| Boromir | |
| Character from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium
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| Titles | Captain of the White Tower Captain-General High Warden of the White Tower Steward-prince of Gondor |
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| Race | Men, Númenórean |
| Culture | Gondorian, Dúnedain, House of Húrin |
| Date of birth | T.A. 2978 |
| Date of death | February 26, T.A. 3019 |
| Realm | Gondor |
| Book(s) | The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers |
Boromir is a supporting character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. He appears in the first two volumes of The Lord of the Rings (The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers), and is mentioned in the last volume, The Return of the King.
He was the brother of Faramir and the eldest son of Denethor II, the last ruling Steward of Gondor.
Boromir was honourable and noble; he believed passionately in the greatness of his kingdom and would have defended its people to the very last. Boromir's great stamina and physical strength, together with a forceful and commanding personality, made him a widely-admired commander in Gondor's army: he was made Captain of the White Tower, and quickly became Captain-General, also bearing the title High Warden of the White Tower. He was also heir apparent to the Stewardship. Boromir led many successful forays against Sauron's forces, prior to his journey north to Rivendell, which esteemed him greatly in his father Denethor's eyes.
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Boromir was born in the year 2978 of the Third Age to Denethor II and Finduilas, daughter of Adrahil of Dol Amroth. His younger brother, Faramir, was born in the year T.A. 2983. The following year, Denethor became Steward of Gondor, succeeding his father, Ecthelion II.
After Finduilas' death in T.A. 2988, Denethor became sombre, cold and detached from his family. As their father withdrew, the relationship between Faramir and Boromir grew closer and greater in love. Denethor always favoured Boromir over Faramir, but this caused no rivalry between the two brothers. Boromir always protected and helped Faramir. Boromir was judged to be the more daring one, as well as the more fearless.
In response to prophetic dreams that came to Faramir and later to himself, Boromir claimed the quest of riding to Rivendell from Minas Tirith in T.A. 3018. His journey lasted 110 days, and he travelled through "roads forgotten" to reach Imladris, though, as he said, "few knew where it lay".[1] Boromir lost his horse half-way along, while crossing the Greyflood at the ruined city of Tharbad where the bridge was broken. He had to travel the remaining way on foot.[2] (Tolkien wrote of Boromir's journey that "the courage and hardihood required is not fully recognized in the narrative".)[3]
Boromir first appears in The Lord of the Rings arriving at Rivendell just as the Council of Elrond was commencing. There he tells of Gondor's attempts to keep the power of Mordor at bay. He attempted to persuade the Council to let him take the One Ring to Gondor so that it could be used in the defence of the realm, but he was told that it could not be used without corrupting its user and alerting Sauron to its presence. He accepted this for the moment, and pledged as part of the Fellowship of the Ring to keep Frodo safe.
Boromir accompanied Frodo south from Rivendell with the Fellowhip. Before departing, he blew the Horn of Gondor loudly, saying that he "would not go forth like a thief into the night". Elrond, lord of the Elves in Rivendell, warned him not to blow the horn again until he had reached the border of Gondor. On the journey south, Boromir frequently questioned Gandalf's wisdom. Boromir did, however, prove himself an invaluable companion on the Fellowship's attempt to pass over the Misty Mountains: he advised that firewood be collected before the attempt to climb Caradhras, and this saved the Fellowship from freezing to death. In the retreat from Caradhras, Boromir's uncanny strength showed as he burrowed through shoulder high snow with Aragorn in order to clear the snow-blocked path back down the mountain.
After failing to climb over the mountains, the Fellowship passed eastward through Moria, the former realm of the Dwarves, where their leader Gandalf the Grey fell fighting a Balrog. After the skirmish in Moria, Aragorn became their new guide, and they made their way to the Elven realm of Lothlórien. In Lórien, Boromir was greatly disturbed by the Lady Galadriel's testing of his mind, and he told Aragorn "not to be too sure of this lady and her purposes." When Boromir left Lórien, he received the gifts of a golden belt and an Elven-cloak.
