The Departure of Boromir

AUGH. I can't believe Tolkien killed off Boromir in the first chapter!! When I saw the title, "The Departure of Boromir", I figured it just meant that Boromir took off on his own (maybe to hunt down Frodo and steal the Ring). Of course now I feel pretty scummy for thinking so badly of him, just as I did with Gandalf.

So now both Boromir and Gandalf have died trying to protect Frodo and the others. I'd better be cautious about whom I distrust next; they're likely to get axed (hopefully not literally) as well.

The last scene with Boromir is incredibly sad/moving, with his body laid out in the funeral boat with the elven-clock, and the fact that his three companions took the time to comb out his hair.

Ironic that I've learned a great deal more about the characters from how their friends treat/view them after they die. Don't want to see much more of this kind of character development, though. :\ At least I know Frodo should be okay throughout, since he's the hero. And if anything bad happens to Sam before he has a chance to use Galadriel's orchard earth, I'm going to be really upset. In any case, I've resolved not to be so distrustful of dubious looking LOTR characters from now on, unless of course they have evil glowing eyes or have "Black" as part of their name.

I'm somewhat baffled by the song that Aragorn and Legolas sing. When did they have time to write this? I assume it was custom-written for Boromir, since some of the end rhymes are specific to Boromir. But then Gimli refers to the East Wind verse being his.

Anyway, a promising start to Book III!

[Previous entry: "Fellowship: BOOK II - Chapter 10"] [Next entry: "Two Towers: BOOK III - Chapter 2"]

Posted by Jonathan @ 2001 May 18 07:31 AM EST

Still only a chapter at a time Debbie?

Tolkien is very good at getting you to look at the 'focus' and sort of allow the other stuff to happen around the focus. It is only after the events like Boromir's death that the scope is suddenly widened a bit, or the focus is subtly changed and all these new characterization elements fall out of the story.

Don't stop your feelings for the characters or their situations from helping you reach some sort of understanding (or even make personal predictions about who royally deserves to 'get it in the neck') as this is one of the joys of reading Tolkien. You have to wonder if sometimes the good Professor suspected that the readers impression was being formed a particular way, only to have an action, situation or event turn that impression it its head.

I can't stress enough that the way that the action in the next few chapters pans out has a big impact on the rest of the story. And as you have already found chapter titles can frequently have more than one meaning.

By the way. I'm reminded of a comment you made in the Tom Bombadil chapter. You are going to be surprised shortly.

TTFN

Posted by Rallas @ 2001 May 18 08:18 AM EST

This is good! This is really good.

I have been following your progress the last few days through your reports and the readers'comments.

Being lucky enough to grow up in a family of Tolkien fans, (my first Tolkien memory is of my father sitting beside me on my bed reading the Hobbit to me, so that was probably before I even knew how to read) I never even imagined that there are people who don't imediately fall in love with the books. The prologue is dry? Never thought that anyone could say that. So its interesting to see that there are other opinions out there aswell, as sad as this makes me.

But in the end its nice to see that you start liking the whole thing.

Posted by Nikitas @ 2001 May 18 08:43 AM EST

The wind has alway had symbolic value, not only in Tolkien. Here the wind should bring news of the death of Boromir to Denethor, his father, as many tindings come from the wind. Legolas and Aragorn sing of the north, west and south winds. The only one left is the east. An east wind would come straight from Mordor to Minas Tirith (where Denethor is lord). Obviously Gimli will not sing of *that* wind in honour of Boromir.

This is a great idea for a website! Someone once said "I envy the person who opens the Lord of the Rings for the first time", reading your comments is second best.

Do you read all the new comments or are there some you miss? Should I always post in the last chapter, if I miss several day in a row?

Greg

Posted by Tirno @ 2001 May 18 09:33 AM EST

Every few days, I go back and read all the comment sections again to see if any have been added. I know at least a few other people who do the same thing. I'm *really* enjoying all the comments.

Posted by Debbie @ 2001 May 18 09:40 AM EST

Last time I posted a pic it was the lovely Lady Galadriel. Now I must do a complete 180 - this is Lurtz (with Saruman). Lurtz is the Uruk-Hai who will kill Boromir in the movie (he does not appear by name in the book).

http://img-www.theonering.net/images/scrapbook/1091.jpg

Posted by Charly @ 2001 May 18 09:55 AM EST

I felt the same way about Boromir when I first read the story. Sure, he was a pompous jackass for much of his time in the book, then he all but mugs Frodo (whom he has about three feet and a hundred-fifty pounds on) due to the corruptive influence of the Ring, but he pays his due in the end. I also found Aragorn and Legolas' song to be moving, yet Gimli's refusal to salute the East even more so.
The things that mark this saga as more than a 'classic', in my opinion, are the dynamics between the four Races; the Elves don't like the Dwarves, the Dwarves don't trust the Elves OR the Humans, and nobody appears to think much of the hobbits at all. Although Tolkien has repeatedly and emphatically stated that his works have nothing to do with our world and are not allegorical, it does have a relevant parallel in twenty-first century life. Legolas and gimli's friendship, while delegated to a "buddy flick" sensibility in the movie, is all the more moving for the animousity between their two peoples (for more on that, read 'The Silmarillion'. Actually, wait. Don't do that. SKIM 'The Silmarillion'. You need to walk before you can run, ormeander blindfolded, in this case.)

