[Boromir88]

Lhunardawen

Funny you should be the one thinking about this...you know...Boromir...

It is rather ironic, but I still love him, lol.

I was under the impression that from the start, Boromir was included in the Fellowship because he was going back to Minas Tirith, and the way to Minas Tirith and the road to Mordor lie together for hundreds of miles or something like that.

Exactly, and Boromir is the only one who can bring himself to leaving the company. He's set, he's going to Minas Tirith, whether no one follows him or not. That was Aragorn's original plan, then we see he too, can't just abandon Frodo. Boromir just was "in" because their paths followed the same road, he wasn't in because he cared for Frodo. Even though Elrond did say people may leave when they wish. I think Boromir's death, and all the times he goes up against the Fellowship, reinforces the fact that Boromir isn't there to "travel with Frodo to the end," he's there to go home, from the START.

Boromir was there because he needed or wanted someone to be with when he goes home. Perhaps he was hoping to do his part in Minas Tirith, where he was in authority and where he can serve in the War against Sauron best.

Very possible.

I'd like to add two thoughts in response to davem's post. Concerning Frodo's and Sam's respective gifts, I was struck by the fact that Frodo's is a gift from the sky, loosed from the earth, while Sam's is earth, rooted in the ground - both very much prophetic of their respective fates!

Esty, nice job of pointing out the symbolism .

There's a couple more things to add.

And Aragorn answered: "Lady, you know all my desire, and long held in keeping the only treasure that I see. Yet it is not yours to give me, even if you would, and only through darkness shall I come to it."

Indeed the Lady does know what Aragorn "truly" seeks, and don't worry Aragorn she does give it to you, or atleast help give it to you, much later in the books .

Then the Lady unbraided one of her long tresses, and cut off three golden hairs, and laid them in Gimli's hand. "These words shall go with the gift," she said. "I do not foretell, for all foretelling is now vain: on the one hand lies darkness, and on the other only hope. But if hope should not fail, then I say to you, Gimli son of Gloin, that your hands shall flow with gold, and yet over you gold shall have NO dominion.

There's a lot here Galadriel is saying. She says "in one hand lies darkness, the other only hope." Is Aragorn the symbolism of Hope, for he was just given Estel.

"This stone I gave to Celebrian my daughter, and she to hers; and now it comes to you as a token of hope.

Gimli had two choices, darkness (which may be going home or abandoning the company who knows), or hope (Aragorn). Gimli can follow hope (which he does through the rest of the story), and if hope does not fail, "his hands will flow with gold, yet over him gold shall have no dominion." Indeed that's a big deal, concerning the dwarves, greed, their greed for more and more riches. Which is why I believe here, Gimli would have been last of the Fellowship to fall to the ring, due to Galadriel's statement, and indeed, in Gimli hope does not fail. As he chooses to stick with "hope" (Aragorn), and not go with darkness (which I feel darkness would be abandoning the company).