Faramir Fiction Archive

Aaaaaaalright… I felt I should start by apologizing in general. When I posted this I didn´t notice the text still contained some remarks of my beta. In hindsight it was no big thing, only two or three words, but in case there were any irritations I´d like to say sorry anyway.

And of course thank you all for the nice feedback! It means a lot to me, especially because yesterday I spent a couple of hours feeling really, really stupid.
So where was I?

– Iris –
Why yes, there can never be enough challenges! And I think I like the way your mind works… ;) Oh, and I certainly wouldn´t have dared to change the setting if the challenge hadn´t been taken yet. But since it was already filled “officially” I thought I could take a little more freedom.
The funny thing was that I was vaguely thinking about Faramir hurt/suffering when I stumbled across your post. And – bang! – suddenly there was exactly what I wanted. Strange thing.

– Nerey Camille –
That´s quite interesting; it wasn´t even clear to me that Boromir´s point of view is a rather unusual one in this constellation before you mentioned it. But yes, you´re right, and I couldn´t even tell why it came out that way. I thought about it for a while and I think the situation must affect Boromir in many different ways. Not only that he sees his little brother suffering – he also has to realize that at a point when he, Boromir, has just taken a stroll around the block his little brother has grown up and he´s able to deal with the issue without any help. And he sees Denethor, the man whose decree he would never question doing something completely undignified, something that doesn´t fit for a steward. I wouldn´t say it comes to him that maybe – maybe – his father isn´t the right man for the job anymore but it could at least be a start.
Good gracious, I´ve never thought so much about Boromir´s view! Now see what you have done! ;)

– Minx –
Oh yes, I love him being that way. :) I always saw (and much adored) a subtle kind of strength in Faramir – one that needs no alpha male games and gets only revealed when seriously needed. Most of the time he´s very restrained and ready to step aside – until it gets really important. Then it is “I did what I judged to be right” and even though he´s still kind and polite he wouldn´t say sorry or backpedal. I see it as a sort of “bravery undercover”, hard to see but very impressive once it´s out.
Plus I admit I have a kind of bravery kink. Particularly when it comes with a person you wouldn´t expect to act that way at first sight. For some reason that attracts me much more than watching a “typical” action hero.

First of all: Please take my excuses for the delay! They past days were cramped with stuff and since you took your time to write such long and thougthful comments you absolutely deserve an answer given with the same care.

To learn that this little work caused so deep and complex thoughts was amazing! I just hope you won´t be disappointed yet I´m afraid that I was indeed a bit driven by kink, even if it´s only a very private one. ;) I must say I have a soft spot for bravery, especially if it comes in such a silent and unpretentious way. Everybody would expect Boromir to act like that, after all he´s the warrior. Yet Faramir (the movie version rather than book-Faramir I guess) is often considered the “soft” one, which might be right as long as “soft” can be read in the meaning of “sensitive”. But once it comes in the meaning of “weak” I would disagree. I think there´s a constant undercurrent of strength in his personality, one that allows him to stay away from the “alpa-male” competitions and that only comes out when it´s needed. Imo he´s much more independent in his thoughts and deeds than Boromir is and it must drive Denethor, the unquestioned ruler, mad that he can´t get a grip on him.

I totally agree with you regarding Denethor trying to hold power over both his sons – even though I was only vaguely aware of it during the writing process. Actually it was your comment that make me realize it.
I´m not quite sure whether it is really possible to tell physical from mental strength. Personally I would rather tend to classify “physical” steadfastness as a result of “moral”, means mental, bravery – but then again I think this is an issue you could probably spend long nights to discuss. :)

I must say I´m still baffled about how many things you pointed out that weren´t even all clear to me. And again, it´s unbelievable how much time you sacrificed to write this lovely comment. Thank you so very much!

Heheh, and now you make me think again (which I´m very grateful for). ;)

I must say it took me a while to realize that this is probably the reason for Denethor´s utter dislike. First I thought it was the other way around, that Faramir seems too soft for how he thinks a warrior should be. To me it is thinkable that Denethor, even though it´s said that he “reads in the heart of men”, must feel quite confused by Faramir´s social strategies. And not only these strategies work out better than his own, no, the one who acts this “soft” way dares to stand tall and against all inforcement goes his own way.

Unlike Faramir, who is able to match his father on an intellectual level, Boromir is much more predictable and comparatively easy to control. I´m not sure whether he fully understands Denethor´s subliminal power play. He´s cretainly not the intellectual one in this ménage à trois and often enough he´s more than just a bit self-absorbed. But I think he´s also a noble man with a sense for justice. Their relationship cannot always have been in that unhealthy state and I got the impression Denethor (who, as the book says, is still wearing a chain mail under his garment to keep up the discipline of his own body) did not raise their children as the spoiled heirs of a throne but in awareness of their later duty. And I think Boromir take great efforts to make a worthy successor, just that his ego tends to stand in his way. In the movie version we see him play with the young hobbits and he is much concerned of them, which means he´s basically a good person. Yet he rather appears to sees them as a kind of children or pets, worthy of protection but not to be taken seriously. So I guess he must at least have been through a kind of thinking process when at one point he had to realize that his baby borther, the one he was used to comfort and protect, has been grown up and now insists on making his own decisions and facing the consequences. Which could have easily wrecked their relationship yet obviously it didn´t.