Boromir always favoured taking the Ring to Minas Tirith, despite the consensus reached at Rivendell that it must be destroyed. He openly urged this to Frodo, as Frodo pondered his course from Parth Galen. Boromir felt that it would be better to use the Ring in Gondor's defence than to "throw it away". Finally, he succumbed to the urge to take the Ring for himself, justifying this with his duty to his people and his belief in his own superiority.
| “ | True-hearted Men, they will not be corrupted. We of Minas Tirith have been staunch through long years of trial. We do not desire the power of wizard-lords, only strength to defend ourselves, strength in a just cause. And behold! In our need chance brings to light the Ring of Power. It is a gift, I say; a gift to the foes of Mordor. It is mad not to use it, to use the power of the Enemy against him. The fearless, the ruthless, these alone will achieve victory. What could not a warrior do in this hour, a great leader? What could not Aragorn do? Or if he refuses, why not Boromir? The Ring would give me power of Command. How I would drive the hosts of Mordor, and all men would flock to my banner![4] | ” |
After seeing that Frodo was unconvinced, Boromir commanded him to lend the Ring to him. When Frodo still refused, Boromir tried to seize the Ring for himself. Frodo put the Ring on and fled, intending to continue the quest alone. Boromir, realizing what had happened, repented his actions and wept. Searching unsuccessfully for Frodo, he told the rest of the Fellowship of Frodo's absence. The hobbits in a frenzy scattered to look for Frodo. Aragorn, who suspected Boromir's part in Frodo's flight, ordered him to follow and protect Merry and Pippin. Boromir acquiesced without question. This and the subsequent attack by Orcs led to the breaking of the Fellowship.
During the scattered fighting near Parth Galen, Boromir was mortally wounded by orc archers while defending Merry and Pippin, redeeming himself for trying to take the Ring. The fighting is described through Pippin's eyes:
| “ | Then Boromir had come leaping through the trees. He had made them fight. He slew many of them and the rest fled. But they had not gone far on the way back when they were attacked again, by a hundred Orcs at least, some of them very large, and they shot a rain of arrows: always at Boromir. Boromir had blown his great horn till the woods rang, and at first the Orcs had been dismayed and had drawn back; but when no answer but the echoes came, they had attacked more fiercely than ever. Pippin did not remember much more. His last memory was of Boromir leaning against a tree, plucking out an arrow; then darkness fell suddenly.[5] | ” |
Blasts from Boromir's horn alerted Aragorn , but he came too late to prevent the hobbits' capture. As Boromir lay dying, he urged Aragorn to save Minas Tirith, as he himself had failed. Aragorn reassured him that he had not failed, that "few have gained such a victory". Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas placed Boromir's body in one of their Elven boats, with his sword, belt, cloak, broken horn, and the weapons of his slain foes about him. They set the boat adrift in the river toward the Falls of Rauros, and sang a "Lament of the Winds" as his funeral song.
