious and dangerous. Aragorn advised that only the evil should fear the Elven wood. The Fellowship entered Lorien and were brought to Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel. Galadriel said that the quest could easily fail, and Boromir doubted her words. He thought she may have been testing them. Boromir was rather insistant upon taking the rout to Minas Tirith. When the Fellowship was leaving Lorien a month later, Galadriel granted Boromir with a mighty gift: a beautiful gold-colored belt. Aragorn pondered upon Boromir's request to go to Minas Tirith. He thought it time for Isildur 's heir to return to the city, but also he worried that the quest may fail. In the end, he rejected Boromir's insistant suggestion. The Fellowship sailed down the Anduin in rowboats.

Boromir rowed in the same boat with Merry and Pippin . He often sailed close to Frodo's boat, attracted by the Ring. All three Hobbits near Boromir learned to be careful when close to the man. Danger came on February 23. The water suddenly became rocky and perilous as two tides met. Boromir realized with horror that they were nearing the rapids of Sarn Gebir and he warned his companions. That night, trouble arose as Orcs attacked from the shoreline. That night, a Nazgul rode atop a Fell Beast in attempt to retrieve the Ring from the Fellowship. Legolas slew it with an arrow. Boromir immediately turned to Frodo and demanded him to tell what it that had been malevolently flying above them, but the Hobbit would not say. Boromir advised that the Fellowship take the rout passed the Entwash and into Gondor, but Aragorn and Frodo intended to go to Amon Hen . They carried the boats passed the rapids and then continued on to the shores of Nen Hithoel . Frodo went to Amon Hen to make his final decision on February 26.

Boromir followed. He tried to convince Frodo to give Gondor the Ring, explaining that the men of Minas Tirith could use it to rebel Sauron. He then began insisting upon having Frodo pass the Ring to him, picturing himself as a mighty King of the West. Frodo declined and Boromir tried to take the Ring by force. Frodo put the Ring on his finger and disappeared. Boromir knelt down and began sobbing and pleading for Frodo to come back, but he was already gone. Boromir rushed down the hill to tell the Fellowship that he had argued with Frodo and the Hobbit had disappeared. Aragorn ordered him to stand guard while the others searched, but a clan of Uruk-Hai attacked. Boromir fought long and hard, killing Orcs left and right. However, the wicked and terrifying Uruk commander tore Boromir's sword off of the hilt and the Great Horn horn split. Aragorn returned from his fighting and found Boromir lying with little life left upon the ground. Orcs lay scattered around his body. Boromir confessed to having tried to take the Ring from Frodo.

Aragorn immediately forgave him and kissed his brow as the mighty Boromir died. Aragorn, Legolas , and Gimli held a funeral ceremony for Boromir. They placed him in a boat with his weaponry and let the flowing water carry him away. Faramir found Boromir's body three days later when sitting near the Anduin in Osgiliath. Faramir brought the remains of Boromir's weaponry and the Great Horn to his father Denethor. Boromir's body rode in the boat down the Anduin and into the Great Sea .

References The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring: "Prologue: Note on Shire Records," page 24; "The Council of Elrond," pages 259, 280, 281, and passim; "The Bridge of Khazad-dum;" "Lothlorien;" "The Mirror of Galadriel," page 373; "Farewell to Lorien," page 385; "The Great River," page 406; "The Breaking of the Fellowship," page 414 The Two Towers: "The Departure of Boromir,"passim; "Window on the West" The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A: "The Numenorean Kings;" "Gondor and the Heirs of Anarion;" "The Stewards," passim The History of Middle-earth, Volume XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth: "The Heirs of Elendil," page 206 The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion by Wayne G.

