Why was Boromir allowed to join the Fellowship of the Ring?

Question

Why was Boromir allowed to join the Fellowship of the Ring after the Council of Elrond, where he succumbed to the Ring moments after first seeing it, and explicitly said that he wanted to use it himself? It was made absolutely clear that he could not be trusted around the Ring, but no one spoke up to say "Maybe the guy who succumbed to the Ring within seconds shouldn't go on the mission to destroy said Ring".

Assuming that it was deemed necessary for the Fellowship to include a representative of Gondor (although Rohan didn't get a place in the Fellowship, for some reason), couldn't Aragorn fill that spot? If not, wouldn't it have been worth the delay to send Boromir back to Gondor and request that Faramir (who later proved himself to be less susceptible to the Ring) take Boromir's place? Granted, the Council had no way of knowing ahead of time that Faramir was stronger than Boromir, but it seems like Boromir was the worst possible choice, and anyone who wasn't Boromir would have been a better candidate.

Updated May 24: I am finally reading The Return of the King, and the heated exchange between Denethor and Gandalf just before the siege of Minas Tirith seems to support my argument. Denethor is angry at Gandalf for letting the Ring be sent to Mordor with Frodo, and says that it should have been carried to Gondor by Boromir instead, so it could be hidden. Gandalf says that if Boromir had taken it, he would have been corrupted before he ever reached Gondor and Denethor would no longer recognize him. Denethor accuses Gandalf of having stolen Faramir's loyalty and claims that the real reason Gandalf didn't trust Boromir was that Boromir followed Denethor's orders rather than Gandalf's; he says Gandalf doesn't trust Denethor's judgment..

Gandalf replies:

"... I do not trust you... And now hearing you speak I trust you less, no more than [I trusted] Boromir."
- The Lord of the Rings; The Return of the King, Book V, Chapter 4: "The Siege of Gondor"

There we have it- Gandalf never trusted Boromir, or at least didn't trust him by the time the Fellowship was being assembled. Why, pray tell, was he allowed to go anywhere near the Ring, when the wisest person around didn't trust him to begin with?

