Denethor's dislike of Gandalf

[Alcarillo]

Originally Posted by Elianna

So we all know that of Denethor's dislike of Faramir, and most know the main reason: because Denethor saw too much of himself in Faramir and thought that what Gondor need now was not another like himself, but like Boromir.

I always thought that Denethor disliked Faramir not because they were similar, but because Faramir reminded Denenthor of Finduilas, his dead wife. However, it is said of Boromir that he was:

... beloved by his father, was like him in face and pride, but in little else.

So similarities ended there. Of Faramir it is said that:

He read the hearts of men as shrewdly as his father, but what he read moved him sooner to pity than to scorn. He was gentle in bearing, ...

So Faramir is obviously kinder than his father. From what I can tell I think that Boromir was more similar to Denethor, but that's just my own judgement.