Hammond and Christina Scull, pages 224, 229, 359 Timeline 2978 of the Third Age Boromir was born in Minas Tirith to Denethor II and Finduilas. 2983 Faramir, Boromir's younger brother, was born. 2984 Denethor II became Steward of Gondor at the death of his father Ecthelion. 2988 Finduilas died. 3018 June 20: Orcs under Sauron attacked Osgiliath and Boromir was one of the last defenders. He swam to safety with Faramir. July 4: Boromir left Minas Tirith to go to Rivendell in response to a dream. October 24: Boromir reached Rivendell. October 25: Boromir attended the Council of Elrond and tried to convince the members to send the Ring to Gondor. December 18: Boromir joined the Fellowship of the Ring. December 25: The Fellowship set out from Rivendell and headed south.

3019 January 11: Boromir was tempted by the Ring on Carahras after helping Frodo in the blizzard. January 13: The Fellowship reached Moria. Boromir tossed a rock into the nearby lake where the Watcher in the Water lived. They entered Moria after being attacked by the Watcher. January 15: The Fellowship entered the Chamber of Mazarbul and were attacked by Orcs and a Troll. Boromir attempted to stand against the Balrog with Gandalf, but the wizard fell with the beast. Boromir agreed to follow Aragorn's lead. January 17: The Fellowship arrived in Lothlorien and were brought before Lady Galadriel. February 15: Boromir tried to convince Aragorn to take the Fellowship to Minas Tirith. February 16: The Fellowship departed Lorien and Galadriel granted Boromir with a golden belt. February 17-22: Boromir became more and more attracted to the will of the Ring on the river. February 23: Orcs attacked the Fellowship near the rapids of Sarn Gebir.

February 24: Boromir tried again to convince Aragorn to lead them to Minas Tirith. Aragorn refused. February 26: Boromir attempted to steal the Ring from Frodo and failed. He then sounded the Great Horn and protected Merry and Pippin, but was killed by attacking Uruk-Hai. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli held a funeral. February 29: In Osgiliath, Faramir saw Boromir's body in a row boat floating down the Anduin. Names & Meanings: Boromir: Boromir comes from the word boron, which means "trustworthy man" or "noble man," and mir means "treasure." Captain: Boromir was a Captain of Gondor and a Captain of the White Tower. He was also called Captain-General and eventually High Warden of the White Tower. Prince: Boromir was a son of Denethor II, Steward of Gondor. He was next in line for the stewardship, so was called Prince of the city. "The city" was Minas Tirith.

Boromir the Bold/Tall/Fair: Boromir was called Bold, Tall, and Fair by Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli at his funeral. Gallery: Sean Bean as Boromir in the New Line film Sean Bean as Boromir in the New Line film Decipher Card of Boromir's shield Boromir by Ted Nasmith Image Credits The top two images are of Boromir played by Sean Bean in the New Line Cinema film trilogy of the Lord of the Rings directed by Peter Jackson. The bottom left image is a Decipher Card of Boromir's shield. The bottom right image is a painting of Boromir by artist Ted Nasmith. All Pages Copyright © 2010, The Middle-Earth Encyclopedia Create a free website Movie Review - - FILM REVIEW; Hit the Road, Middle-Earth Gang - NYTimes.com FILM REVIEW; Hit the Road, Middle-Earth Gang By ELVIS MITCHELL Published: December 19, 2001 There are two groups probably sharing the same dread about the film adaptation of J. R. R.

Tolkien's ornate and busy ''Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' -- its most loving adherents and those who have spent their lives avoiding the books. But neither side is likely to be disappointed by the director Peter Jackson's altogether heroic job in tackling perhaps the most intimidating nerd/academic fantasy classic ever. Given that huge portions of the movie are devoted to exposition (there's a crushing amount of explanation required), Mr. Jackson has simmered the novel down to the most compact action-epic that could be made of it. As director and co-scriptwriter (he wrote the adaptation along with Philippa Boyens and Fran Walsh) he understood that what propels the story forward are the battles between the forces of good and evil -- a word from which British stage actors can extract at least three syllables. One of those British actors, Ian McKellen, plays Gandalf, the wizard and friend to the Baggins family. Gandalf drops in on the Shire to visit his hobbit friend Bilbo (Ian Holm) on his 111th birthday. (It's good to see Mr.