I know the scene where Boromir succumbs is in the movie (I'm watching the scene right now), and I am reading the book for the first time now, but I just got to the Council of Elrond chapter and I'm not far enough along to know whether it happens in the book in more or less the same way. — Wad Cheber, May 04 '15 at 19:59
@IanThompson - indeed. The Ringwraiths are much less intimidating, for starters. But on the other hand, almost everyone in the book is insanely racist, which isn't really emphasized in the movies. — Wad Cheber, May 04 '15 at 20:02
first and most evident is that they wouldn't have had the time to send back Boromir to Gondor and wait for Faramir to return ! What I wonder is why Glorfindel wasn't sent with them, as one of the most powerful elf lords of Middle Earth, he would have been a great asset to the company. — Joel, May 04 '15 at 20:14
@Joel - the trip took 2 years - waiting a few weeks wouldn't make much of a difference. — Wad Cheber, May 04 '15 at 20:16
@WadCheber --- According to the Tale of Years, the Company of the Ring leaves Rivendell in December TA 3018. The ring is destroyed in March TA 3019. Where do you get two years? Also, what is the evidence for racism on the part of characters in the book? — Ian Thompson, May 04 '15 at 20:42
@IanThompson he means in-universe racism. Men, Elves, & Dwarves don't exactly get along with each other. — Omegacron, May 04 '15 at 20:47
And it would not have taken Boromir "a few weeks" to go back, it had taken him months to get to Rivendell, in very dangerous country. Also, the way Boromir had taken to come to Rivendell was now closed because meanwhile Saruman had revealed himself and the Dunlendings were on war footing. Boromir needed the company to be able to go back at all. And in the end, the company had no time to wait. — Joel, May 04 '15 at 20:47
And anyway, like Jason Baker said, it's not as much a need to have people from every corner of free Middle Earth as a need to send representatives from the people present at Rivendell at the time of the Council. — Joel, May 04 '15 at 20:49
@IanThompson - Frodo agrees to take the Ring away from Hobbiton in Spring, leaves in September, and reaches Rivendell in late October. So, 1 1/2 years, not 2.
The evidence of racism would take too long to repeat here at any length. But in a nutshell, Frodo thinks "big folk" are stupid, Gandalf calls hobbits "absurd" and "helpless", Gildor says "hobbits are so dull", and so on. It is a constant theme in the book, and it surprised me when I started reading it last week. In the movies, we don't see as much of the racism, except the mutual hatred between Elves and Dwarves. — Wad Cheber, May 04 '15 at 20:55
racism in the book is often the effect of Sauron's evil making the people of Middle-earth wary of each other. At first, when the Hobbits migrated to the Shire, they were the subjects of the kings of Arthedain, Aragorn's ancestors, and very much respected them. And Gandalf is very fond of hobbit, you have to take his words as tokens of affection. The Dwarves and Elves have very old grudges that go back to the first age and the fall of Doriath. The elves are very old and look at other races as children, which is a bit the way old folks treat young adults. — Joel, May 04 '15 at 20:56
@Joel - I don't buy the "Sauron did it" idea re: racism. The books imply that these are long-standing beliefs that predate Sauron's return to Mordor from the forest, and that when he was in the forest after his defeat, he wasn't powerful enough to do much of anything. — Wad Cheber, May 04 '15 at 21:00
Before Sauron, there was Morgoth. Sauron was his second in command. Morgoth created much dissention. Then, Morgoth was ejected and Sauron took over, that is at the beginning of the second age... so Sauron's actions go back way before his return in the 3rd age. Maybe you should read the Silmarillon and other canon after finishing the LoTR, that will help you understand much. — Joel, May 04 '15 at 21:04
@Omegacron --- A half-elf forms the company of the ring, to include hobbits, men, an elf and a dwarf. Later, the company is aided by elves, and Frodo and Sam are helped by men. The dwarves don't help, because they are involved in a battle of their own, in an alliance with men. The newly crowned king of men marries an elf, and dwarves attend his wedding and remain in friendship with his kingdom thereafter. — Ian Thompson, May 04 '15 at 21:07
@Joel - But I seem to recall reading something years ago that said Sauron wasn't initially evil, and he originally had relatively good intentions - basically, he saw suffering and hatred in the world and thought that, if he took charge of the world, he could make it a better place for everyone. Of course, not many people were willing to accept his authority, which pissed him off and led him to try to take over through brute force. — Wad Cheber, May 04 '15 at 21:08
