Faramir - a character study

[@rhondamiller5166]

"I love not the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend." One of my favorite lines in all of the legendarium.

[@jantjarks7946]

There is a lot of Tolkien showing through this quote, indeed.

[@susansurles3776]

😊

[@jaredwalley5692]

That also feels like something Sam would say, or have that sentiment.

[@martavdz4972]

Absolutely. It explains the distinction which is very clear in LOTR and still painfully relevant today - between aggression and bravery.

[@joyfulyes]

one of mine as well. In the movie, as Boromir is dying there's a choir singing those lines in Elvish. Incredibly touching detail in an already heart wrenching scene.

[@thatchrisb2372]

Faramir is one of my favourite characters. The pair of brothers are a magnificent example of the race of men - true nobility, each in their own way.

[@Marin3r101]

No. Faramir is noble. Boromir is not so much. He had his reasons for attempting to betray man, but the action is dishonorable.

[@halucca22]

@@Marin3r101 Boromir succumbed to the Ring’s power but after weeks in its presence. I think he redeemed himself by defending Merry and Pippin as he did, and his death was the catalyst for Frodo and Sam to go on alone into Emyn Muil and also for the Three Hunters to dissolve the Fellowship and pursue Merry and Pip. Would the Fellowship have dissolved as it did, with everyone going on to serve their critical roles? Also, Boromir had definitely begun to fall into despair, which made it easier for the Ring to work on him; he could not see hope, even though it stood before him (Elessar), whereas Faramir still had some hope. Despair is a terrible state. Sila Elenn lumen omentielvo 🙏🏻

[@jamesespinosa690]

@@Marin3r101 Boromir succumbed. But then he also resisted and overcame his moment of weakness. If you cannot find nobility and honour in that, then I think perhaps you are the one lacking. No disrespect. It is THE One Ring after all... Men are fallible. If you understand the context, then you should understand all of the pressure placed on his shoulders by circumstance. The fact that he resisted for as long as he did, and overcame the corruption is a true testament to his strength.

[@zzzzz45zzzzz79]

@@Marin3r101you clearly didn’t understand the books my dude because you couldn’t be more far off

[@micklumsden3956]

@@Marin3r101 Boromir fell; but he repented and was fully redeemed. He loved the hobbits, and therefore he put himself between Pippin and Merry and the orcs. Effectively he said “if you take them do it over my dead body”. It might have been more sensible to take cover and wait for the return of Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas, and then seek to organise a rescue between the four of them. Love/nobility does not usually choose what is sensible. Borrow Meir, acted with great bravery and nobility throughout the journey of the Fellowship. Of course, he had his internal struggles, but he does not? I go along with Aragorn’s judgement.

[@AskMia411]

Faramir is my favorite character in lotr, he’s such a good person. His and Eowyn’s relationship is so sweet and so good for both of them. People tend to forget that Eowyn was borderline suicidal when going to the battle, she wanted to die a Warrior’s death, and nearly did. Faramir gives her something she desperately needed: Hope. The ‘Estel’ type of hope described in the video. I love them both to pieces and would LOVE videos on them. Maybe in the “Lord of The Rings from X perspective” videos on both?

[@martavdz4972]

Couldn´t agree more. Plus, Faramir is like a textbook "How to Treat Severely Traumatized Women". He respects Éowyn, himself, his values and his country, and out of that comes this amazing relationship. So much courage and resolve, understanding, clarity, dependability, intelligence, patience, tenderness. He doesn´t just get A+, he´s way above the marking system. I met a man like that once when my life was full of deaths, diseases, loneliness and friends´ suicides, and it changed me and my life completely.

[@tumbleheart4664]

If ever a character deserved to live "Happily ever after," it's Faramir.

[@Zahnpuppy]

Disagree. Sam and Gandalf and Aragon defs deserve it more.

[@christiangraff5236]

​@@Zahnpuppy what? Sam and gandalf end up in the Grey havens. And aragorn did live a very happy live after the war of the ring

[@chichotwojay740]

And he did, retaining the title of steward.

[@KougaJ7]

Which is to imply that character's do not deserve to live "happily ever after"? I believe that everyone deserves that.

[@philiproe1661]

@@KougaJ7 Not ones who must be removed from this earth due to their evil in order for the good in it to persevere.

[@elgatothecatseye8409]

Only one thing left out: Sam's observation that while Frodo did indeed have an Elvish air about him he sensed in Faramir something of wizards. Faramir replied, "Perhaps you sense the distant air of Numenor". A great scene in the book.

[@dennisbrown5313]

Yes, Sam indicated that Faramir had an air that was like Gandalf.

[@jaredwalley5692]

He did enjoy meeting Gandalf, or at least listened to him willingly.

