Denethor II

Overview

Denethor is a study in despair. His strength of will lets him use a palantír, but Sauron feeds him only hopeless images, and his grief for Boromir curdles into the destruction of his own house.

MenGondor

Relationships

Places

Location

Minas Tirith

The seven-tiered white city of Gondor, built into Mount Mindolluin, and the great fortress of the West.

In the histories

The Battle of the Pelennor Fields

Artifacts

Artifact

The Palantiri

Seven great seeing-stones made in the Elder Days, brought to Middle-earth by the Numenoreans. Powerful, difficult and easily turned to evil, they play a decisive part in the War of the Ring.

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

Character

Boromir

The proud eldest son of Denethor who joins the Fellowship, tries to take the Ring, and redeems himself dying to defend Merry and Pippin.

Character

Faramir

Denethor’s younger son, a wise and gentle captain who resists the Ring’s temptation and befriends Frodo.

Character

Gandalf

A Wizard of the Istari, keeper of the Elven-ring Narya, and the chief architect of the resistance to Sauron.

Character

Sauron

A Maia and former lieutenant of Morgoth, forger of the One Ring and the central antagonist of The Lord of the Rings.