Boromir's Death

[Hookbill the Goomba]

Boromir's character arc goes through numerous changes throughout Tolkien's writing of The Lord of the Rings...

Originally Posted by Kuruharan

Boromir seems to my mind to be a character who was created just to die.

... This may be how it seems at first, but the development of the character has some interesting twists and turns. According to the outline of 'The Story Foreseen from Moria' (Chapter XI from History of Middle Earth Volume 7 - The Treason of Isengard), Boromir survived the breaking of the Fellowship and travelled with Aragorn.

Originally Posted by HoME VII: The Treason of Isengard; Chapter 11

"Boromir and Aragorn (who notes a change in Boromir - who is keen to break off the chase and go home) reach Minas Tirith, which is besieged by Sauron except at back. ? [...] The Lord of Minas Tirith slain and they choose Aragorn. Boromir deserts and sneaks off to Saruman to get his help in becoming Lord of Minas Tirith."

The section is crossed out and replaced with the tale of Legolas and Gimli being captured, which is also crossed out.

There are further plans, still keeping Boromir alive. Eventually, however, Tolkien decides;

Originally Posted by HoME VII: The Treason of Isengard; Chapter 11

"What about Boromir? Does he repent? [Written later in margin: No - slain by Aragorn]"

As Tolkien comes to write the Breaking of the Fellowship he outlines the orc attack and Boromir's death for the first time.

Boromir's death is an event that seems to dawn on Tolkien as he discovers the depth of his treachery. Alas, I find nothing in the letters on Tolkien's decision to kill him at Amon Hen, rather than by Aragorn at some later point. I wonder if it was simply a narrative tool in the beginning.
But one could read something into it with regard to a comment I happened across a moment ago. With regards to Faramir.

Originally Posted by The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien #65

"Faramir [...] is holding up the catastrophe by a lot of stuff about the history of Gondor and Rohan (with some very sound reflections no doubt on martial glory and true glory)"

The fact that Boromir's death happens "off screen", so to speak, is interesting to me and I wonder if it is part of one of Tolkiens themes of 'martial glory vs. true glory'. In his death, Boromir achieves a sort of martial glory, as he as done in his life. A heroic death against many foes. And yet at the same time, he dies defending the Hobbits, repenting of his fall to the Ring's influence. Does he, therefore, almost reach 'true glory' beyond simple martial glory?

The Lord of the Rings does seem to stand in contrast to The Silmarillion, in my mind, on this point. Where the latter is filled with martial glory (and the terrible consequences of it), The former shows the victory of the little Hobbits, where all the assembled armies of Middle Earth failed. So with Boromir's death, perhaps, we are seeing this shift. We see the warrior falling not to defend the city, not to fight Sauron himself, not surrounded by banners and songs, but defending hobbits.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Hookbill the Goomba

The fact that Boromir's death happens "off screen", so to speak, is interesting to me and I wonder if it is part of one of Tolkiens themes of 'martial glory vs. true glory'. In his death, Boromir achieves a sort of martial glory, as he as done in his life. A heroic death against many foes. And yet at the same time, he dies defending the Hobbits, repenting of his fall to the Ring's influence. Does he, therefore, almost reach 'true glory' beyond simple martial glory?

I would think that a self-sacrifice to defend those weaker than himself, coupled with remorse for his actions involving Frodo, elevated Boromir's death from the "usual" heroic deaths in the books, like other unseen demises such as that of Halbarad of the Dúdedain or Grimbold of the Rohirrim (admittedly both minor characters).

I wonder too if there was also a desire on the part of the author to delay giving details of the fight to create some additional suspense for the reader regarding the fate of Merry and Pippin.

[The Mouth of Sauron]

When I first read about Boromir's death I surmised that his succumbing to the lure of the Ring made such an eventuality inevitable.

[TheGhostofBelleStarr]

Boromir, being my favorite character (with Theoden being a close 2nd) I feel is often misunderstood by many. He was a complex man driven by loyalty and a love for his people, land, father and brother Faramir. Many expectations were laid upon his shoulders and he could not abide injustice. I believe his intentions were noble but the lure of the ring and the power it held seduced him. From a religious aspect ( and Tolkien's religious beliefs I do believe were knit in the background of his writing's rather conscious or unconscious ) one could liken the lure of the Ring to the temptation of " sin". Some are able to withstand the temptation in some area's and in other area's , not. Another example is Galadriel, who was sore tempted but stood strong against it, but yet all were tempted. It can be argued he is a picture of us all---we all have failures ( or "sin's) in our lives some with consequences that may destroy us but all can be redeemed/forgiven.

Someone else said it better:
" Boromir, the skeptic, was always brave and strong but he was in many ways the weakest of the party, for he never quite believed the words of Aragorn and Gandalf until it was too late. the Ring called to him and the temptation to master it ( for good) haunted him throughout most of his journey.His own doubts, fear and anxieties, his need to please his father, his desire to drive out the Enemy who had tormented his people for so long- all these preyed on his heart when he was being lured bu the call of the Ring. Deceived by it's seductive powers he attacked Frodo and tried to seize the Ring himself , only able to recover his senses when the frightened Hobbit fled from his side. Overcome by despair Boromir was at the lowest ebb of his life.

But in the end, Boromir was a faithful man. Even in his own hour trial , he ran to defend his two Hobbit friends Merry and Pippin, and was mortally wounded. He died in Aragorn's arms but his sin's had been forgiven. " I have failed", the once proud Boromir said sorrowfully, to which Aragorn replied, " No, you have conquered, few men have gained such a victory." Boromir died with a smile on his lips, knowing he had found acceptance with the king. In the film he went from being an arrogant man who sneered " Gondor needs no king. ", to a humble and contrite man who calls upon Aragorn, " My Brother, my Captain, my King. "

[Kuruharan]

Originally Posted by TheGhostofBelleStarr

Boromir, the skeptic, was always brave and strong but he was in many ways the weakest of the party, for he never quite believed the words of Aragorn and Gandalf until it was too late.

Almost as if in some ways he didn't take the peril seriously.

Nice avatar, by the way.