[@gaynzz6841]

what does that means "sense air"? don't you mean heir?

[@Letmegetthatforyou]

@@gaynzz6841 "Maybe you discern from far away the air of Numenor." -TTT- Chapter 5 - The Window on the West

[@uhname123]

@@gaynzz6841 I had to google it lol: "air of" means to describe what something is like. instead of saying "the man was mysterious", you could say "he had an air of mystery". air has a second definition from the one you're probably thinking of. "A manner, affectation, appearance, or behavior indicative of some quality or trait." so in this situation, they are saying faramir had qualities/traits that remind them of gandalf, specifically in the wizard sense. not that they thought he was a wizard.

[@haloman117fanatic]

what I love is that both Boromir and Faramir Both thought the world of each-other. So often in fiction you get the trope of the competitive Siblings, but they both knew their own strengths and weaknesses. both of them being noble and capable Warriors, but Boromir Perhaps being the better General and Faramir Perhaps Being the Better tactician and being more than happy to follow his older brother. And Boromir more than happy to take the advice of his younger brother. Make me wonder what a world where Boromir became Steward with Faramir by his side as his Chief adviser would have been.

[@rikk319]

Just them standing shoulder to shoulder on the bridge in Osgiliath as rearguard, giving their men a chance to escape, reveals their bravery, leadership, and brotherhood. They truly were an example of how great two siblings could be together.

[@CorwinFound]

The movie added a lot to the sibling history between them, most of it not in the book at all. Although there isn't any indication that Boromir disliked or looked down on his brother, he was also willing to demand the right to go one the quest to Imlandris/Rivendell instead of Faramir. Faramir as well wasn't as doting and reverential of Boromir in the book. He guessed that there had been some form of conflict between Frodo and Boromir and that it was likely Boromir's fault. Faramir knew Boromir's faults. And although he loved his brother and mourned Boromir's death, he had no illusions to Boromir's character which included a lust for power and glory.

[@weezact7]

@@CorwinFound Faramir did admire his brother's strength and courage, though. While it's true that he acknowledged Boromir's faults, he was also aware of his better qualities. The vibe I got from Boromir was that he loved his brother and considered Faramir to be a great man, a prince among peasants, but considered himself even better; superior to Faramir in every way (at least, every way that really mattered). So he didn't really look down on Faramir, per se. He probably just assumed, as the first-born, he was naturally going to be better. Denethor's obvious favoritism is probably at least partially to blame as well. However, that may just be me reading between the lines

[@CorwinFound]

@@weezact7 Book cannon, you are right that you have to do a lot of reading between the lines and triangulation to figure out the brothers' relationship. There is are much clearer lines between Denethor and his two sons individually than between the brothers' on their own. The movie went a direction I didn't like but I understood it as a tactic to make Boromir less villainous. It's easy to see Boromir as a "bad" guy or merely weak. But the reality is that the Ring's ability to tempt and corrupt was virtually absolute. Even Frodo at the end lost. Sam may have been the only being on Middle Earth able to withstand that temptation. So giving Boromir a heart warming brotherly back history offsets the viewers own temptation to see his fall in a very bad light. It just sucks that it happened (in my opinion) at the expense of Faramir's movie character.

[@joyfulyes]

@@CorwinFound In the extended edition movie, we see that it's Denethor who insists Boromir be the one to go to Rivendell. It gives the impression both brothers think Faramir should go. it's an interesting added detail. As someone else here mentioned though, Boromir's betrayal and death, and the splitting of the Fellowship, is what gets so many of the characters into just the right places at the right times to do crucial things. Merry helps kill the Witch King, Pippin peeks in the palantir and later saves Faramir's life, both of them rouse the Ents, etc. The thing I hate that the movies did to Faramir was to have him drag the hobbits to Osgiliath before he lets them go. It makes him "more relatable" by making him less noble.

[@errantwinds-up8uu]

Eowyn and Faramir is such an underrated love story.

[@SS-iz9ie]

Wait what....

[@donteto]

@@SS-iz9ie Elboron is the name of their child

[@Abdullahxvii]

It hardly exists tho

[@di3486]

His almost perfect moral character is so aspirational. I adore Faramir!!!

[@RichardF0503]

What a coincidence, I just read the part in The Two Towers where Frodo, Sam and Gollim meet Faramir. He seemed so much more interesting and wise in the books than he was portrayed in the films

[@AllAhabNoMoby]

There's no comparison. Jackson badly screwed up the movie Faramir.

[@neuralmute]

Faramir war Peter Jackson's biggest mistake, in my opinion. He ruined one of the best characters in the book for a bit of unnecessary dramatic tension.

