Boromir is one of the more complicated characters in our text,
largely because very little is said about him. There are whole chapters
where he says nothing, and when he does speak he's very pessimistic about the
Quest, and is usually disagreeing with someone. He's kind of a Debbie
Downer.
When the Company leave Rivendell, he blows
his horn. When Elrond reminds him they are supposed to be moving in
secret, he responds: "I will not go forth as a thief in the night."
While this is clearly a foolish point, to act as a thief would impinge on
Boromir's own sense of pride.
And this pride greatly defines Boromir.
While he has often been in the background of the other companions, our
double portion this week gives us an opportunity to examine him a little more
closely. The chapters this week are "Farewell to Lorien" and
"The Great River." The Company leaves Lothlorien (Opinions differ, but essentially Lothlorien denotes the
entire forest, while Lorien is the more populated center where the Fellowship
go to meet Galadriel and Celeborn. However, it is common for the two to
be used interchangeably) and set boats on the river Anduin that will lead them
further south. And so the unsettled debate reemerges: Where does
the Fellowship go now? They can follow the river south for quite a while,
but there are rapids at which point the river terminates in a waterfall.
At that point, they will leave the river. But to where?
If they go east, they will be marching to
Mordor, where the Ring must go. If they go west, they will be going to
Minas Tirith. We can predict Boromir's preference: "If my advice is
heeded, it will be the western shore, and the way to Minas Tirith, but I am not
the leader of the Company." This line is, in many ways, Boromir's
mantra. Whenever a debate is had about the direction of the Fellowship,
Boromir suggests Gondor, but then also admits he is not the leader, and that he
will follow the Company's decision. He says this before they attempt to
cross Caradrhas, before going into Moria, and even before entering Lothlorien.
He would prefer to go directly to Minas Tirith, to his home.
Boromir is often characterized as proud
and unwise - a brute warrior among learned philosophers. This is true,
but it is also incomplete. Boromir, like all good warriors, is
exceptionally good at taking orders. Boromir adheres to a strict code of
honor. When Gandalf moves to face the Balrog, Boromir comes to his side.
He will not let a companion face such an enemy alone. But when
Gandalf tells them to run ("Swords are no more use here") Boromir
does this without question. When Aragorn takes over leadership of the
Fellowship, there is no kind of power struggle. Aragorn is a leader.
Boromir is not, and he does not try to be.
We learn several things about Boromir in
Rivendell, but then little else. His life has been lived immersed in
Minas Tirith, and knows only war. He doesn't know much else about Middle
Earth. But, unlike the Hobbits (who are far more ignorant), he doesn't
realize how much he doesn't know. When the Ring is presented at the
Council, he suggests using it against Sauron. When Elrond explains this
is impossible, "Boromir looked at them doubtfully, but he bowed his head.
'So be it.'" It is not outrageous to say he is not convinced.
But Boromir, for all these faults, is not
a bad man. Unwise, yes, but if you use a screwdriver to drive a nail, you
would declare the screwdriver is useless. It is easy to think of Boromir
as a lesser character when compared to his companions. So little is said
of him in the text! His psychology is not complex. He just wants to
go home and fight Sauron.
But think of the others. Sam becomes attached to pack animals. Legolas and
Gimli spend much of the journey between Rivendell and Lothlorien insulting each
other and their race. But Boromir, while simple, is also very easy going.
His honor precludes him from making trouble. When asked, he will
voice his opinion, but he trusts in those above him and will, once a decision
is made, follow it wholeheartedly. It is almost as if Boromir knows that
he makes a better follower than a leader. And this is a skill I think the
world needs more of.
We so value leaders that we don't realize,
for leadership to do any good, there must be people willing to follow.
Look at this video of
Martin Luther King Jr's "I Have a Dream Speech."
It would be far less impactful if the National Mall were empty. He
needed followers. And followers are not "sheeple;" they are not
idiots or morons. (Have you ever tried to lead a group of fools?)
Following, like leading, requires intelligence and capability. If a
leader suggests something, and an unexpected roadblock emerges, it is the
followers who must react in the moment. MLK would never have become the remembered
figure he is today if his followers, at the first sign of violence from their
oppressors, lashed out in kind. While MLK should be praised for
inspiring those who followed him, we should also praise those who held to the
values of their leader, even when it caused them personal harm.
It would be hard to criticize a Civil
Rights protester who attacked his or her attackers. But, if that had
happened, the entirety of MLK's message would have been undercut, and the
non-violent Civil Rights movement sabotaged. And while MLK was, himself,
subject to humiliation and harm, he was the source of the message. We
expect him to keep it together under pressure. It is more admirable for a
follower - who has thoughts of their own which, like Boromir, may conflict with
the thoughts of the larger group - to stay true to the decision of the leader
when times get tough.
Boromir represents the times we must be
followers, when we must trust in the wisdom of those who lead us, and not
strike out on our own for the sake of our pride (As Gimli threatened to). As we shall soon see,
Boromir also comes to represent what happens when we lose sight of the larger
goal, and instead act in our own immediate self interest. But even in
Boromir's failings, he finds redemption.
Boromir is a warrior who loves his land
and is good at following orders. He is, in the simplest sense, a patriot.
And while that term is politically poisoned now, I would say a patriot is
one who is willing to give some of themselves for the greater
good. I'm aware of how ominous all that sounds (and I'm sure the link
doesn't help!). We can debate the details, but who among us can truly
respect someone who never compromises.
We might admire them from a distance - glad there is someone stalwart and
true to their beliefs, but being true to beliefs is useless if you're merely
stubborn (or obstructionist) about it. Beliefs are useless if they are
never enacted, and they cannot be enacted without someone, somewhere
compromising a little.
Boromir is a simple character whose
strength comes from realizing his own simplicity. He is a hammer and he
knows it. He is not a screwdriver. He is also not the one who
wields the hammer. He is just the hammer. He is told what to strike
and where, and he does it.
So as a role-model, it is difficult to say
what Boromir offers us. We want to be more than just tools. We want to be the one who
wields the tools. But we can't always, and we shouldn't always.
Sometimes are strength comes in seeing our limitations and working within
their bounds. Boromir accepts he is not the leader. He is still
able to be a productive member of the Fellowship. Unlike most of the
others, Boromir is never the source of strife within the Fellowship. He
has his pride (which insists they go to Gondor), but he also has his honor
(which precludes him from making trouble). With really only those two
things, the Creative Wizard has created a rich portrait of a simple man.
However, as we shall soon see, honor will
not always win in the struggle taking place in Boromir's heart. Soon, his
pride will overwhelm him. And then, in one moment, all the good he has
done for the Fellowship will be nullified.
Thank God the struggle for Civil Rights
wasn't similarly poisoned. Happy Martin Luther King day, everyone!
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