Holm and Sir Ian together, even though the special effect required to make the hobbit diminutive and Gandalf lanky and majestic interferes with their ease.) During the celebration, Bilbo passes a ring on to his nephew, Frodo (Elijah Wood), and this ring places Frodo in the center of a struggle for the future of the world. The ring, which contains an evil wizard's ''cruelty, his malice and his will to dominate all life,'' must be destroyed in the fire Pits of Mordor, where it was created. Even the towering Gandalf is afraid of this master ring. ''Fellowship'' then slips into a series of chases and pitched battles, each with a bit more at stake because the ring's power to tempt those who come in contact with it becomes a bigger factor. Mr. Jackson has exploited the anecdotal nature by turning ''Fellowship'' into an escalating group of cliffhangers. This is the craftiest way to deal with the essence of ''Fellowship,'' shrinking the border between seduction and greed. When the ring corrupts each side, what's the difference between those who want it to do what's right and those who want it for less selfless reasons?

Tolkien's books were written and passed around from zealot to zealot long before fantasy became the order of the day in contemporary popular culture, which is why so much of ''Fellowship'' will seem familiar to those who know nothing about them. (Tolkien devotees are probably still wiping the bad taste of Ralph Bakshi's poky 1978 animated adaptation from their mouths.) Rather than emphasize the similarities to George Lucas's mythology, Mr. Jackson gallops straight through them, trimming away as many of the complications as possible. ''Fellowship'' may still feel like ''Star Wars'' and just about every other otherworldly battle epic of the last 30 years -- a whopping composite of Christian allegory, Norse mythology and a boys' book of adventure. There's not much of a place for women on the loamy, rich dream scapes of Middle Earth; they enter the action briefly as if they were dream figures, part of the film's subconscious, like the glorious Elf queen Galadriel (Cate Blanchett) and the magical Arwen (Liv Tyler).

''Fellowship'' centers on a band composed of the hobbits Frodo and his best friend, Sam (Sean Astin); the wizard Gandalf; and a pack of warriors that include the humans Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) and Boromir (Sean Bean), the angry dwarf Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) and the elf archer Legolas (Armando Bloom). Mr. Jackson apparently feels that the way to keep each of the fighting groups separate in the audience's minds is to provide them with hairstyles reminiscent of 1970's bands. The hobbits all have heads of tossled curls -- they're like members of Peter Frampton's group. Aragorn and Boromir have the long, unwashed bushes of Aerosmith, and the flaxen-maned Legolas has the fallen-angel look of one of the Allman Brothers. (The tubby, bilious and bearded Gimli could be a roadie for any of them.) ''Fellowship'' plays like a sword-and-sorcery epic produced by VH-1. Together, they rock against the forces of Sauron -- the evil wizard who created the Ring that Frodo holds.

They have to pass through a cavernous passageway to fight through the assortment of nightmare creatures that Sauron sends to stop them. In Tolkien's book, each obstacle represents what is by now a kitschy level of enlightenment; once it's surmounted, you can never go back. Though this sadder-but-wiser educational experience is integral to the story, rather than snip it away, the director lingers on the mournfulness. When Frodo's band of brothers has to endure its sacrifices, the movie has a sense of loss. Mr. Jackson gets more feeling into ''Fellowship'' than he did with his previous films, like ''Heavenly Creatures'' and the bracing shock comedy ''Dead Alive'' and ''The Frighteners'' (which contained milder elements from ''Dead Alive''). He's better at this stuff than the happy shenanigans at Bilbo's birthday bash in the Shire; it's an entire village of comic relief. Mr. Jackson is a deft filmmaker, though, combining humor and horror in the same scene -- so that the actors' takes of disbelief when yet another menace materializes are so expressive they seem like part of the storytelling.