[@josephshrike3972]

@@neuralmute Eomer is up there too, but Faramir by far got the worst of it.

[@holysecret2]

I never read the books myself, but I always had a good impression of film Faramir, strong, noble and humble. He surely lacks some of the depth of his book version, but even with all his changes in the films I feel like I did grasp the essence of his character. His moment of weakness where he considers taking the ring felt like it was born out of desperation, as his brother had died and he felt the imminent doom coming for his homeland. But the fact that he still resisted and let Frodo go speaks of his moral character and wisdom, even if it's in a different (and arguably lesser) way than the books.

[@AllAhabNoMoby]

@@neuralmute Well I agree he was bad, but there are quite a few other contestants. 😂 Gandalf is weak and tentative, Denethor is just pointlessly cruel and insane, Theoden is weak and insecure (up until the last battle, where is is awesome), Elrond is arrogant and closed minded but yeah, Faramir was a mess. The part I hated most is where had his men literally kick the shit out of Gollum like a bunch of thugs. You could not get further from Tolkien than that.

[@SanMartianRover]

I just finished The Two Towers book recently. The movies, although they show Faramir in a wonderful light, still don't do him justice. He is one of the last great men. The conversation between him and Frodo (and Sam) is marvelously intriguing, and shows Faramir's intelligence, and prudence.

[@gaynzz6841]

And I loved his (totally justified) threat and foreshadowing to Smeagol. And yes I know he didn't do that in the book. It's still awesome.

[@jonathanfrey6144]

That bit on Estel gives the name Elrond gave Aragorn even more meaning. Fantastic.

[@oscarstainton]

Faramir of the book is one of the handful of characters in Gondor that I would have personally loved to have a long, lore-filled conversation with.

[@MissGimpsAlot]

I cannot usually decide between Faramir and Aragorn as for who is my favorite. They are both such lovely, noble, honorable, strong, courageous, loving men....

[@i.b.640]

Since I don't desire to be a Queen, i am going with Faramir 😉

[@joannemoore3976]

When I first read LOTR as a teenager I was totally in love with Aragorn - he is the perfect archetype of the rightful King. But with time and age and greater wisdom, I came to realise that Eowyn maybe got the better deal 🙂

[@ravensshadow2179]

Faramir and Eowyn are my to favorite characters in Lord of the Rings so I was so happy when they met and got married.

[@IVY26Dantes]

Faramir and Sam are hands down my favourites in all the books.

[@Debba521]

As with so many others, Faramir is a favorite character. I never wondered what might have been had Faramir traveled to Rivendell and been in the Fellowship. And I'm glad you pointed out that Boromir's failure to resist the ring's temptation was very likely the catalyst needed to send Frodo firmly in the right direction. I remember feeling tense as I read of Frodo and Sam in the company of the Ithilien Rangers that first time, and then immensely relieved that Faramir did indeed show his quality, the very highest 😊. And in the end, as in The Beatles song, Faramir was justly rewarded.

[@joyfulyes]

It really was a good thing the way things panned out, that Frodo encountered each of the brothers under the circumstances he did.If he'd met Boromir in ithilien, Boromir would have taken him to Denethor.

[@anthonyhanks-yv9on]

He was a man of high quality and great nobility

[@RtB68]

That was a superb narrative walk in the shoes of Faramir. Really, well done.

[@skyborne80]

I loved the casting of the brothers in the movie. Sean Bean and David Wenham truly looked as if they could be brothers even though they weren't related.

[@joyfulyes]

yes, and while everyone was thirsting after Aragorn, I haad an instant crush on Faramir.

[@katherinewolfe]

Love the closed caption of Numenor - "New Manure"

[@jakedunnegan]

Faramir has been my favorite character in all the books, since I first read them in ~1982 or so. Hard to pull out a favorite, since it's probably easier to say which is your favorite hobbit, or elf, or whatnot, but it was pleasing to find out decades later, that Tolkien pictured himself most in Faramir than any of the other characters. Great, great video!

[@slothomatic]

While I love the Peter Jackson LOTR films, the one book departure that still really bothers me is how they changed Faramir.

[@andrewneedham3281]

Seconded. Probably the most egregious, and ridiculous, change to suit the movie format. I can understand them cutting out Bombadil. I can understand them collapsing events. While I don't like it, I can understand giving more events to those characters in the Fellowship (such as Pippin being the one to light the stupid beacons) in order to provide more characterization. However, there really was no need for the character assassination of Faramir.

[@alexneill8338]

@@andrewneedham3281 Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh explained that one of their main objectives in the films was to emphasise the corruptive power of the Ring and the fact that no one was safe from its influence. They deemed Faramir's immediate rejection of the ring as too far-fetched and convenient, and feared that it would diminish the power of the Ring in the eyes of the movie-going audiences.