Sauron was a Maïar, early on probably of the people of Aulë, one of the Valar. Then he was corrupted by Morgoth. After the war of wrath at the end of the first age, it is said that maybe at first he repented and wanted to come back to the "good" side, but it seems it was more out of fear of the Valar than of real good will. He then fled and hid himself for a millenium before coming back in a fair form as Annatar, the lord of gifts, to try and deceive the elves into creating the rings. That was all the extent of his "good will". — Joel, May 04 '15 at 21:16
Let's get the evidence for racism as a separate question. http://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/88022/was-there-racism-in-middle-earth — atk, May 05 '15 at 01:36
@Joel - did some research. It took Gandalf 6 days to ride from Rohan to the Shire, a distance similar to that from Gondor to Rivendell. Frodo stayed at Rivendell for exactly 2 months. Borromini had time to go back to Gondor and send a replacement. — Wad Cheber, May 06 '15 at 03:14
First, Rivendell to Gondor is almost twice the distance than Rohan to the Shire if he goes by the road (if he doesn't it's a long treck in the wild where no horse can make great speed) check on a map. And by that road, he would have to go through enemy country (Dunland) and a war front (Isengard vs Rohan). Second, Boromir is not Gandalf, he has much less staying power and couldn't ride as long without rest. Third, Boromir's horse is also not Shadowfax, whose capacities are underlined many times by Tolkien. Anyway, it's irrelevant, because having someone from Gondor was only circumstancial. — Joel, May 06 '15 at 04:02
@IanThompson, you're not wrong. However, one of the major concepts of the story is the peoples of Middle Earth overcoming their prejudices to unite against the evil of Sauron. Under normal conditions, each race would rather not have anything to do with the others. As for Elrond being a half-elf, you should note that - as rare as they are - half-elves are expected to choose between life as an Elf or life as a Man. — Omegacron, May 06 '15 at 14:04
@Joel - okay, so Gandalf could tell Boromir to find his own way home then ride Shadowfax to Gondor or Rohan and find someone who wasn't such a douchebag. And "twice as long" by road still adds up to a round trip of 24 days, less than half the time Frodo sat around Rivendell doing nothing. — Wad Cheber, May 06 '15 at 20:16
@WadCheber: ok, as you wish... to each his own Middle-earth. Anyway, if you absolutely want an alternative plot about Boromir, here is one: Boromir never came to Rivendell, because his Lord Denethor wouldn't allow his best captain and champion (not to mention he is the heir of the steward) to go far away on a dangerous and dubious errand at such a critical time in Gondor's history, instead, some minor official would have been sent. — Joel, May 06 '15 at 20:45
@Joel - The main problem I have isn't how to get rid of Boromir - it is simply that almost anyone else would have been a better option. Take your pick: Eowyn, Radagast, Glorfindel, Gildor, Faramir, Erestor, Elladan, Elrohir, one of the unnamed Rangers, etc. Hell, even Shadowfax would have been far superior to Boromir. — Wad Cheber, May 06 '15 at 20:53
@WadCheber: hindsight is always easier than when you have to decide things ;-) Boromir was chosen because he was an obvious choice, going the same way as the company and Aragorn, and being a really strong warrior. And it must be added a not so obvious danger. Fate is really important in Tolkien, and however evil in their beginnings, things usually turn out for the best. So you could say he was fated to be in the company and had his part to play, deciding Frodo to go alone and then redeeming himself with Pippin and Merry, however evil and evident it may seem to us readers, with hindsight. — Joel, May 06 '15 at 21:22
@Joel - well said. This reminds me of another question I asked, about why the Emperor in Star Wars was foolish enough to torture Luke to death in front of Vader - applying your argument, it was fated to happen that way, because it was the only way Vader could redeem himself. Vader was evil, but he had a crucial part to play in destroying the Empire, and his redemption was necessary for good to triumph over evil. — Wad Cheber, May 06 '15 at 21:27
@WadCheber: Yes, exactly, many parallels between Star Wars and LoTR... it's the same thing with Gollum, Gandalf does his best to protect him because he is mercyful, but also because he senses that Gollum has an important role to play before the end. It's big theme of Tolkien. I just finished re-reading the story of Tuor, grand father of Elrond, and in it Fate and Doom are interwined and woven around Gondolin by Ulmo, the Vala lord of waters. And always in the end Melko and Sauron's evil and rebel deeds redoundeth to the greater glory of Illuvatar. Poor chaps, they are the scapegoats... ;-) — Joel, May 06 '15 at 22:06
One does not simply exclude the son of Gondor's leader from an undertaking. — EvilSnack, Jul 25 '23 at 16:39