The movie gets going once the quest begins and the adventurers hit the road. Since the actors serve a plot need rather than filling out characterization, the movie succeeds when the performers quickly communicate their functions. Mr. Wood's light, tremulous voice for Frodo and earnest, pointed face offer decency. He sometimes seems to possess the visage that Michael Jackson has spent a lot of money having sculptured by man-made means. Sir Ian's good-humored courtliness goes a long way, especially in his scenes with his former mentor-turned-nemesis, the wizard Saruman; he's played by Christopher Lee as if he were still Dracula rising from the grave. Mr. Mortensen's tendency to withhold as an actor informs Aragorn's nobility, and he moves well with a sword; it gives him an action hero's passion, which contrasts with Bean's conflicted Boromir. If the actors had more to do, the picture might run longer than its current 165 minutes.

At that length some may find the movie exhausting, since those not caught up in the story -- which will seem reiterative because Tolkien's prose has been pillaged so often -- may find themselves indifferent to ''Fellowship.'' The playful spookiness of Mr. Jackson's direction provides a lively, light touch, a gesture that doesn't normally come to mind when Tolkien's name is mentioned. ''Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' is rated PG-13 Parents strongly cautioned) for the plethora of menacing creatures who eventually have to be encountered and slaughtered. THE LORD OF THE RINGS The Fellowship of the Ring Directed by Peter Jackson; written by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Mr. Jackson, based on the book by J. R. R. Tolkien; director of photography, Andrew Lesnie; edited by John Gilbert; music by Howard Shore with songs by Enya; production designer, Grant Major; special makeup, creatures, armor and miniatures by Richard Taylor; produced by Barrie M. Osborne, Mr. Jackson, Ms. Walsh and Tim Sanders; released by New Line Cinema. Running time: 180 minutes. This film is rated PG-13.

WITH: Elijah Wood (Frodo), Ian McKellen (Gandalf), Liv Tyler (Arwen), Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn), Sean Astin (Sam), Cate Blanchett (Galadriel), John Rhys-Davies (Gimli), Billy Boyd (Pippin), Dominic Monaghan (Merry), Orlando Bloom (Legolas), Christopher Lee (Saruman), Hugo Weaving (Elrond), Sean Bean (Boromir), Ian Holm (Bilbo) and Andy Serkis (Gollum). Film Review: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING 1.5 STARS Film Review © 2001 by Trip Reynolds Fantasy Directed by Peter Jackson; Screenplay by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens from the book by J.R.R. Tolkien; Produced by Peter Jackson, Barrie M. Osbourne, Tim Sanders, and Fran Walsh; Executive Produced by Michael Lynne, Mark Ordesky, Robert Shaye, Bob Weinstein, and Harvey Weinstein.

Starring Elijah Wood (as the ring-carrying Hobbit, Frodo Baggins), Ian McKellen (as the master wizard, Gandalf), Ian Holm (as Frodo's friend and guardian, Bilbo Baggins), Viggo Mortensen (as the human warrior, Aragorn), Sean Bean (as the human warrior, Boromir), Sean Astin (as Frodo's Hobbit friend, Samwise Gamgee), Dominic Monaghan (as Frodo's Hobbit friend, Merry), John Rhys-Davies (as petulant Dwarf warrior, Gimli), Billy Boyd (as Frodo's Hobbit friend, Pippin), Cate Blanchett (as the beautiful and mystical, Queen Galadriel), Liv Tyler (as the beautiful and mystical Elf princess, Arwen), Orlando Bloom (as never-runs-out-of-arrows Elf archer, Legolas), Hugo Weaving (as Princess Arwen's father, Elrond), Christopher Lee (as the wonderfully evil wizard, Saruman), and Sala Baker (as the evil, Sauron). Film is too long in exposition (setup), paced laboriously, and too short in story development.