[@andrewneedham3281]

@@alexneill8338 Sure, because the previous two movies didn't already establish that...? Really, they had to character-assassinate Faramir in order to provide more external conflict just to prove "Reengz r bad, umkay?" It shows to me that Jackson had no business directing the films. "Here's this beloved story, which has been forever hailed as a crowning achievement, but in my arrogance, I think I can do better by changing multiple elements." I don't mean to sound disparaging to you. I hear what you say, and I recognize it isn't necessarily your opinion. I just don't really like Jackson's trilogy much, and the third movie was by far the worst in my opinion. But as it says, that is just my opinion.

[@elsiestormont1366]

​@@andrewneedham3281 I wasn't happy with the screenplays handling of Faramir either. P.S. "stupid beacons" 😅

[@Davo_from_the_Pub]

I personally enjoyed Jackson's portrayal more than the original and found it deeper and more meaningful. Faramir is tempted by the Ring, but not for the reason most people are; he doesn't care about its power, but wants it to win his father's approval. It's not until Faramir realises that he's his own person and doesn't need his father's approval that he releases Frodo and Sam and puts the fate of Middle-earth before his own glory. I personally find that much more poignant and realistic than the book version who has no flaws, especially since it's always implied that Faramir is living in his brother's shadow and so realistically would be tempted by any chance fix that.

[@BaldingClamydia]

I loved Faramir and Boromir's relationship. Boromir always came off a little bit of an asshole, the battle-hardened (maybe a lil arrogant) golden child, but he loved his brother. It's especially clear in the movie, he stands up for Faramir a couple times, you can tell they're close. I hated his father so much for the way he treated Faramir (and that terrible scene in the movie eating tomatoes *shudder*).

[@dblevins343]

He has always been a personal favorite character ever since I was younger.

[@347Jimmy]

Faramir's musings over the fallen Easterling, whether the enemy is truly an enemy at heart, speak deeply of Tolkien's views "This war will make corpses of us all."

[@gaynzz6841]

One of my favorite scenes in the extended film

[@alexstewart9747]

Faramir is incorruptible, honest, honourable and far seeing. One of my favourite heroes of the books.

[@genlob]

I really like Andrew Seear's version of Faramir from the BBC radio adaptation. His voice is full of Faramir's empathy and compassion, wisdom and melancholy.

[@Bryan198026]

Same here! I usually listen to that once a year.

[@mattg9880]

Big fan Andy Serkis’s audiobooks as well. He gives Boromir and Faramir similar accents, but a softer and more wholesome tone for Faramir. Great stuff.

[@andrewfanner2245]

Faramir displays the classic virtues of the warrior Courage in battle Loyalty to the leader Willing to fight on behalf of those who cannot fight for themselves

[@MargoB]

♥️

[@theresabromar5415]

This is such an excellent and exceptional presentation. I have always admired Faramir. It was a surprise to me to hear that Tolkien thought of himself as Faramir.

[@karlgrimm3027]

I always thought it was very strange that, excluding Tom Bombadil, Faramir is the being that is least affected by the desire for the ring. At least among those who directly encounter it. "not even if I found it by the roadside would I take it" seriously that is like just some new character coming out of nowhere and one shouting the main villain.

[@martavdz4972]

He underlines what Elrond said to Frodo: "You might find some unexpected friends on the way." IMO it was Tolkien´s war experience - you never know what will happen next and whom you´ll meet. With the war in Ukraine raging nearby, I can see that in real life. Some nasty people are suddenly crawling out of the woodwork, as well as unbelievably wise, kind and brave people. I imagine Faramir is like one of those people who drive to Ukraine and bring humanitarian aid there, risking their own lives. They appeared out of nowhere in February 2022 and are still absolutely great even after two years of exhaustion and frustration.

[@nathancorder4655]

I love to think of the conversation Frodo must have had with Faramir when they met again after the destruction of the ring. What's the quote- laughing at old grief in the sun- or something like that.

[@kevinbazarek]

When you return to the lands of the living, and we re-tell our tales, sitting by a wall in the sun, laughing at old grief, you shall tell me then.