score 80 · Accepted Answer · edited Jun 16 '20 at 09:31

80

Because he's going to Gondor, which is on the way to Mordor, and because Aragorn vouches for him.

Seriously, that's it (emphasis mine):

'And I will choose you companions to go with you, as far as they will or fortune allows. The number must be few, since your hope is in speed and secrecy. Had I a host of Elves in armour of the Elder Days, it would avail little, save to arouse the power of Mordor.

'The Company of the Ring shall be Nine; and the Nine Walkers shall be set against the Nine Riders that are evil. With you and your faithful servant, Gandalf will go; for this shall be his great task, and maybe the end of his labours.

'For the rest, they shall represent the other Free Peoples of the World: Elves, Dwarves, and Men. Legolas shall be for the Elves; and Gimli son of Glóin for the Dwarves. They are willing to go at least to the passes of the Mountains, and maybe beyond. For men you shall have Aragorn son of Arathorn, for the Ring of Isildur concerns him closely.'

'Strider!' said Frodo.

'Yes,' he said with a smile. 'I ask leave once again to be your companion, Frodo.'

'I would have begged you to come,' said Frodo, 'only I thought you were going to Minas Tirith with Boromir.'

'I am,' said Aragorn. 'And the Sword-that-was-Broken shall be reforged ere I set out to war. But your road and our road lie together for many hundreds of miles. Therefore Boromir will also be in the Company. He is a valiant man.'

^{_{Fellowship of the Ring Book 2 Chapter 3: "The Ring Goes South"}}

edited Jun 16 '20 at 09:31

Community

1

answered May 04 '15 at 20:08

Jason Baker

163,357
44
898
794

Very clear answer. Is there a similar answer regarding the movie? I don't think it was explained there, and Aragorn and Boromir seem to despise each other too much for one to vouch for the other in the movies. – Wad Cheber May 04 '15 at 20:11
14

@WadCheber Best guess: politics. With Aragorn playing the reluctant hero, Boromir is the sole representative of Gondor, the greatest Human power in Middle-Earth. Unfortunately a lot of things regarding Boromir are left unexplained – Jason Baker May 04 '15 at 20:15
5

@JasonBaker Politics for sure. Plus Aragorn is part-Elven, making Boromir the only full-blooded representative of Men in the Fellowship, which is important both in-universe and out-of-universe. – Nerrolken May 04 '15 at 21:07
3

@Nerrolken I may be mistaken, but as far as I know, when Aragorn's ancestor ( Elrond's brother ) choose to be human, rather than elf, all his descendants are human ( not half-elves). – Rick Sanchez May 04 '15 at 23:20
10

@KushtrimP. Not half, certainly, and yeah they're considered officially Men, but they do retain certain more-than-human traits. Long life, for example. Boromir represents the "normal Man" in the group, as opposed to Aragorn, who might be considered "heroic Man." He's somewhat like a Hero from ancient Greece: definitely Human as far as his species goes, but somewhat greater-than-human at the same time. – Nerrolken May 04 '15 at 23:38
4

@Nerrolken The long life was from being a Dunadan more than having distant elven blood. Granted the line of Elros always lived longer than other Dunedain but that could have been simply due being the royal family rather than an acknowledgement of the mixed ancestry. Boromir is not exactly a 'normal man' either, even if the Dunedain of Gondor had faded significantly. – suchiuomizu May 05 '15 at 00:18
After the Council they had to go the same way for several miles and everyone felt to akward to tell him to not go together. That happens. – xDaizu Jun 16 '17 at 13:39
1

@Nerrolken Boromir is just as part-Elven as Aragorn. It’s mathematically certain that every Gondorian (other than recent immigrants) has multiple lines of descent from Elros, just not in a solely male line of descent. Just like every European is descended from Charlemagne. – Mike Scott Nov 06 '21 at 11:55
All Númeneóreans were granted longer life spans by the Valar, regardless of whether they had any Elvish blood. The line of Elros was granted a long life span even with respect to other Númeneóreans, and Elros personally was granted a longer lifespan than any of his descendants. – chepner Jun 17 '22 at 20:29

score 38 · Answer 2 · edited Jun 17 '22 at 14:14

38

Within the film script, it's made clear that Boromir has been invited to the Council of Elrond to represent Gondor, one of the "superpowers" of Middle-earth. On top of that he's the Steward's son, no less and an awesome warrior in his own right. Additionally, he's someone who has a reasonable level of knowledge about Mordor, having lived on its borders his entire life.

Refusing him membership to the Fellowship simply because he thought that it would be a good idea to use the Ring of Power against their common enemy would make things difficult for the Fellowship, if not downright awkward. On top of that, they may need to travel through territory loyal to Gondor so they want to maintain strong relations.

Frankly, there's no sensible reason to not include him and several excellent reasons why they should do so:

BOROMIR: You carry the fate of us all, little one.

Boromir looks towards Elrond and Gandalf.

BOROMIR: If this is indeed the will of the Council, then Gondor will see it done.

