Matter of choice

[Mirkgirl]

From what I read here, most of you are agreeing he was offered the ring. I don't think she did that... or at least not intentionally. Please bear with me as I find it a bit hard to collect my ideas on this topic, but I'll try to explain myself as clear as possible.

Before looking at their eyes/souls Galadriel says:
Yet hope remains while all the Company is true.'

True... true to what I always questioned myself. Actually they don't share a purpose, haven't taken a vow, as Elrond says on farewell:

'The Ring-bearer is setting out on the Quest of Mount Doom. On him alone is any charge laid: neither to cast away the Ring, nor to deliver it to any servant of the Enemy nor indeed to let any handle it, save members of the Company and the Council, and only then in gravest need. The others go with him asfree companions, to help him on his way. You may tarry, or come back, or turn aside into other paths, as chance allows. The further you go, the less easy will it be to withdraw; yet no oath or bond is laid on you to go further than you will. For you do not yet know the strength of your hearts, and you cannot foresee what each may meet upon the road.'

Galadriel goes another mile for the fellowship. While Elrond is eager to grant them freedom - maybe exactly because freedom binds better with such people, Galadriel decides that the everyone of the fellowship from now on should hold to it. I'd speculate that she just wants to show them the best alternative to their current state and let them, here and now decide it's not worth leaving for. I'd guess Legolas and Aragorn were "immune" to her look, because for them there were no sugar possibilities (of course no sugar possibilities would be there for any of them if the dark lord wins, but they are less aware of it): Legolas sees the boat taking him to sea, Aragorn knows he cannot have the kingdom and with it the woman he loves, without fighting for it. Boromir also doesnt have a quiet home to go back to, for him it is in a way worse than for the other two. And I would say that Galadriel did make a mistake with placing him to the test.

He saw the salvation of Gondor through the ring in the Council already:
'The Men of Gondor are valiant, and they will never submit; but they may be beaten down. Valour needs first strength, and then a weapon. Let the Ring be your weapon, if it has such power as you say. Take it and go forth to victory!'

He isn't too sure about it but accepts the decision of the council
Boromir looked at them doubtfully, but he bowed his head. `So be it,' he said. `Then in Gondor we must trust to such weapons as we have. And at the least, while the Wise ones guard this Ring, we will fight on.

Galadriel offered him a strong and free Gondor - and he saw two ways for this to be done: firstly if the mission succeed, which he doubts and secondly, if the ring is used - he is still not certain whether the advice of the wise is not cowardness. And, honestly the idea of getting directly to Mordor as a Fellowship does look impossible - to take the chance of using the ring seems a far more sensible option.

Galadriel's test brought back to his mind these options. And I'm not sure if anyone, knowing (only) as much as Boromir knows would react with anything else than doubt.

In a nutshell I dont think Boromir wanted the ring. I don't think he saw himself as some great lord. Possibly he even entertained the thought of Aragorn as king using the ring (if only he wasnt such a coward, listening to that wizard - just as Denethor thought of Faramir). What he saw with his mind was the salvation of Gondor, he being able to be back home in the white tower without Sauron for neighbour. And as he knew the things stand it was only to be done if someone was brave enough to risk and use the ring - as the destruction seemed doomed to failure.

I don't know... that's how I see it.