[@joannemoore3976]

Oh me too- I always regret Tolkien didn't write this for them. Although they are both in Gondor afterwards we don't see them sitting in the sun and laughing at old griefs. In my head I see it though

[@saeedshahbazian9889]

I believe that Ulmo (presumably) chose Faramir for the quest for many of the reasons you mentioned. He was noble and wise and had the blood of Numenor. Then a strange twist of fate changed the plan and Boromir went instead. I think it is safe to say that it was Eru who chose Boromir for this mission. He chose Boromir to fulfill his part in pushing Frodo to go on and ultimately result in the rings destruction. (And redeeming himself in the process)

[@dennisbrown5313]

Excellent

[@gaynzz6841]

Agree

[@auntiegravity7713]

I've always been fascinated by the cultures of Rohan, Gondor, and the Elves. Thank you for this video, for the comparison to Tolkien, and what the marriage between Eowyn and Faramir signified. So much to unpack here.

[@jonathanstein1783]

Faramir represents all the noble and and good that may be found among men, and his character and storyline reflect this. Had Aragorn not come out of the north to reclaim the kingship, I believe Faramir would have stood against Mordor and Sauron in his stead. Had he prevailed against Mordor (not by any means a forgone conclusion), I also believe Faramir would have restored the Kingdom of Gondor to much of it's former glory, as the Steward of Gondor. Fair and kind, yet courageous in battle, hard when he needed to be, Faramir would have been everything as Steward that his Father Denethor was not.

[@mudshrooze]

He definitely had it in him to try. Hes probably my favorite human character in the series

[@alexanderzack3720]

don´t sell denethor too short. he held the anduin and gondor´s border for years against a foe like sauron, his mind and will only crumbled after he believed both his sons had died.... at least if we talk about book version

[@gaynzz6841]

@@alexanderzack3720 A movie can never be like a book. That said, I think all the changes Peter Jackson made were absolutely glorious, save for only one thing. The Army of the Dead which I think was a Deus ex machina and just silly, it didn't fit the tone of the rest of the movie at all.

[@alexanderzack3720]

@@gaynzz6841 i know that you can´t make a movie that is EXACTLY like the book.... it would take weeks to watch. what i was saying is that the character of denethor is very much changed. i´m not saying the change is necessary, good, or bad... just that your opinion of him may depend on the version you know him. in one he is an abusive and jerk father and straight up a bad leader. in the other he is a competend leader that managed to hold off sauron for years, only the death o his beloved son finally broke him and made him give up himself, but still didn´t order his people to abandon their post during siege (like he did in the movie)

[@gaynzz6841]

​@@alexanderzack3720 Ah true, I know of this, they really did Denethor an injustice. I can understand why they did it, having a kind of "secondary villain" in the RotK movie added suspense, especially since Saruman out of the picture. But if I remember correctly, even in the book Denethor said he would refuse to bow to some Ranger from the ragged house of Isildur. That makes him an antagonist even in the book.

[@thenerdfaraway]

Very well done, as always, Robert! You have a way with words, and you research your subjects carefully.

[@kurtbeck3400]

Great video! Faramir was always my favorite character as well.

[@andrewpelletier7921]

Great video. Faramir was always one of my favorite characters in the books and the movies.

[@somedandy7694]

Peter Jackson: "We intend to tell Tolkien's story; not our own" Also Peter Jackson: "I'm taking the character that Tolkien himself said most resembled him and utterly subverting him because 'MuH mEn WeAk anD AwFel!'"

[@hennebux]

Wonderfully composed and executed. Thank you again ! Faramir was always a compelling figure to me in Tolkiens legendarium. His chapters to me resound in a intrinsic way. I think I can get that from Tolkiens writing Faramir was most like him. Given his time in the military and seeing the horrific cost of war Tolkien translates it into another amazing character woven into all of his beautiful mythos. Thank you for sharing and if I get a new pet I think y'all know what name it's going to be.

[@chichotwojay740]

The exchanges between Faramir and Frodo are some of the best in the books.

[@allisonkreutzberg6079]

Faramir is one of my favorite characters 🥰. Thanks for the video! It is very well done! It made my Middle Earth playlist 😊

[@dursty3226]

i read a rather lengthy essay (back in like 2007-ish) about if Faramir had gone instead of Boromir, and the writer came to the conclusion, for many reasons, that the fellowship would have failed and Sauron would have gotten the ring. i wish i could find that essay again. in the foolishness of my youth, i never bookmarked it or even saved the link. But the writer went through a handful of possible timelines with Faramir in the fellowship, and every one of them somehow led to Sauron getting the ring. not only was it necessary for the fellowship to split at Amon Hen, it was also necessary that Faramir and not Boromir stay in Minas Tirith to defend Osgiliath and Ithilien. etc, etc. Galadriel was right when she said the entire quest stands on the edge of a knife. stray but a little and it will fail, to the ruin of all.

[@brianmcevoy1990]

Best character in LOTR. A true man of quality!