Frodo stares in wonder as the Greatest Fighters in all Middle-earth stand at his side.

edited Jun 17 '22 at 14:14

DavidW

128,443
29
545
685

answered May 04 '15 at 20:15

Valorum

689,072
162
4,636
4,873

Judging by what we see of the Steward, having his son join the Fellowship doesn't seem like such a good thing. Aragorn is the rightful heir to the throne of Gondor - doesn't that make Boromir the inferior candidate? – Wad Cheber May 04 '15 at 20:19
5

Not unless/until you can convince Boromir of that. – Matt Gutting May 04 '15 at 20:21
His behavior at the Council of Elrond is a very sensible reason to exclude him. – Wad Cheber May 04 '15 at 20:21
9

@WadCheber - No. Strider has pretty much abrogated his throne by this point. Simply because he happens to be the "rightful heir" is no good reason to bow to the guy when he's spent his entire life avoiding any semblance of resposibility. – Valorum May 04 '15 at 20:23
3

@WadCheber As long as you believe what the Council believes about the Ring. Given that Boromir doesn't, you have to offer him a good reason from his perspective why he's being excluded; otherwise, you risk political fallout by excluding the Heir of the Steward. – Matt Gutting May 04 '15 at 20:24
2

@WadCheber - What, wanting to use the ring? Hardly. Note that other rings of power have been used very successfully in the past. – Valorum May 04 '15 at 20:24
@Richard - I doubt that Elrond or Gandalf would agree with you about using the Ring - in fact, they explicitly and emphatically insist that attempting to use it is the worst possible idea. – Wad Cheber May 04 '15 at 20:27
@MattGutting - The Steward is such a piece of sh-t that his opinion is irrelevant. Of course, Boromir wouldn't see it that way. And his piece of sh-tness makes him more likely to react badly to any perceived slight of his authority. – Wad Cheber May 04 '15 at 20:29
7

@WadCheber The Steward is probably the single most politically powerful person in the northwest of Middle-earth. It's not generally speaking a good idea to deliberately insult his son. – Matt Gutting May 04 '15 at 20:31
@MattGutting - agreed. See my edit to my last comment. – Wad Cheber May 04 '15 at 20:32
6

@WadCheber - And they tell him so. And then he doesn't suggest it again. At least ostensibly he's taken their advice on board... – Valorum May 04 '15 at 20:33
1

@WadCheber - Why not leave it for a few days and see what other answers you get? – Valorum May 04 '15 at 20:49
8

It's a long time since I watched the film, but if I remember correctly, Boromir is tempted by the ring in Rivendell; 'succumb' is an exaggeration. Anyone can be tempted by the ring (e.g. Galadriel later in the film), so there is no reason not to trust Boromir at this point. – Ian Thompson May 04 '15 at 21:32
@IanThompson - in the film, Boromir immediately reaches for the Ring, and it is implied that he might intend to put it on, because Elrond leaps up and shouts "BOROMIR!", which he ignores, and he only backs off when Gandalf begins chanting in Black Speech, darkening the skies and causing all the Elves in the room to wince in pain. Everyone is always tempted by the Ring, but only in this case do bystanders react so strongly, implying that there is more than just the normal "temptation" at work. – Wad Cheber May 06 '15 at 21:06
@IanThompson - and in the very next scene, Frodo drops the Ring while rough housing, and Boromir picks it up. Aragorn tells him to give it to Frodo, and he hesitates, then does so. The camera then pans over to Aragorn's hand, and we see it is clutching the hilt of his sword. This shows that Aragorn is already so suspicious of Boromir that he is willing to kill him on the spot. This supports my contention that someone so obviously untrustworthy should never have been allowed to join the Fellowship. – Wad Cheber May 06 '15 at 21:11
2