Oh dear, instead of a short reply this has become a mural! If they need some bricks to rebuild Minas Tirith they could start right here! XD Well, I hope I did not bore you over the top and thanks again for all the profound thoughts and the time you took! :)

Oops, right here you got me. I must say I´ve debated that issue and came to no satisfying conclusion. Maybe we sometimes choose a certain POV only with the purpose to sneak into the story and spy on our most beloved character? For it seems that is what I did: using Boromir as a vessel to get a front seat look at his brother. X)

Once I checked the timeline and it turned out that Faramir must be 36 when he meets Frodo and Sam (means Boromir was 40/41 when he joined the fellowship). Even given that apparently in Middle Earth people live a bit longer it seemed at least unusual to me that two grown-up men, both experienced and responsible are still profoundly dominated by their father. And then again, in royal families or industrial dynasties this might be the case.

Though there is no interaction between Boromir and the other family members in the book I got the impression that in the movie version he wasn´t very happy with his task to go to Rivendell. I could imagine that he IS aware of his limits regarding talking and negotiating. Maybe it even doesn´t bother him because in his world of soldiers those are not the most appreciated skills. Which could make it easier for him to accept his brother´s superiority – in a domain that is not his own.

I`m afraid I wasn´t much of help regarding that question. Now the only thing I can do to get out of this was raising a banner that says “Artistic license”. XD

Please take my apologies for the delay – RL is a killer, I tell you.

I can´t believe this is your – what? Fourth? Fifth? – comment regarding this entry and still it comes with another nicely wrapped compliment that makes my day a bit happier. Again, thanks a lot! :D

I see, Holmes, regarding Boromir´s motivation the book and the movie seem to differ. I got the impression that despite of his good intentions the book character generally tends to a rather overbearing manner whereas the move version is more grounded and vulnerable, only with the fatal proneness to fall prey to his own temper. Yet I think one could spend a long hard winter discussing this family´s mental issues with only a break to get some more punch now and then. ;) Not that I had anything against that option…

One thing I especially enjoy about our conversations is the strange but very pleasant feeling of déjà vu when I read your comment and recognize my own thoughts. Indeed, Denethor being not only Big Daddy but also their sovereign and their military leader makes the whole thing a lot more difficult. In fact it rules out the possibility to go “Bye, dad, I think I´ll go to Rohan for a while and check whether the grass is greener over there. If you need me gimme a call.” Tricky thing, a deed that would be a teenage rebellion in any other place is suddenly labelled as high treason.

Oh, that´s an interesting point! I must say I did not consider Boromir´s decision as disobedience but the way you point it out makes sense to me. And who knows, maybe Denethor deliberately lets him walk on a long leash so he can, well, practise for his future role?

Faramir being unaffected by physical punishment… I know I sorta wrote that myself but dude, I´d never thought such a tiny ficlet would gain such a momentum! And the more we talk about it the more it feels to me like something… canon-like. Like an episode set some time before the book starts. Seriously, I must be careful in whose presence I mention this! XD

Haha, funny you should say that! Because when re-reading the book after years I was surprised to find out that apparently Boromir is not the kind person I remembered him. A warrior? Yes. A protector? No doubt. A husband? Err – no.
One positive aspect about it – at least that was my impression – is that he seems to be aware of it. It´s obvious he has a tendency to, well, brag a little with his strength and his skills as a soldier. Yet he doesn´t seem to define himself as a great negotiator or a very educated person. Perhaps these are talents that are not very important to him which might explain how the “great love between the brothers” (Heh. Heh. Heh.) works. In this case the key to their relationship would not be their resemblance but the difference between their characters. I figure that everything is fine as long as they cover different ranges, means as long as they don´t cross each other´s path. Whereas I could see things changing swiftly once Faramir would turn out the better sword fighter or reveals another skill Boromir claims his own. ;)

Why yes, the Forbidden Pool! I spent ages wondering why it is forbidden and what made them to inflict such draconic punishments especially considering that foreign travellers might be unfamiliar with the rule. And another yes, we tend to forget how swiftly time flies. During my mother´s schooldays it was still common to beat the kids with a stick and that was in the Fifites. So given Tolkien grew up in a world of conservative educating and military, with all its “male” rituals and stuff – I don´think he would have thought of the rules in Gondor being strict over the top. I also believe that in a society facing a permanent physical threat corporal punishments would not be perceived as extraordinarily cruel – at least up to a certain status and/or age. To me it seems that physical penalisation was usually reserved for the lower ranks – or kept out of public.

Before I finish this new brickwall I feel the urge to apologize for neglecting some of your longer replies. It is just that RL has turned out as a giant spider that is currently trying to eat me alive and without the help of any elven-made blades I am compelled to make some concessions now and then. However, I welcome each of your messages with great pleasure and some of your sentences will be treasured in my heart for the residual span of my life. Denethor being on Skype with Sauron – you must have heard me laughing even in Mangawhero Falls! XD

Aww, thank you! That´s the most beautiful present one can get at midnight! :D

I cannot but hide my face with shame and hope you will forgive me the long delay. I was abroad for a while and it was not before today that I read your lovely comment. Thank you so very much for taking your time – and I am immensely delighted the final line works so well for you! :)