BTW, I've heard that there's a synthetic compund which mimics coyote scent; maybe that will keep those thrice-accursed raccoons away?

Looking forward to the next chapter!!

Posted by Chris H. @ 2001 May 18 10:34 AM EST

Debbie

I happened across your page, like many others, from onering.net

Just had to say how much I have enjoyed your journey so far!

I've been reading Debbie's comments plus the other good people's posts for some time without (selfishly) posting anything back.

Top idea for a web site!
I now have it bookmarked and look forward to the rest of your journey.

Sam, is how they say, "rock 'ard".

love
Gurnsy

Posted by Gurnsy @ 2001 May 18 11:04 AM EST

Debbie

Don't feel bad, I still don't like Boromir. I never trusted him. Remember the Lothlorien chapter, just before the fellowship was about to enter the forest.

"Then lead on!" said Boromir. "But it is perilous"

"Perilous indeed," said Aragorn, "fair and perilous; but only evil need fear it, or those who bring some evil with them."

Of course, the treachery of Boromir is serving a purpose; helping Frodo make a decision to go alone and destroy the ring. So maybe Boromir's not so bad after all.

Posted by Roland @ 2001 May 18 12:18 PM EST

Hi Debbie and and all the rest of you!
Thank you Debbie for giving us old Tolkien-addicts the chance to be reminded of our first experience of falling in love with Tolkiens magical, yet so very real world! And thank you all for your comments, they are just as much fun to read as Debbies reports! I started reading Tolkien when I was eleven, which is some thirty years ago now. There were not so many books about Tolkien and Middle-Earth around at that time (at least not here in Sweden), no Silmarillion for instance, so I never got to be so Tolkien-scholarly as many of you seem to be. But of course IŽve reread LOTR many times since then. Anyway, I really get a lot out of all the learned comments!
Debbie, I congratulate you at coming this far! I remember crying hard when reading the chapter about Boromirs death the first time. One other thing interesting about this chapter, I think, is that you get a deeper close-up of Aragorn. Now that Gandalf has died, he is the one with the broad perspective, and he knows that this is a crucial moment, and that his choice of action is very important. His self-doubts, his confusion and misgivings make him very human and easy to identify with here, I think.
Good luck on your journey through the books! IŽll go along, in this your private Fellowship, and follow you all the way.

Posted by Katarina @ 2001 May 18 03:23 PM EST

I see no reason to feel guilty for disliking Boromir. I've read LOTR more times than I can count, and I dislike him more each time! Take away his aristocratic trappings, and he is just an egomaniacal thug, it seems to me! The fact that he does a couple of things that seem heroic at the time (digging through the snow on Carahdras, killing some Orcs,) doesn't change the fact that he was also saving his own skin in each case, and fell to the temptation to Power very easily.

Posted by Paul Mendenhall @ 2001 May 19 12:33 AM EST

Hi Debbie! this is a great idea. I found this link in last Sunday's newspaper (net section). I'm from Australia. I have read LOTR many times and was lead to it after reading the Hobbit. The friends that referred me to the Hobbit could never read LOTR. It is a fantastic book and I think you need to read it a few times to fully get a grasp of what happens.

I see from your next post that you are entering into one of the most exciting parts of this book. I love the riders of Rohan.

I've bookmarked and will check in when I can. I wish I could read quickly enough to catch up with you but I can't! So I'll have to go on memory.

Like many others I can't wait to see the movie but am devastated that it will be 3 years before I get to see the whole thing.:-(

I like your chapter by chapter approach to this also. I wonder if that will change.

Posted by Samantha @ 2001 May 19 03:53 AM EST

Wow- love your comments on each chapter- makes me wish I could read the book again fresh. I love your phrase on who you can trust
' In any case, I've resolved not to be so distrustful of dubious looking LOTR characters from now on, unless of course they have evil glowing eyes or have "Black" as part of their name.'
too funny.
Cheers,
Aiya

Posted by Aiya @ 2001 Jun 01 12:05 AM EST

(Yup...saw the link on TheOneRing.net)

Yes, it is fun to see and read someone's thought as they read thee books for the first time.