Plus, and this is most annoying, beginning with the opening scene film pretentiously presents itself as an epic but with absolutely no justification. Clearly, it's appropriate to consider J.R.R. Tolkien's book an epic, but this first chapter in the film franchise hasn't earned the right. For those not familiar with Tolkien's work, film follows the book in presenting the exploits of Frodo, a Hobbit (a dwarf-like humanoid from medieval "Middle-Earth"). Frodo and his "fellowship" of adventurers are engaged in a perilous journey to return and subsequently destroy an all-powerful ring to Mount Doom, in Mordor, the lair of an extremely evil and all-powerful villain for whom it was created - and only place where it can be destroyed. Joining Frodo in his quest and battles against all kinds of demons are his fellow Hobbit friends Sam, Merry and Pippin; human warriors Aragorn and Boromir; Elf archer Legolas, Dwarf warrior Gimli, and everyman's sage and powerful wizard, Gandalf, played perfectly by Ian McKellen.

McKellan's presence as the "good" wizard gives the film believability, as does the presence of his nemesis, Christopher Lee, as the "bad" wizard, Saruman. Film does not suffer from bad acting, all players are truly first class. However, the script should have been tighter, and without as many picturesque "establishing shots" of mountains and valleys and rivers and fields and so forth and so on. Director Peter Jackson and editor John Gilbert should have taken better control of the film's pacing. Plus, although the special effects were slick, they were not up to par. For example, in relationship to all other humanoids the Hobbits are supposed to be small people, but film does not consistently maintain the proper ratio between the Hobbits, warriors, and elfs. Hopefully, the special effects team will acquire a better slide-rule for the sequels. Frankly, "Jason and the Argonauts," from 1963 is a better quest movie.

The special effects in "Argonauts" (state-of-the-art for 1963 but obviously not as slick as evolved technology in 2003) are far more efficient than "Ring," and the story centered on the healing properties of a Golden Fleece (instead of an evil "Ring") is more compelling. Plus, "Argonauts" presented its entire epic story in 104 minutes, considerably less than "Rings" 165 minutes - and this is just the first chapter of the film trilogy. Hopefully, the next installments, "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers," and "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King," will be improvements. Film is directed laboriously and episodically by Peter Jackson, and should have been trimmed by at least 30 minutes. Film has a very laborious and uneven running length of 165 minutes. Recommendation: The visual scope of this movie requires seeing it in a movie theatre and not on DVD, VHS or television. However, see it as a matinee, not at the full price!

Faramir | LEGO Lord of the Rings Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit Early years of Faramir's life are described in the main narrative of The Lord of the Rings only passingly, with more detail revealed in the appendices. It is stated that Faramir was born in the year 2983 of the Third Age; his father, Denethor II, was a man of noble descent and the heir to the Stewardship of Gondor, ascending a year after Faramir's birth. Denethor had married Finduilas, daughter of Prince Adrahil of Dol Amroth; however, she died untimely when Faramir was five, and is said to have remained to him "but a memory of loveliness in far days and of his first grief". After her death Denethor became sombre, cold, and detached from his family, but the relationship between Faramir and Boromir, who was five years older, only grew closer. The brothers greatly loved and highly esteemed each other, and neither in childhood nor in later years was there any jealousy or rivalry between them, even though Denethor openly favoured his elder son.

Tolkien wrote that Faramir was used to giving way and not airing his own opinions. Among other things, Faramir displeased his father in that he welcomed the wizard Gandalf who occasionally visited Minas Tirith, the capital of Gondor. Being eager for knowledge, Faramir learned much from Gandalf about the history of the realm and about the death of Isildur. Gondor had long been threatened by the nearby realm of Mordor, and in 3018 the Dark Lord Sauron began the War of the Ring, attacking the ruined city of Osgiliath that guarded the passage to Minas Tirith. Faramir and Boromir commanded the defence, and were among those few who survived when the eastern half of Osgiliath was captured and the bridges across the River Anduin were destroyed. In The Fellowship of the Ring it is recounted that shortly before the battle Faramir had a prophetic dream, which later often recurred to him and once to Boromir.