| “ |
Through Rohan over fen and field where the long grass grows The West Wind comes walking, and about the walls it goes. ‘What news from the West, O wandering wind, do you bring me tonight? Have you seen Boromir the Tall by moon or by starlight?’ ‘I saw him ride over seven streams, over waters wide and grey; I saw him walk in empty lands, until he passed away Into the shadows of the North. I saw him then no more. The North Wind may have heard the horn of the son of Denethor.’ ‘O Boromir! From the high walls westward I looked afar, But you came not from the empty lands where no men are.’ ‘From the mouths of the Sea the South Wind flies, from the sand hills and the stones; The wailing of the gulls it bears, and at the gate it moans. ‘What news from the South, O sighing wind, do you bring me at eve? Where now is Boromir the Fair? He tarries and I grieve.’ ‘Ask not of me where he doth dwell – so many bones there lie On the white shores and the dark shores under the stormy sky; So many have passed down Anduin to find the flowing Sea. Ask of the North Wind news of them the North Wind sends to me!’ ‘O Boromir! Beyond the gate the seaward road runs south, But you came not with the wailing gulls from the grey sea’s mouth.’ From the Gate of Kings the North Wind rides, and past the roaring falls; And clear and cold about the tower its loud horn calls. ‘What news from the North, O mighty wind, do you bring me today? What news of Boromir the Bold? For he is long away.’ ‘Beneath Amon Hen I heard his cry, there many foes he fought. His cloven shield, his broken sword, they to the water brought. His head so proud, his face so fair, his limbs they laid to rest; And Rauros, golden Rauros-falls, bore him upon its breast.’ ‘O Boromir! The Tower of Guard shall ever northward gaze To Raurors, golden Rauros-falls, until the end of days.’[6] |
” |
Boromir passed over Rauros on February 26, T.A. 3019. Three days later, Faramir, to his and their father's great grief, found the boat bearing his dead brother floating down the River Anduin:
| “ | But in Gondor in after-days it long was said that the elven-boat rode the falls and the foaming pool, and bore him down through Osgiliath, and past the many mouths of Anduin, out into the Great Sea at night under the stars.[6] | ” |
His appearance reflected his Númenórean descent: he was tall (Tolkien wrote he was 6'4" or 193cm), fair, dark-haired, and grey-eyed. He was noted even beyond Gondor's borders for his bravery and skill in battle, and was accounted one of the greatest Captains of Gondor. He was noble and lordly, and at the same time deeply loyal, exhibiting strong love for his people and his family.
Nevertheless, he grew accustomed to the habit of command. According to his brother Faramir, even as a boy Boromir chafed under the notion that the Stewards were not kings, though they ruled in all but name.[7] He insisted on taking for himself the quest to Imladris, though the dreams had come first to Faramir. He craved honours, was irked at having to flee from orcs, and resisted at first Aragorn's claim of primacy. But his loyalty saved him in the end. Frodo was convinced that, satisfied with Aragorn's claim, Boromir willingly accepted him as leader; and he died trying to redress the catastrophe he had brought upon the Fellowship by assaulting Frodo in his madness.
Boromir was the son and heir apparent of Denethor, the ruling Steward of Gondor. Appendix A calls him "Captain of the White Tower",[8] while Faramir called him "High Warden of the White Tower" and "our Captain-General".[9]
Boromir was described by Tolkien as a name "of mixed form",[10] and possibly combines Sindarin bor(on)- 'steadfast' with either Sindarin mîr or Quenya míre 'jewel'.[11] But the Stewards of Gondor also often bore names "remembered in the songs and histories of the First Age",[10] regardless of meaning, and the name Boromir did appear during the First Age in The Silmarillion.[12]
In both Ralph Bakshi's animated film and in the subsequent BBC Radio serial, Boromir is played by Michael Graham Cox. In the former, he is dressed in barbarian garb, which is departing from Tolkien's text completely.
In Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, Boromir is played by Sean Bean. In a departure from the structure of Tolkien's book, Boromir's death is shown at the end of The Fellowship of the Ring, instead of being related at the beginning of The Two Towers. Jackson also took the liberty of departing somewhat from Tolkien's book in the matter of (to name a few) hair colour (Boromir's hair is supposed to be dark) and weaponry (Boromir carried a long sword, not a broad sword, and also did not openly wear chainmail). In the film, Boromir is mortally wounded by the Uruk-hai leader Lurtz, a character created for the films, instead of by numerous, unknown Uruk-hai led by Uglúk.
He appears in a brief flashback in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, as Pippin remembers his heroic sacrifice. Due to that scene alone, Bean merited a portrait in the closing credits (while Christopher Lee and Brad Dourif, who played Saruman and Gríma respectively, did not have such portraits in the credits of the theatrical cut, since their scenes only appeared in the Extended Edition).
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