[@johnt.inscrutable1545]

You really do make entertaining and elucidating videos. And you have a great voice for this kind of work. I could hear you narrating some big time show. Thank you, JTI

[@MC-810]

8:17 It was indeed fated that Boromir I needed to try to take the ring from Frodo as you surmise. It was the catalyst for Frodo (and Sam) leaving, but also Merry and Pippin being kidnapped by the Orcs. That eventually brought them to Fangorn and Treebeard; and that meeting was necessary to trigger the downfall of Saruman. So it was, indeed, the grand design of the Valar.

[@josephshrike3972]

Yeah. I think Boromir was always the right one. Aragorn always wanted to claim his birthright, but I always felt Boromirs death gave him a purpose he didn't have. It also spurred Merry and Pippin forward into their respective arcs, which as you mention brought down Saruman. Boromir also proved that even with all the temptation and darkness that lay in the hearts of Men, they could rise from where they fell. I think that was more important if nothing else from a narrative standpoint than another unflinching companion for Frodo.

[@wbl5649]

well Tolkien being a strong Christian knew this Bible verse quite well I am sure and it applies here dies it not: " And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

[@PiraticalBob]

The conclusion you write is lovely.

[@thetommonster]

Robert has gotten SO GOOD at these short character studies. No one else does them as well.

[@kobarsos82]

Thanks for this amazing video. Very insightful, this is the reason you will always be our favorite fantasy literature content creator.

[@Dogtagnan]

Amazing scholarship. Thank you for this fascinating series. David Wenham, the actor who played Faramir, had a "softer", less warlike and aggressive face so was perfectly cast for the part.

[@midimusicforever]

Faramir was one of the best men to ever walk in Middle Earth.

[@thomaswalsh4552]

The ring doesn’t simply play off a desire for power; it uses any desire. For Sam, it uses his desire to make Mordor beautiful; not to rule it but simply to have a country sized garden and make it beautiful again. Gollum had no obvious desire of power either, only to learn the secrets of the earth, and to this the ring latches itself.

[@Wolfeson28]

7:16 This discussion is a big part of the reason why I don't have a problem with Faramir's portrayal in the films. The fact that Faramir was briefly tempted to take the ring doesn't seem to be breaking character for me. The One Ring tempts *everyone* - in different ways and to varying degrees based on the specific person, but no one (other than Tom Bombadil) is immune to it. We see consistent examples of characters like Gandalf or Galadriel (even more notionally "noble" than Faramir) having to admit or face the fact that they would be tempted by the ring. Honestly, I find Faramir's book line about "I would not take this thing...not were Minas Tirith falling in ruin and I alone could save her" less believable than his film version, and I don't think that's an insult to Faramir. In my opinion, the fact that Faramir felt the temptation of the ring but resisted it and still did the right thing - the same as Sam, the same as Galadriel, the same as Frodo up until the last moment - is a greater feat than him somehow never being tempted at all.

[@IngoSchwarze]

I think Faramir makes that absolute statement because he *wishes* to be like that. I think you are right that it is likely he would not have succeeded at the ultimate test, had he accompanied Frodo to the Cracks of Doom. He learnt a lot from Gandalf, and he clearly understood that the Ring was extremely dangerous and no one living in Middle Earth was safe taking it, but he certainly did not have *all* of Gandalf's understanding regarding the ring. So perhaps he over-estimated his own strength resisting the ring. Then again, especially *if* he did understand that he would be unable to ultimately withstand the Ring's power, "I will not take it under any circumstances" would be the best possible strategy to avoid disaster (and besides, exactly the same that Galadriel, Elrond, and Gandalf also used, who are generally called "The Wise"). Also, there can be no doubt that he *was* able to withstand the Ring when it got into his power just outside Mordor - so not only was his strategy sound, but he also acted on it, and that action resulted in success. What higher praise could there be than "understood enough of the danger to devise a sound strategy for avoiding it and succeeded using that strategy"?

[@gaynzz6841]

After resisting the ring and reporting back to his father, Faramir actually says something similar to his line in the book. Denethor: [to Faramir, about his loyalty] Ever you desire to appear lordly and gracious as a king of old. Boromir would have remembered his father's need. He would have brought me a kingly gift. Faramir: Boromir would not have brought the Ring. He would have stretched out his hand to this thing, and taking it, he would have fallen. Denethor: You know nothing of this matter! Faramir: He would have kept it for his own! And when he returned, you would not have known your son. Denethor: [jumping up angrily] Boromir was loyal to me! Not some wizard's pupil! [Denethor cries and falls back into his chair; Faramir approaches him]

[@gabriellynch2764]

The comparison between Faramir and Eomer rings true to me. In my opinion they are the two "best" characters in LoTR. They "normal" men, but the best of normal men. I love Aragorn, but he is the heir of Isildur, not a normal man. I love the hobbits, but they are not normal men. I also love the characters of Elrohir and Imrahil, but they aren't fleshed out. There is something about the ordinariness of Eomer and Faramir combined with their amazing character, true heroes. Not heroes due to their situational importance, but heroes due to their personality traits. It's also the reason why when asked "if you lived in middle earth which group of peoples would you choose to be?" I would either say Rohirrim or one of Faramir's rangers. Now of course this comes down to who I am. Others might pick the hobbits in the shire or the elves of Lothlorien, but to me there is something more in the true valor and honor of Eomer and Faramir. Neither characters were raised to be kings, but they are both kingly in who they are. Thank you Tolkien. May your works last through the ages.