In this dream a voice spoke about a council that was to be held at Imladris far to the north, about the awakening of "Isildur's Bane", approaching of "Doom", and appearance of "the Halfling". Faramir decided to journey to Imladris and seek advice of Elrond the Half-elven, but Boromir claimed the errand for himself, fearing for his brother, and was approved by Denethor and a council of the elders; Faramir remained to defend Gondor. The Two Towers Edit Faramir first encountered the Hobbits Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee in Ithilien and recognized them to be the Halflings mentioned in his dreams. Faramir questioned Frodo of his quest, and Frodo revealed that he, along with eight other companions, had set out from Rivendell. During the interrogation, Faramir asked often about Boromir. One night, while on guard, Faramir waded down to the Anduin river after seeing a boat there. It contained the dead body of his brother, who had been killed by Orcs.

Faramir also asked about the One Ring, but Frodo tried to avoid the subject. Faramir determined that Frodo was carrying one of Sauron's great weapons. At this point, he showed the crucial difference between him and his proud brother: But fear no more! I would not take this thing, if it lay by the highway. Not were Minas Tirith falling in ruin and I alone could save her, so, using the weapon of the Dark Lord for her good and my glory. No, I do not wish for such triumphs, Frodo son of Drogo. In the Rangers’ secret refuge behind the waterfall, Henneth Annûn, Sam accidentally spoke of Boromir’s desire for the One Ring, thus revealing the item Frodo was carrying. Despite the Hobbits’ fears, Faramir was wise enough to realize that such a weapon was not to be used and if desired, should be resisted. With this knowledge, he also realized what his brother had to face, and wished that he had gone on the quest himself — knowing that Boromir would not have been able to resist the temptation to seize the Ring for himself.

Giving them provisions, he sent them on their way to continue their quest, but warned Frodo that their guide, Gollum, was a treacherous creature, and that an unknown terror lived in Cirith Ungol, where Gollum was leading them. The Return of the King Edit The following evening in Cair Andros, Faramir sent his company south to reinforce the garrison at Osgiliath, while he and three of his men rode to Minas Tirith. Along the way, they were pursued by Sauron's servants, the Nazgûl . Faramir rode back to help the fallen. Immediately, Gandalf rode out to their aid, temporarily banishing the Nazgûl. Faramir arrived at Minas Tirith and reported to Denethor and Gandalf of his encounter with Frodo and Sam. Denethor became angry that Faramir had let Frodo and Sam pass into Mordor with the Ring, instead of bringing the Ring to Minas Tirith to be hidden. Sauron's second-in-command, the Witch-king of Angmar, led a much larger force from Minas Morgul, and attacked Osgiliath.

After Osgiliath was conquered, Faramir decided to stay with the rearguard in order to make sure that the retreat over Pelennor would not turn into a rout. He was gravely wounded by a Southron arrow and the Black Breath of the Nazgûl. Fortunately, all of the mounted soldiers in the city rode to his aid and brought him back to Denethor in Minas Tirith. When Faramir returned unconscious, Denethor believed him to be fatally injured. That blow, coupled with a vision in the palantír of the forces arrayed against him, drove him insane. He ordered his servants to build a funeral pyre in the House of Stewards for him and his son. Denethor's temporary servant, the Hobbit Peregrin Took , went to alert Gandalf and Beregond, one of the Tower Guards he had befriended. Gandalf and Beregond stopped the impending sacrifice just in time. Mad with grief, Denethor jumped onto the lit pyre, burning himself alive. Two days later, the battle over, Aragorn came and revived Faramir with athelas in the Houses of Healing.

During his subsequent recuperation there, Faramir met the Lady Éowyn of Rohan; moved by her sorrow, pride, and beauty, he eventually fell in love with her. At first, Éowyn refused his advances, only desiring to go to war to find honour in death. But soon Éowyn realized that she had come to love him in return. Faramir took up his office as Steward, and began preparing the city for the arrival of Aragorn, who was now King of Gondor. On the day of the King’s official coronation, Faramir surrendered his office. Aragorn, however, renewed the office, and announced that as long as his line would last, Faramir and his descendants would be Stewards of Gondor. In addition, Aragorn created Faramir Prince of Ithilien and appointed Beregond Captain of Faramir's guard, the White Company. Faramir, as Prince of Ithilien, together with the Prince of Dol Amroth became King Elessar's chief commanders. In a draft letter to a reader of The Lord of the Rings, J. R. R.

