[Boromir88]

Ahhh, here is the true breaking of the Fellowship, the destruction of this waning friendship.

First off, I have a few comments to Esty, who again has done a wonderful job getting the discussion started, and has brought up some good ones to discuss, I thank yee Esty.

“A madness took me, but it has passed.” Has it? I have serious doubts and think that his obsession with the Ring would not have been over, had Frodo returned.

I think we can all say that if Boromir, by some chance, met up with Frodo again and had to pass the same test, he would have again failed. But I think his closing words, he was speaking truth. A madness did pass through him, and it did pass. Now, it slipped back into his "unconsciousness," so for a time it has "passed" through him, but if he was faced with it again, it would arise again, and again he would have fallen to the ring.

I think what's interesting is Frodo is again left with the decision of "what to do?" As the ringbearer, he holds on what happens, where they go next. Frodo's first decision of going to Moria, ended in despair, ended with the death of Gandalf. Now, he's faced with that same decision, where to go? Maybe, learning from his previous error, he decides, he has to get out of the company, and I think Boromir was the final nudge Frodo needed to just do that. Boromir showed Frodo that the Ring was tearing the Fellowship apart, and Boromir was only the first to fall. The Ring saw Boromir's weakness and went after him, but how long would it take for the Ring to start bending it's will on one of the other members? Boromir made Frodo realize he wasn't safe around the Company with the Ring, and he had to get out before another member turned into a Boromir.

What's interesting though is it is Sam who goes along with Frodo. And I say this because, the Ring doesn't seem to effect Sam much. Maybe the ring sees that Sam is so simply, and loves Frodo so much, it would be hard to corrupt someone like Sam, so in steps Gollum, ahhh, now the ring has somebody to work with...this could lead to further discussions down the road.

There's one quote from Boromir's that does intrigue me, and this is when we see him first go "mad."

"It is by our own folly that the Enemy will defeat us," cried Boromir, "How it angers me! Fool! Obstinate Fool! Running wilfully to death and ruining our cause. If any mortals have claim to the Ring, it is the men of Numenor, and not Halflings. It is not yours save by unhappy chance. It might have been mine. It should be mine. Give it to me!"

This quote intrigues me, because running wilfully to death and ruining our cause. I'm sorry Boromir, I adore you, but the "cause" is to destroy the ring, and what would ruin the "cause" if by someone taking it to try to overthrow Sauron. Also, If any mortals have claim to the Ring, it is the men of Numenor, and not Halflings. Again, ok Isildur caried the Ring, but it's not his, it's nobody's but Sauron's. Secondly, sorry again Boromir, but you aren't "numenorean," you are part numenorean, but not full. Problem is at this time Boromir was truly mad and truly corrupted by the ring, so I don't think he's in control of what he's doing and here's why.

He rose and passed his hand over his eyes, dashing away the tears. "What have I said?" he cried. "What have I done..."

After Frodo leaves Boromir has no idea what he did, besides the fact that he's rubbing away the tears, and a "madness" had took him. I would have to say, that Boromir wasn't in control of what he was saying or doing, the Ring had taken control of him, it had fed his desires, took control, and when it left, the Boromir we all love, is back in control, not this "mad Boromir."

I love the tension Tolkien builds up, or maybe the foreshadowing evil.

Suddenly he awoke from his thoughts: a strange feeling came to him that something was behind him, that unfriendly ees were upoin him. He sprang up and turned; but all that he saw to his surprise was Boromir, and his face was smiling and kind.

He laid his hand on the hobbit's shoulder in friendly fashion; but Frodo felt the hand trembling with suppressed excitement. He stepped quickly away, and eyed with alarm, the tall Man, nearly twice his height and many times his match in strength.

First quote, Tolkien does leave you wonder if the "unfriendly eyes upon Frodo," are Boromir's, and it would definately point to that it was Frodo's thought of "unfriendly eyes" were Boromir's. Also, the "tall man, nearly twice his height...etc." is Frodo sort of sizing up Boromir, and saying, oh crap, this guy can beat me with two hands tied behind his back. So Frodo, being as smart as he is always keeps that "stone" between him and Boromir.

I think even in these closing moments, before Boromir's true madness, Boromir is struggling to hold on, he's struggling to resist. But Frodo felt the hand trembling with suppressed excitement. The words "trembling" and "suppressed" come out to me, that at this point, right before Boromir goes mad, is Boromir still fighting within himself to "repent." He's trying to resist the lure, he's trying to "suppress" it, and the "trembling hand" I think points out to the stress falling upon Boromir right now.

Anyway those are my thoughts, cheers.