Temptation of Boromir

[Tuor in Gondolin]

Gollum: Even before reading "Letters", from LOTR itself, it
seems clear from Gandalf's account to Frodo in Bagend that
Smeagol's early life and character predisposed him towards
evil, as did his almost instantaneous murder of Deagol
(as compared to Boromir's slow corruption of character---and
interesting repentence as soon as Frodo fled).

[MatthewM]

Originally Posted by Tuor in Gondolin

Gollum: Even before reading "Letters", from LOTR itself, it
seems clear from Gandalf's account to Frodo in Bagend that
Smeagol's early life and character predisposed him towards
evil, as did his almost instantaneous murder of Deagol
(as compared to Boromir's slow corruption of character---and
interesting repentence as soon as Frodo fled).

Indeed...Boromir was a good man, and the Ring fed off of his good intentions. Which is why instantly after Frodo leaves and Boromir's temptation passes, he weeps. You also have to keep in mind that Boromir was the Captain of the White Tower. He was the Steward's son. Imagine the excess glory (I say excess because Boromir was already accounted as Gondor's greatest warrior at the time) that awaited him coming home after defeating the Dark Lord with his own weapon? The Ring played on him for such glories. Gollum is a completely different story...

Ok, you can all keep debating about Gollum, I just wanted to get something in about Boromir

[Alchisiel]

So this leads me to another question, why didn't the ring try to tempt Aragorn? He wanted to go with Boromir to help deliver Minas Tirith from Sauron so why not tempt him? Is it because he is Isildur's heir, and had a "right" to the ring or is it because he is of noble blood, or what?

I would like to say this of Boromir, I never have thought of him as evil or weak. I see him as a man with a great love for his people and homeland, who wanted to help his people so desperately that the ring used it against him.

[Raynor]

Is it because he is Isildur's heir, and had a "right" to the ring or is it because he is of noble blood, or what?

I think it is his moral nobility that protected him; the ring has only one master, as noted by Gandalf

Originally Posted by Council of Elrond, FotR

We cannot use the Ruling Ring. That we now know too well. It belongs to Sauron and was made by him alone, and is altogether evil.

and Tolkien himself

Originally Posted by Letter #246

Sauron would not have feared the Ring! It was his own and under his will. Even from afar he had an effect upon it, to make it work for its return to himself.

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Alchisiel

So this leads me to another question, why didn't the ring try to tempt Aragorn? He wanted to go with Boromir to help deliver Minas Tirith from Sauron so why not tempt him? Is it because he is Isildur's heir, and had a "right" to the ring or is it because he is of noble blood, or what?

I would think that it might be because Aragorn knew the history of the Ring too well; he knew what would happen if he'd left himself to be tempted. Also, Aragorn's love for Gandalf and Elrond might have been a reason. Besides, I think his heart was different from Boromir's. (Can't explain how.)

[Farael]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

I would think that it might be because Aragorn knew the history of the Ring too well; he knew what would happen if he'd left himself to be tempted. Also, Aragorn's love for Gandalf and Elrond might have been a reason. Besides, I think his heart was different from Boromir's. (Can't explain how.)

Originally Posted by Letter #246
Sauron would not have feared the Ring! It was his own and under his will. Even from afar he had an effect upon it, to make it work for its return to himself.

And I'm missing one quote, that has been quoted many times before... Only Gandalf, of all the powerful elves/humans/ainur had any hopes of mastering the ring and fighting Sauron for dominion (even if he was doomed to fall to the tempation of the ring and become another Dark Lord).

As Thinlomien smartyle explained, many of the characters in the council of Elrond would have not taken the ring, or would have taken it and guarded it until the end... but Boromir was different. Not only he would have taken the ring but he would have used actively to puruse victory on the battlefield... which, we are lead to think would have been ill-advised, as he would not have been able to master the Ring to its full potential and would have been ultimately overthrown and given Sauron the very thing he meant to keep away from him.

So why does Boromir feel more temptation than everyone else at the council or any other of the nine walkers? I've always thought that it was because the ring knew that Boromir was his best bet to get back to Sauron soon.

Choose Elrond and you'll be hidden and guarded until the very end (when the ring would not really be THAT necessary anymore). Choose Aragorn and it is the same scenario. Choose Gandalf and Sauron might be overthrown, and the ring being a part of Sauron himself I'm sure it didn't really want that to happen. Choose a hobbit and the ring will probably be lost in the middle of nowhere, it's easier to have it on the battlefront where a good sword or even a lucky arrow might do the trick. Think of anyone else and what that character is likely to do... and so far, I find that Boromir (in spite of his noble intentions) would have been the one to surrender the ring sooner than the rest.

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Farael

Choose Elrond and you'll be hidden and guarded until the very end (when the ring would not really be THAT necessary anymore). Choose Aragorn and it is the same scenario. Choose Gandalf and Sauron might be overthrown, and the ring being a part of Sauron himself I'm sure it didn't really want that to happen. Choose a hobbit and the ring will probably be lost in the middle of nowhere, it's easier to have it on the battlefront where a good sword or even a lucky arrow might do the trick. Think of anyone else and what that character is likely to do... and so far, I find that Boromir (in spite of his noble intentions) would have been the one to surrender the ring sooner than the rest.

None were safe. Aragorn, properly motivated, could have taken and used the Ring actively. If Sauron knew that this scion of the West were still around and was near the Ring, and also knew of the secret love between Aragorn and Arwen, well, it wouldn't take much imagination (lucky for me ) to come up with a scenario where Aragorn actually chooses to take the Ring, by force if necessary, from Frodo or Gandalf or whoever else bore it. My assumption is that that is what Sauron thought when the Lords of the West marched to his door - that Aragorn claimed the Ring.

What would Elrond or Aragorn do if Arwen were held captive in Barad-dur? What if her death were imminent and the Ring was available? What would these two do for love?

That what Boromir did. He thought to claim the Ring to protect/save those whom he loved (and sure, there'd be some glory in it as well...).

[Tuor in Gondolin]

What about this for a scenario (perhaps including
captive Arwen)? Elrond and Aragorn know that if they have
the ring they probably can't dispose of it after disposing
of Sauron, so they agree that immediately after Sauron's gone
the one without the ring will kill the one with it (or nudge
him into Orodruin---in a setting rather like the scene of Isildur and
Elrond in the movie)?

And would such a scenario work with Faramir (book Faramir
of course) vis-a-vis Boromir?