The Importance of Being Denethor

[Voralphion]

Very good topic, a few things though,

Denethor can still be compared to Saruman, who was, though a Maia, fully corrupted by Sauron’s will.

Denethor wasn't corrupted by Sauron's will as Saruman was. Denethor's madness was partly due to the general strain of using the stone, and partly due to dispair. Sauron was not able to break Denethor's mind, but was able to control what he saw. Sauron showed him his vast armies and this caused Denethor to lose hope and sink into depression. This along with the loss of Boromir caused him to go mad. Saruman on the other hand wasn't strong enough to resist Sauron and so had his mind overthrown. I believe this is mentioned in the Unfinished Tales section on the palantiri but without my book at the moment I am unable to provide direct quotes.

[Kuruharan]

He didn’t want Faramir to play ‘second fiddle’ as you so aptly put it; he wanted Faramir to be like Boromir.

Quite right. I’m afraid I followed my usual habit of throwing out statements that I don’t bother to explain fully. I intended that statement to encompass the time while Denethor was still alive. So long as Denethor remained Steward, Faramir was to remain a subordinate to his father (thus, second fiddle). Of course, as Denethor saw it was for Faramir to submit himself to Gandalf. Denethor probably thought of Faramir submitting himself to his father as gaining independence or true manliness, or something.

Since Faramir became the heir, he needed to develop his capacity for independent thought and action. However, Denethor was not necessarily going to approve of this independence when it manifested itself. As you say, Denethor wanted Faramir to be like Boromir, or at least as Denethor perceived Boromir. Gandalf had a few words to say on that matter that seemed to indicate that Denethor did not understand Boromir as well as he thought he did.

Perhaps he would be the person Denethor thought he should be if he was tempted by the One Ring.

I find that a interesting statement. Faramir needed to be flawed in order for him to be the man Denethor wanted him to be.

There is probably a lot of philosophical discourse that could flow from that idea.

I think that another failing of PJ is doing such a thing to Faramir.

And all the people said, “Amen!”

(One of these days I may get off that hobby horse).

I would have to ask how much attention Denethor paid to Faramir in the days before Boromir went off into the Blue?

My first impression was that Faramir had perhaps been rather neglected growing up. However, my first impressions usually utterly fail to withstand further thought. This is particularly in light of your statement about Denethor being over-protective of his children.

Ponder on this, I will.