[ArathornJax]

I think that Boromir is a very tragic figure in LOTR and has many good qualities, yet he is very human. I believe he is very human because of the weaknesses that open him up to being tempted by the ring. The ring plays on his desire to protect his city/country/people and on his own ego, his desire for personal glory. Thus like many of us, he is very noble in many ways, yet his ego also leads to temptation and mistakes.
Boromir is also valiant, brave, courageous, and helpful. He looks after others and basically lives up to a very chivalrous code (as we see at the attempt at the Redhorn among one example). So in the end, it is his human weaknesses that leads him to yield to the enticings of the ring. He quickly realizes what he has done, and then gives his life in defended Merry and Pippin. Before dying he confesses his error to Aragorn, and then surrenders up his life.

One thing that many people fail to realize also, is the role that Boromir as a character plays to the plot. Though the actions of the day when Boromir tried to seize the ring and its consequences are seen as evil with the breaking of the Fellowship, it is really an unhappy day. The day is unhappy because of the death of the noble Boromir, but those the events of the day seem evil, they result in the greater good. Frodo escapes Boromir (and thus Sauron twice) and leaves to Mordor with Sam in which eventually the ring will be destroyed. Merry and Pippin are taken, but eventually escape and come to Treebeard and the Ents and aid in rousing them to action against Saruman. This also leads to Merry stabbing the Witch King and Pippin saving Faramir. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli reunite with Gandalf the White and free Theoden from Wormtongue's influence and control. This allows Rohan to defeat the armies of Saruman and then go to Gondor's aid via several directions. Thus in a way, all of this would not have happen, even the final victory, if Boromir had not given in to his temptation for glory and protection of himself and his people and thus resulting in the Breaking of the Fellowship. I like to think that not only is there a ballad or two made after the War of the Ring in rememberance of Boromir, and of his valiant and noble deeds.