@WadCheber - Note though, that Boromir and Aragorn are antagonistic from the word 'go'. It's only because of the importance of the quest that they don't actually start hacking pieces off of each other shortly after meeting... – Valorum May 06 '15 at 21:12
@IanThompson - and by "immediately", I mean IMMEDIATELY: as in, Frodo pulls out the Ring and places it on the table, and seconds later, Boromir gets up and reaches for it. – Wad Cheber May 06 '15 at 21:14
@Richard - a bit of an exaggeration, but with more than a kernel of truth. – Wad Cheber May 06 '15 at 21:15
@Richard - in Return of the King, Gandalf and Denethor are arguing about Gandalf's role in sending the Ring to Mordor with Frodo. Denethor thinks it should have been sent to Minas Tirith to be hidden. Gandalf says that if Boromir had tried to bring it, it would have destroyed him. Gandalf says "... I do not trust you... And now hearing you speak I trust you less, NO MORE THAN [I trusted] BOROMIR". If Gandalf never trusted Boromir, Boromir should never have been allowed to join the Fellowship. – Wad Cheber May 24 '15 at 04:25

EngrStudent · Answer 3 · 2022-06-17T16:37:23.873

Things working for Boromir:

He is going the same direction. (Mentioned above)
He is a good warrior. (mentioned above)
He is the son/heir of the Steward of Gondor. (mentioned above)
Represents humans within the Fellowship. (mentioned above)
He came with "Boromir's riddle", accredited to the Vala Irmo Lórien, where he is directed to "Seek for the Sword that was broken."

Things working against Boromir:

The Ring took him immediately. (Is the speed of capture related to the 9 rings?)
Sauron already had hooks in his father through the Palantír.
Gondor, his destination, was the front-lines of the battle. It is a bad idea to put the strategic goal of the enemy at the center of the focus of their exercise of strength.
Gondor also had its back against a wall. The number of opportunities, open doors to accommodate changes in direction decreases as the Fellowship approaches Gondor - it makes them less nimble.

Thoughts:

It seems that Boromir is a "member of convenience" and not a "strategic asset".
It may be that nobody realized 1) that the Ring got him, 2) how quickly the Ring took him, and 3) how completely the Ring took him. One of the best ways to keep the truth from being acted on is to keep it from being known. The ring took Sméagol in a moment and he did what he would not have normally done - he killed to get it. Boromir, while equally taken, was in the company of such great power that had he tried to take it by force in front of others, he would have been struck down. Just because he intended to go to Gondor with it does not mean it did not take him - it is how he rationalized what the Ring wanted him to do.
There is an irony in his entry versus his exit. While his entry was more convenience, his exit was profoundly impactful. He transformed the Fellowship. He galvanized Frodo, and Aragorn in ways they did not expect. Frodo started out passive, waiting for leadership and relying on the strength of others, and after the the ring took Boromir, he took the initiative and acted courageously relying on his own strength. Aragorn started out rejecting a crown and much of the civilization of men, but at the noble and heroic death of Boromir, he swore to protect the great city, and to see to it that humanity was not lost.
He was essential for the survival of the team on Caradhras, in Moria, and at Sarn Gebir. He and Aragorn carried the hobbits who would have been killed by Saruman's storms. He fought hard in the burial room of Balin, and as one of the best human warriors on the planet, he made a critical difference and without him they would have died. He and Aragorn also carried Frodo who would have run toward the Balrog. He warned them of the rapids of Sarn Gebir where the party stopped.
The belt from Galadriel says something interesting about her evaluation of Boromir, and indirectly indicates what Gandalf may also have seen but not communicated. Tolkien knows the three treasured possessions of Thor were Mjolnir (the hammer), Jarngreipr (the gloves), and Megingjord (the belt) which doubles Thor's strength. The gifted belt could be an allusion to Megingjord, imparting an elvish strength of character that transformed Boromir's final battle.
The words of Gandalf to Denethor are toward Denethor and not necessarily the whole story. In game theory what Gandalf has put in front of Denethor exactly what Denethor just put in front of him, and as such can see the reaction Denethor expected to elicit.