Tolkien writes that as Prince of Ithilien, Faramir's duties also included acting as resident march-warden of Gondor's main eastward outpost, rehabilitating the lost territories, as well as clearing it of outlaws and Orcs and cleansing Minas Morgul (an old Gondorian city, once named Minas Ithil, that Sauron had taken) of evil remnants. Faramir also fulfilled the traditional role of Steward, acting as the King’s chief counsellor and ruling Gondor in his absence. With Éowyn, he settled in Emyn Arnen, where the two had a son named Elboron. After Faramir’s death at the age of 120, his son succeeded him in all of his titles. Barahir, Faramir's grandson, wrote The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen, which was inserted (in an abbreviated form) in the Thain's Book by the writer Findegil, and appears in The Lord of the Rings as part of Appendix A.

Characteristics Edit Faramir's personality is prominently described in the appendices to The Lord of the Rings: He read the hearts of men as shrewdly as his father, but what he read moved him sooner to pity than to scorn. He was gentle in bearing, and a lover of lore and of music, and therefore by many in those days his courage was judged less than his brother's. But it was not so, except that he did not seek glory in danger without a purpose. Tolkien recorded that Faramir greatly resembled Boromir in appearance, who in his turn is described as "a tall man with a fair and noble face, dark-haired and grey-eyed, proud and stern of glance". Members of the line of the Stewards were wont to be of a nobler appearance and bearing than most of the inhabitants of Gondor; in case of Faramir, it is stated that "by some chance the blood of Westernesse [ran] nearly true" in him, which was rare.

This trait was elaborated by Tolkien through the speech of Pippin: Here was one with an air of high nobility such as Aragorn at times revealed, less high perhaps, yet also less incalculable and remote: one of the Kings of Men born into a later time, but touched with the wisdom and sadness of the Elder Race. [...] He was a captain that men would follow, [...] even under the shadow of the black wings. Faramir’s leadership, skill-in-arms, and swift but hardy judgement proved valuable in battle, and earned him Gondor's respect during the War of the Ring. He defended Gondor from Sauron on many fronts, but did not enjoy fighting for its own sake. Long after completing The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien would write, "As far as any character is 'like me', it is Faramir". Faramir's relationship to war in Tolkien's story reflected that of the author himself, who was a soldier in World War I and fought in the Battle of the Somme.

Names and titles Edit The meaning of the name Faramir was not explained by Tolkien; apparently he intended it to come from Sindarin, an Elven language constructed by him and stated to have been used by the Stewards of Gondor for naming. The first part of Faramir could have been derived from Sindarin stems meaning 'suffice' and 'hunt', and the final syllable is likely to have been the same as in his brother's name. Boromir was described by Tolkien as a name "of mixed form", and possibly combines Sindarin bor(on)- 'steadfast' with either Sindarin mîr or Quenya míre 'jewel'. However, it is also stated that the Stewards of Gondor often bore names "remembered in the songs and histories of the First Age", without paying a special attention to meaning.

Thus one Boromir appears in The Silmarillion, and the appendices to The Lord of the Rings introduce Faramir, son of King Ondoher of Gondor, although in this case the name was supposedly in Quenya, as the Kings are stated to have borne High-elven names, and similarly did Ondoher's elder son, Artamir. Throughout The Lord of the Rings, Faramir is given several titles and ranks, such as the Captain of Gondor and Captain of the White Tower. (Boromir is given the latter title at an earlier point in the storyline, and in The Two Towers he is referred to as Captain-General of Gondor and High Warden of the White Tower). After his father's death, Faramir became the Steward of Gondor, but only briefly as he laid down his office at the crowning of Aragorn; Tolkien stated that it was Denethor who was the last of the Ruling Stewards. Later Aragorn renewed Faramir's hereditary appointment as Steward to the King, and granted him the titles of the Prince of Ithilien and Lord of Emyn Arnen.