Since no one has mentioned it, this chapter will be where the First Movie ends. The first movie will end with the death of Boromir...and not be a cliffhanger.

Posted by Tay-Dor @ 2001 Jun 01 05:43 AM EST

Hi Debbie,

Just came here from theonering.net - obviously got the message a bit later than some others!
Just wanted to "stand up" in support of Boromir - when I first read LOTR I thought much the same as several people who've posted already, but I think Tolkien always had it in for humans - not suffieciently keen to know the exact details, but in the poem about the ring aren't the humans "destined to die" or something like that - I think Tolkien made the humans inherently weak in comparison to the other races so Boromir didn't stand much chance when he got near to the ring. Also the fact that Frodo goes on alone is important - without Bormomirs intervention, this wouldn't have happened.
You mentioned earlier about Tolkien-inspired music, well... theres a new album out by an absolutely amazing bloke called Bob Catley (he used to sing in the band "Magnum" if that means anything) - its called Middle Earth and has a fantastic track called "Emmisary" which is all about how the people that come into contact with the ring can be corrupted by it and merely act as emmisaries for the ring (ie. doing its will). Not sure if you like "melodic" rock but if you do, check out Bob's album - if nothing eles you'll love the "poetry" of the lyrics!

OOps - sorry for such a huge post but as I said, I've only just found this site and have read all your "chapters" upto now - thoroughly enjoying it!

Posted by Andy @ 2001 Jun 01 05:54 AM EST

Andy,
In the poem where it says "doomed to die" it refers to the gift that Iluvatar gave to the second born(Man.) Unlike the Elves who are Imortal and die only if slain or they will themselves, leaving them to wander Mandos' halls, Men die and pass beyond the confines to some secret place prepaired for them by Iluvatar. It is Man's misconception of the great gift that calls it doom.

Posted by J'nae Rae Campbell @ 2001 Jun 01 01:46 PM EST

In defense of Boromir - his role is critical in the fellowship and he and his brother bear a huge burden. Despite his shortcomings he repents and gives his life for a couple of silly haflings in the end - quite noble and tragic. The vision of his funeral boat going over the falls after the song of the companions is a sad and wonderful image. I look forward to seeing Sean Bean play his part in the movie and blow his great horn.

Posted by Christopher B. @ 2001 Jun 02 02:15 AM EST

Boromir was great. He would have done everything to "save his city", and that was his downfall. He did not understand much else than war, and when he had a great weapon in reach, a weapon which could with ease destroy sauron, and that weapon was even corrupting him, he didn't have much to defend with. And furthermore the Humans were weaker than the elves(Aragorn doesn't count, he was from the royal family) and were weaker in the matters of mind(not they were stupid), and he really did confess.

Posted by turin @ 2001 Jun 13 04:37 PM EST

Some of Aragorn's strength may be from his Elven ancestors, Although that wouldn't explain Isildur. Maybe his family history counts for more.

Posted by dave @ 2001 Jun 13 10:24 PM EST

Debbie --

Now you know that Tom Smith can compose extemporaneously. And I don't know about you, but I often make up songs on the spot, although they usually are walking songs made while I'm walking somewhere. Or mowing the grass -- now there's an inspirational experience.

But since Aragorn and Legolas are better educated than I, and since they come from a culture where everybody writes songs (gee, that sounds familiar....) and has hundreds of years to practice that skill...well, it's not surprising at all.

Finally, both Irish poets and Norse skalds were both expected to compose serious and original songs extemporaneously on occasion.

Posted by Maureen @ 2001 Jun 15 10:26 PM EST

i definitly see a lot of examples where humans are the race with the "fatal flaw" so to speak. they are the second born, they lack immortality, and there are just certain places they cannot go, such as Valinor. it was men who was corrupted by Sauron and became the Ringwraiths (a.k.a. Black Riders). and it was Boromir who first succumbs to the Ring's powers. and that whole story with Numenor, although im NO expert, i think had something to do with some mistake made by humans. maybe Tolkien was trying to show the imperfection of man, how we are so easily influenced and corrupted.

Posted by aurora @ 2001 Jun 18 07:37 PM EST

I had a friend who used to read the books by reading III,1, then IV,1, then III,2, then IV,2, etc. This, he maintained, keeps the time sequence more or less intact. I tried it once, but found it too hard to jump from one storyline to the other (and to stop at the end of a chapter. Annoying cliffhangers!). I wouldn't recommend it for the first or second time through, but maybe later on.
Just an option.

Posted by Eric @ 2001 Aug 19 03:33 PM EST