[@ForeverWog]

Thanks for bringing in Tom Shippey! He was at Saint Louis University when I went to school there, and was an amazing teacher.

[@abudia6403]

Faramir's words of denial of the ring reminds me of the Bible verse "avoid the appearance of evil".

[@michaelfritts6249]

One of my 2 favorites in the amazing world created by Tolkien. Glorfindel is the other. When I began playing D&D years ago, I always thought of Faramir, not Aragorn, as the epitome of the type of character I wished to emulate when playing a Ranger. Nobility of purpose, without the desire or consideration for the baggage that comes with being a Noble. Aragorn had too much fate and destiny to even ponder as the archetype for a character class in the game.

[@andrewthomas891]

This video is mind blowing amazing analysis. Matched only by the incredible artwork and narrative! Thank you!

[@paulcoy9060]

Peter Jackson really did Faramir dirty in the movies. He turned down the Ring. "Now is the time for Faramir to show his quality." "Not even if I found it in the road."

[@StLProgressive]

Faramir is one of my favorite characters. I didn’t know some of the information in the video. Really great stuff.

[@tinderbox218]

Very interesting that Tolkien saw himself in Faramir. I always felt the same way and he was my favorite character of the books.

[@hunterG60k]

I really enjoy the character study videos, I feel like they contain the most interesting Tolkien trivia :)

[@Photonface]

Faramir, "Did show his quality!"

[@WhoIsCalli]

Definitely one of my favourites from the books

[@Joan-ph2es]

The book and PJ's movie aren't the same in their opinion of who Faramir is. In the book Faramir is a mortal man who parallels Frodo. The ring doesn't tempt him, he has empathy and pity for his enemies, is close to Gandalf, and he acts nobly. Book Faramir would never brutalized Gollum by beating him up to interrogate him. Peter Jackson liked Boromir more than Faramir, portrayed him as a more likable and admirable character. Faramir in the movie is much darker, more brutal, less honest. Nothing like Frodo. He's also saddled with the made up episode of attempting to take Frodo and the Ring to his father. To me, it makes sense in the book that Eowyn would fall in love with Faramir. Especially given the parallels made to Aragorn. In the movie, the couple's attraction seems entirely based on the coincidence of being in the same place at the same time.

[@christopherseguin4193]

I call Jackson's treatment of that character "The Faramir Incident". An entire book could be written about everything PJ did wrong in the movies, and this alone would take up half the pages!

[@PiscatorLager]

Characters Tolkien designed with aspects of himself in mind: Túrin Turambar, Beren Erchamion, Faramir Characters Martin designed with aspects of himself in mind: Samwell Tarly "the fat kid who likes to read books and doesn't like to go up a lot of stairs"

[@kirandeepchakraborty7921]

Faramir - My all time Favourite Character. ❤

Omg! I will watch the video later, but now I only need the same video about Éowyn and my life is complete

[@user-lp3ew1xb5u]

Particularly good one, thanks.

[@capricornyearofthetiger]

Faramir, I once read was a character that was Tolkien's window into Middle Earth.

[@aquamarin4851]

I was always wondering as Faramir knew Gandalfs original name was Olórin if this means that Gandalf also had told him that he was a maia.

[@jojotheswede8444]

Faramir was my favourite character in the return of the king ps2 game, him and gandalf.

[@battlericky17]

Faramir is my favorite character next to gimli. I just really enjoy that he constantly has to rack his brain over crazy decisions in the movie. I cant wait to read the booms

[@battlericky17]

Books

[@marioskosmidhs9454]

Great video again. we love lotr content

[@robertalba4863]

This was great, truly enjoyed it.

[@Renagade5150]

Excellent as always Robert!

[@markwarner5554]

Miranda needs to see this...if she hasn't already.

[@michaeljw3602]

In the books faramir is much more interesting, much less driven, full of his own wisdom but not arrogant, and perhaps the humblest of all the non hobbit characters

[@gaynzz6841]

So? That he is in the movies as well. Can't the book people not ever stop their endless praise for the books? Yes, we get it.

