With the universe of Middle Earth, J. R. R. Tolkien crafted a setting rooted in an elegant
simplicity. The Lord of the Rings is derived in large part from classical mythology and
it finds itself fixated on clear thematic dichotomy - good vs evil, natural vs technological,
love and light vs hate and darkness.. As one would expect for the story that set the stage
for fantasy fiction to come, it is not something that breaks the mold, because there really
wasn’t much of a mold to break back then. However, that does not mean that Tolkien has been exempt
While the relevancy of comments like this is up for debate due to the context of Tolkien’s
era, there is a definite lack of detail, subtlety, and moral greyness in parts of the series.
This is not a criticism from me as I adore this story, just an observation of
the style and approach. Interpersonal conflicts usually only exist as a result of external
corruption, pseudo-racism is overcome through togetherness, common causes and friendship,
Aragorn, despite personal difficulty, overcomes all and rules as a great king and everyone
lives happily ever after. And there is a definite merit to this simplicity as it provides a
richness and resonance that elevated Lord of the Rings to an almost fairytale-like status.
However, as discussions go on through the years, impressions change, broad strokes grow
bolder, things gets exaggerated and certain topics fall by the wayside. And in this case,
it is a shame, because one of the The Lord of the Rings’ greatest triumphs is a character
that not only offers a counterargument to those that criticize the series for lacking
in nuance and human realism on an all-encompassing scale, but one that also just gets far too
little attention.
Boromir is comfortably one of the most nuanced and layered characters in the series, and
arguably the most human. He is absolutely vital to not just the Fellowship of the Ring,
but the entire series, as his narrative and thematic echoes resonate until the very end.
But to understand exactly why he’s so important, we must first examine his position in the
narrative. Now, In Fellowship of the Ring, there are two main depictions and representations
of the race of men. Aragorn and Boromir. Both are burdened by the sins of their ancestors
and looking for a way to restore pride to their race, and both see an avenue toward
doing so through Frodo’s quest. But there is a huge contrast between these two in thematic
and psychological terms.
By the end of his journey, Aragorn is the idealization and the optimal outcome of man.
He’s not perfect and he does have internal strife, but he is able to overcome all and
strive past temptation to be the hero that everyone needs, for very important reasons
that we’ll touch on later. When Frodo offers him the ring, he knows that he cannot be trusted
with it and declines using his better judgment. He pains, he struggles, and he ultimately
succeeds to reach the light by the end.
Boromir is the flip side of that because his weakness ends up being.. insurmountable. But
before getting there, an important facet of his character must be discussed - his compassion. He has as
much care as anyone and a knack for understanding people. There is a distinct
charisma present in Boromir that stems from his deep connection with human sentiment - he
just seems to understand how to touch the hearts of men and this draws people to him
He finds it easy to bond with others, he has
their backs from the outset, and cares not for doing what
should be done when it supersedes doing what he believes is right.
A significant contrast between these two men is displayed after Gandalf dies. While our
duty-bound king Aragorn must put up a front to raise spirits, Boromir sees more value
in taking a moment and allowing the others to grieve.
This is not to chastise either character in any way, but to illustrate a key difference
between the two. Boromir just prioritizes the human heart above all, it seems. But unfortunately,
along with the extreme pressure on his shoulders to rescue his homeland, this makes him most
vulnerable to anything that seems key to achieving his near impossible dream.
While the pressure on Aragorn is indeed immense, Boromir is always crippled by it. While Aragorn
has spent the past number of years wandering, Boromir has been exposed to the trials of
men and as such, he is terribly afraid of seeing all that he loves torn apart. He has
great burden and expectations placed upon his shoulders by his father and, by extension,
his people, and it is something that never leaves his mind. Sean Bean portrays this extremely
well with just the tiniest of anxious glances in key scenes, the smallest hints of a tremble
in his voice. It’s clear that no matter how at ease he might appear, he can never
truly feel peace in his mind. He is tortured by the pressure. His home is on the brink
of doom and as a result, He shows a susceptibility to corruption - a gateway to the darkness
that has plagued mankind both in Middle Earth and in reality for all of time. While relatability
itself isn’t necessary for crafting great storytelling and characters, he particularly
hits home because he represents the part of mankind that succumbs, stumbles and gives
into temptation. The familiar part of mankind. He wants more than anything to bring joy and happiness to the kingdom
of Gondor, to see his people smile.. and he fails. This is the more personal depiction
of man more focused on realism and poignancy.
Boromir is so important for balance, for adding grit, deep flaws and true failure
to this cast. While Frodo ultimately succumbs to the Ring’s power and while the possibility
is there for Aragorn, Galadriel and Gandalf, it took Frodo far longer to crack and the
latter three have the control to reject it. It’s clear that Boromir has a far weaker
will than anyone due to the stresses and strains on him. He thirsts for the power due to the
high hopes being placed on him. He cracks under the pressure and he is corruptible.
It is a nice thematic twist here, as the themes associated with the villains of the story
- powerlust, scheming, corruption - take root in one of our heroes to just show that
maybe the story is not so purely black and white. After attempting to steal the ring
from Frodo, Boromir immediately realizes his mistake, but is far too late to take back the damage
done.
Don’t mistake me for someone who downplays the fear and tribulations that Aragorn experiences.
He undoubtedly has a lot of baggage that comes with being Isildur’s heir and he deals with
a burden comparable to Boromir’s. But experience and personality differences between the two
mean that he is much better suited to dealing with the burden. Where Aragorn feels determination,
Ever the most genuine depiction of the beauty and tragedy of man until the very end, Boromir’s
role in the story and his final moments leave an impact that cannot be understated. Many
thanks for watching.