I don't think we have enough evidence to conclude "the Ring got him". In fact, Boromir wanting to use the Ring as a weapon is a sensible opinion, giving his limited knowledge of the artifact. And when he does fall victim to the temptation, much later, he quickly recovers and regrets it. — Andres F., May 05 '15 at 00:28
As for your other points: 1- The plan wasn't to take the Ring to Gondor, though the initial part of the journey was in that direction. Aragorn says as much! 2- It wasn't known at the time of the Council that Denethor was under the influence of Sauron, so how can this count against Boromir? — Andres F., May 05 '15 at 00:29
"He transformed the fellowship. He galvanized Frodo, and Boromir in ways they did not expect." This wording seems awkward at best; I can't really make sense of it. Can you reword? +1 for nobody realizing how it took him, though. — jpmc26, May 05 '15 at 02:25
This answer is phenomenal- if it answered the question rather than brilliantly laying out both the pros and cons, I would have accepted it and awarded a bounty. It pains me to do neither. But +100 anyway. — Wad Cheber, May 06 '15 at 21:19
The answer is implied. He was the bad choice, but fate (or the author) used that as an element to make him the only choice. Long after his death he is driving plot. From the character transitions of Merry and Pippin, what happens to Denethor, to what happens to Faramir, and even in Return of the King where the decision by Aragorn to engage the Black Gates bears the odor of "save our people, save our city" - the dying request - Boromir leaves his impact throughout the story. I answered to answer, and not for the bounty. We are good, thanks. — EngrStudent, May 07 '15 at 12:31

score 13 · Answer 4 · answered May 05 '15 at 13:30

At the Council of Elrond, Boromir is clearly tempted by the Ring. This is not the same as succumbing to its influence.

In fact, everyone is tempted by the Ring -- the hobbits least of all, but even Frodo is gradually corrupted by its influence.

For powerful beings such as Gandalf, the temptation is severe. In the books (Book 1, Chapter 2, "The Shadow of the Past"), Frodo offers Gandalf the Ring. Gandalf is horrified and tells Frodo not to tempt him. Similarly, when Frodo offers the Ring to Galadriel, she spends a few moments contemplating how she could use its power to become a goddess.

So it is not surprising when Boromir suggests using the Ring to overthrow Sauron. That's how the temptation of the Ring works. It seems like a perfectly logical idea, unless you really understand the Ring's corrupting power. In both books and film, Boromir is persuaded to go along with the Council's belief that the Ring is too dangerous to use.

The Council took a risk in sending Frodo out with powerful companions -- not just Boromir, but Aragorn, Gandalf and the rest. At any time, one of them could have been overcome by desire for the Ring and tried to seize it. On the other hand, they needed Frodo to reach Mordor. The hobbits nearly didn't make it to Rivendell, even with help from Aragorn and Glorfindel/Arwen (in the book/film respectively). So, the Council decided Frodo needed a strong escort.

As it happens, Boromir breaks first, but this was not foreseen by the Council. Later on, Aragorn remarks that it was a "sore trial" for Boromir, who was a "warrior, and a Lord of Men", but that is no more than hindsight.

score 12 · Answer 5 · edited Jun 17 '22 at 14:14

In point of fact, Boromir did not succumb to the Ring moments after first seeing it, nor did he explicitly want to use it himself at the Council. He only questioned the wisdom of trying to destroy the Ring rather than using it as a weapon against Sauron. It was only after spending several months in proximity to the Ring that, after leaving Lórien, he finally begins to yield to its temptation.

From the Tale of Years, the Council was October 25, 3018. The Company left Rivendell two months later, on December 25th, passed through Moria and arrived at Lórien, leaving there on February 16, 3019. It's 10 days later that he finally gives in to the temptation.

score 6 · Answer 6 · answered May 05 '15 at 00:02

6

I think because Boromir was "given" his mystical dream or dreams, presumably by Eru or by some lower god, Gandalf and Elrond assumed that Boromir had some part to play which only the gods could sense; so he was included in the partnership. Gandalf did sometimes make choices against prevailing wisdom.

answered May 05 '15 at 00:02

Paul Andringa-Cutler

69
1

9

Boromir's dreams weren't entirely inaccurate. He did play a part in helping the Fellowship, and he valiantly defended the Hobbits. He may be flawed as a hero, but he is not a villain. In Aragorn's words, when reassuring Boromir in his last moments: "few have gained such a victory". – Andres F. May 05 '15 at 00:32

Why was Boromir allowed to join the Fellowship of the Ring?

6 Answers6

Linked