LotR -- Book 4 - Chapter 05 - The Window on the West

[HerenIstarion]

... and running hard to catch up

Disclaimer first: I love Faramir. What to follow is not an essay in castin slurs upon him.

Now to one thing which struck me: Faramir is a bit of a play-actor and 'self-made man' (in a mental sense). He trains his mind as much as he supposedly trains his body, pursuing perfection. He tries on the mask of a better person, and lives up to the standard.

I refer to the following lines:

'But fear no more! I would not take this thing, if it lay by the highway

The general impression: Faramir is, of course, boasting and showing off, but, also, setting himself another standard, another height to conquer. (Just as good he manages to conquer it when the Ring presents itself)

Denethor is not blind. What I rather would praise in Faramir, Denethor states as case for indictment:

I know you well. Ever your desire is to appear lordly and generous as a king of old, gracious, gentle. That may well befit one of high race, if he sits in power and peace. But in desperate hours gentleness may be repaid with death

Emphasis mine

Now I run ahead of things a bit (or even a lot, since it is the next book where the quote is taken from), but that is an accussation to strike where it will hurt, it seems, a blame of 'appearing', but not, in fact 'being' is what Faramir would fear most.

We are alike with him in this respect, only I fail to live up to the standard more often than not (I refer to 'Masks' thread as well here)

Denethor loves his both sons. He's desparate to find someone else besides himself to blame for Boromir's death. I suppose it is fairly unconsious too. But this also for later discussion

cheers

[Lhunardawen]

'But fear no more! I would not take this thing, if it lay by the highway

Not to downsize Faramir's integrity or anything, but I have a feeling Faramir said this to strengthen himself against temptation at that moment and have something to hold him back from being tempted once he knows what that Thing really is. In this sentence alone we see the power of words...and that Faramir is an inspiration in fighting temptation.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

(whether its a coincidence that Tolkien came up with the story of Numenor at the time of the rise of Fascism is another question)

An old, old thread, I know: but I just recently reread The Lost Road; and the creepy situation in Numenor described there (in 1936) is chillingly like Germany or the Soviet Union at the time- full of fear and forbidden opinions, of secret police and informers and knocks in the middle of the night.

[Formendacil]

One of the best passages in The Lord of the Rings is Sam's unwitting revelation of the Ring to Faramir. This chapter is all about Fararmir (and, by extension, about Gondor), and as Sam rightly notes, once Faramir knows the truth of the Ring, it is a chance for him to show his true colours, a test he passes just as Gandalf or Aragorn.

I read through this chapter a bit disjointedly, so I don't have a lot to say--though Faramir is the sort of character who provokes a lot of discussion and passion. I will say, though, that Henneth Annûn is probably the single most beautiful place in Book IV, one of the best in the whole trilogy--and perhaps just a bit dearer for having been left out of the movies.

[Inziladun]

In this chapter, the reader finds Faramir so different from his late brother, it might be hard to reconcile the kinship. Faramir exhibits the best of Númenor, while seeming to avoid its vice of pride.

One thing I find moving is the "standing silence" facing the West.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

One thing I find moving is the "standing silence" facing the West.

That is certainly a lovely detail. But I find it odd that Faramir asks the hobbits if they have a similar custom, and Frodo should feel ashamed not to. It's like asking someone from a different country if they celebrate your national holidays. Why would hobbits look to Numenor? Is this a bit of Numenorian cultural egocentrism seeping through even in a humble and open man like Faramir? Or was he asking in more general terms - is there a daily custom to connect people to their roots and their past.

Hobbits treat their past differently from Numenorians. It is there to be used, not silently commemorated. Their heroes and celebrities are selected by different criteria. Hobbit fame comes from being useful. Everyone honours Old Toby every time they smoke a pipe, yet harvesting pipeweed can hardly be called a great deed by Numenorian standards, nor smoking a way to honour an achievement. Frodo is a weirdo while Merry and Pippin are heroes of great renown, because Merry and Pippin look flashy and throw good parties and that's what people will tell stories about and imitate. Frodo's example just wasn't really applicable to the hobbits of the near future, and hobbits honour by applying. That is in contrast to Numenorians and their like, who would doubtless remember Merry and Pippin as catalysts in the War and probably would have some personal stories to tell about them, but will always give the greater honours to Frodo and Sam.

So I don't think it's uncouth of hobbits to lack a custom like this. Hobbits don't silently reflect on the distant past, just like Numenorians don't honour their gardeners while eating their fruit. Though I suppose an ideally balanced culture would have an element of both.