Concept and creation Edit Faramir's decision to reject the One Ring shows influences from a kind of courage and behaviour that was known to Tolkien from the medieval poem The Battle of Maldon. By not taking the Ring, Faramir rejects the desire for power and glory and the desire for renown which a defeat of Sauron would bring him. The speed of the relationship of Faramir and Éowyn reflects a culture which Tolkien describes to be "less corrupt", and nobler in which the "petty fencing and approaches" of courtly love is disregarded. A factor in the development of their love came from Tolkien's personal belief that feelings grew quickly in periods of great stress and under the expectation of death. Originally, Tolkien employed the use of thou and thee in The Lord of the Rings to show a "deliberate change to a form of affection or endearment". His son has presented the original drafts for the chapter "The Steward and the King", in which such usage was employed to emphasize the relationship's development: The 'sudden change' to which he referred here ... is possibly to be seen in their first meeting in the garden of the Houses of Healing, where Faramir says ([The Return of the King] p.

238): 'Then, Éowyn of Rohan, I say to you that you are beautiful', but at the end of his speech changes to the 'familiar' form, 'But thou and I have both passed under the wings of the Shadow' (whereas Éowyn continues to use 'you'). In the following meetings, in this text, Faramir uses the 'familiar' forms, but Éowyn does not do so until the last ('Dost thou not know?', RK p. 242); and soon after this point my father went back over what he had written and changed every 'thou' and 'thee' to 'you'. Portrayal in adaptations Edit In Rankin/Bass' 1980 adaptation of The Return of the King, a dark-haired man is shown next to Éowyn in greeting Aragorn as he arrives to Minas Tirith. This character could be interpreted as Faramir. In the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy directed by Peter Jackson , Faramir is played by David Wenham. The actor jokes that he got the role because he and Sean Bean, who played Boromir , both had large noses.

Faramir and his brother's appearances were slightly altered from the book: in the films, they have fair hair and are slightly bearded, whereas in the book they were dark-haired and, following a statement in Unfinished Tales, lacked beards. The plot of the second film, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, introduces a significant deviation from the book: Faramir does not at first let Frodo, Sam, and Gollum go, but decides to bring them and the Ring to Gondor. He takes them to Osgiliath and not until the Nazgûl attack the city and Frodo comes under the threat of capture does he release them. This change received some criticism, and the character in the film was jokingly dubbed "Filmamir" or "Farfromthebookamir", among other names. Jackson's explanation is that he needed another adventure to delay Frodo and Sam, because the episode at Cirith Ungol was moved to the third movie, and so a new climax was needed. In fact, according to the timeline given by Tolkien, Frodo and Sam had only reached the Black Gate at the time of the fall of Isengard.

Jackson also argues that it was necessary for Faramir to be tempted by the Ring because in his films everyone else was tempted, and letting Faramir be immune would be inconsistent in the eyes of a film audience. Co-screenwriter Philippa Boyens and actor David Wenham defended the changes to Faramir's character in order to increase dramatic tension: Faramir's "sea-green incorruptible" nature in the book would not have "[translated] well filmically". Wenham (who had not read the book until after filming had commenced) also found Tolkien's original "dramatically dead". Many readers remain unconvinced by the cast and crew's justifications, and others note that Faramir was rendered too much like Boromir and thus the contrast between the two was severely weakened. A scene that received additional criticism is the Rangers' treatment of Gollum , who is beaten up, and Faramir's implicit compliance. In the book, Faramir called the creature Sméagol instead of Gollum, and told his men to "treat him gently, but watch him".

In the extended edition of The Two Towers, Jackson included an invented flashback scene showing that Denethor had neglected him in favour of Boromir when sending him to Rivendell, so that Faramir wanted to please his father by bringing him the Ring. (The relationship is similarly strained in the book, but his father's favouritism does not seem to affect his decisions in Ithilien). Reviewers have opined that the extended edition presents Faramir in a more favorable light.

Question: Who played Boromir in the film version of The Lord of the Rings directed by Peter Jackson?
Answer: Sean Bean