Overview
Boromir’s failure and death are among the story’s most human passages. He is brave, loyal to Gondor and aware of its peril, and it is precisely his love for his people that the Ring exploits. His death is an act of true courage, not a punishment.
- Ancestry
- Son of Denethor II, Steward of Gondor; brother of Faramir; descended from the Sea-kings through the Stewards’ lineage.
Biography
Heir of the Steward
Boromir was the elder son of Denethor II and Finduilas, raised to defend Gondor. He held the bridge at Osgiliath and, in a dream, was chosen with his brother to seek the meaning of the Ring.
The journey north
He travelled to Rivendell and was chosen for the Fellowship, though he argued from the first that the Ring should be used against Sauron rather than destroyed.
The breaking
At Amon Hen the Ring’s temptation overcame him and he tried to take it from Frodo. Repentant, he died defending Merry and Pippin from Orcs, and confessed his failure to Aragorn.
Arc & development
Character
Personality
- Brave
- Proud
- Loyal
- Hasty
- Sincere
Fears
- That Gondor will fall
- That his courage will prove insufficient
- The defence of Gondor
- Expiation through deeds
- To match the demands of his father
Abilities & limits
Strengths
- Outstanding sword-craft and horn
- Commanding presence
- Diplomacy when needed
Limitations
- Pride and a willingness to use the Ring
- Pressure from Denethor
- Distrust of Elves and Aragorn at first
Deeds
- Held the fords of Osgiliath
- Became the first Man of the Fellowship to fall
- Died defending the smallest of the Company
Relationships
Places
LocationMinas Tirith
The seven-tiered white city of Gondor, built into Mount Mindolluin, and the great fortress of the West.
LocationOsgiliath
The ruined former capital of Gondor on the Anduin, contested throughout the War of the Ring.
LocationRivendell
Elrond’s refuge in a hidden valley below the Misty Mountains, a haven of lore, healing and counsel.
LocationMoria
The greatest Dwarven city, delved beneath the Misty Mountains, abandoned after the awakening of a Balrog.
LocationLothlórien
The golden Elven realm of Galadriel and Celeborn, preserved outside ordinary time by the ring Nenya.
In the histories
Artifacts
Appearances
The Fellowship of the RingFrom Rivendell to Amon Hen
The Two TowersHis death is recounted by Aragorn and lamented in Rohan
In adaptation
Adaptation note
- The films make Boromir more sympathetic from the start and give his rivalry with Aragorn a clearer arc, while the book keeps a sharper edge to his pride.
Quotations
“One does not simply walk into Mordor.”
— The Fellowship of the Ring, “The Council of Elrond” (as rendered in adaptation)
Sources
The Lord of the Rings · 1954–55
Three volumes: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King.
Related entries
CharacterFaramir
Denethor’s younger son, a wise and gentle captain who resists the Ring’s temptation and befriends Frodo.
CharacterDenethor II
The proud Steward of Gondor, worn down by the palantír and despair, who perishes in madness.
CharacterAragorn
The heir of Isildur, raised in Rivendell in secret, who becomes King Elessar and reunites the kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor.
CharacterFrodo Baggins
The hobbit of the Shire who carried the One Ring across Middle-earth to Mount Doom and destroyed it.