Boromir was the only member of the Fellowship who tried to take the ring. He was vain and entitled, believing that he alone, of the Fellowship, was worthy of the ring. He was a thief and a traitor.

Boromir was a Lord of Gondor, and he wanted everyone to know it. “His garments were rich, his cloak was lined with fur, and he had a collar of silver in which a single white stone was set.”

Boromir did not redeem himself. He failed to protect Merry and Pippin from the orcs, who wouldn’t have found the hobbits wandering alone if it weren’t for Boromir’s actions in the first place.

Boromir would not have felt remorse or apologised if he had succeeded in taking the ring; he only did because he was caught. His image was so important to him that his “heroic” death was staged to create sympathy and goodwill so that he would not be remembered through the ages as a thief and a traitor.

Boromir got what he deserved.

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    28 days ago

    Aragorn was still a human despite more elf blood than typical but otherwise sure.

    Of course, to Tolkien, being a bit of a divine monarchist simp, Aragorn’s resistance in comparison is supposed to be a slight against the effectively (small r) republican Boromir’s worthiness to rule.

    Boromir’s corruption is political commentary and all discussions about his character flaws are missing the point without acknowledging that.

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      428 days ago

      While I do agree with what you said, none of that really detracts from Boromir’s character. I personally think Faramir would be the only other Man capable of resisting the ring’s temptation in that fellowship.