[@haydenburnham5357]

The most impressive thing about Faramir is that he got out of the friend zone

[@RtB68]

...yeah, nah. Eowyn closes her eyes and still thinks of the King.

[@nendashi5444]

Well it's fantasy after all

[@RegyRusty]

I've been rereading the books lately and after the chapters with Faramir and Frodo I found myself wondering if there was anything more going on than is on the surface about why he was able to resist the allure of the Ring. I looked to see if you'd made a video about this and sure enough! This answered all my questions and much more.

[@dedmeet11]

She placed him firmly in the friend-zone...you have a way with words,sir

[@TheatreHead]

In the book, Eowyn straight up calls Faramir "friend".

[@gaynzz6841]

@@TheatreHead And that is why the films are better, "friend".

[@connerschupp4543]

When’s the treebeard character study coming out? :) my favorite character haha. Just kidding he’s kinda minor in the grand scope of things and Faramir is a great subject for this series. Thanks for making the video! Edit: no character is minor enough to not cover!

[@annecarter5181]

Wonderful character study! 👏🏼

[@SpiritLife]

The worst thing about Peter Jackson's LOTR was his treatment of Faramir

[@christopherseguin4193]

My friend and I call that "The Faramir Incident" - it is one of the most egregious of the PJ head-scratchers. The WORST is his use of the Army of the Dead in Pelennor Fields

[@cindyknudson2715]

​@@christopherseguin4193 Doesn’t the Army of the Dead come from the book?

[@christopherseguin4193]

@@cindyknudson2715 Yes, that is correct. But Tolkien had Aragorn fulfill their oath in Pelargir - and they (The Army) did it via "fear", not death. They drove away the thralls of Sauran around the port city, and as such, Aragorn considered their oath fulfilled and let them go. He then, along with some Dunedain Rangers of the North, took the Pelargir ships north along the Anduin and arrived during the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. Jackson really gunked that up quite a bit, with the Army being taken all the way to Pellenor Fields, and then CGI'ing the "glowing green army" to murder orcs, oliphants, and men! That's definitely NOT how Tolkien wrote it, and I find the treatment of the Army worse than the treatment of Faramir - at least movie Faramir "redeemed" himself following Sam's soliloquy in Osgiliath and let the hobbits continue on their quest. But Jackson pretty much screwed the pooch during the Pelennor battle by making the Army nothing more than a poorly used deus ex machina.

[@catiscray4133]

I love Faramir. I also lost my big brother. Faramir is such a great character. My brother was my protector, too. It's weird how your favorite characters change based on life.

[@caspar_gomez]

Faramir and boromir probably the two most interesting characters in the whole series

[@jacobwagner8984]

By the time I had read the books, I had seen the movies 50 times. So I went in with the movie versions in my head. But book Farimir became my favorite character in the story period. He was WAY more confident and intelligent than the movie portrayed him. I get the reason why the movies did what they did, to set up Denethor treating him the way he did, but I wish they kept him as cool as he was in the books. Frodo was similar in that regard too. Book Frodo was a BA!

[@borbitol]

Impressive, very nice. Let's see Boromir's analysis.

[@allenrussell1947]

12:53 one of my favorite scenes in the books is in the Chapter 'The Steward and the King' when Faramir and Eowen are standing with hands clasped,on the edge of some sensed great change and the eagle flys up crying "Sing ye children of Gondor...." Jackson missed a great cinematic opportunity there.

[@christopherseguin4193]

PJ skipping out on their relationship in the movies makes sense. Since Eowyn was first seen on screen, you could sense that she had this crush on Aragorn (and it is also evident in the books as well). However, once she and Faramir were taken to the Houses of Healing following the Battle of Pelennor Fields, they were there together for a long time to build a relationship while they healed (and waited for word from the Captains that went to the Morannon) - I think as much as two months, if I am not mistaken - that's a long time to forget about your first crush and build a relationship with a new person. But try to condense that down to five minutes in a movie (while trying to also move plots along in the permitted time frame), and it would look like Eowyn was settling for "second best". It was a good cinematic choice to excise their budding relationship from the movies - one of the few significant changes that PJ made that I agreed with.

[@allenrussell1947]

@@christopherseguin4193 did we really need 3 minutes of Aragon and Frodo balancing on a broken stair in Moria? There were a lot of tedious scenes in the movies that could have been cut to allow more "depth". I love the movies but some of the scenes were just a waste of screen time to me.

[@christopherseguin4193]

@@allenrussell1947 It was a chase scene - all of cinematic history chase scenes have been superfluous fluff and longer than necessary. At least it didn't have an explosion. However, my point was that without giving the Faramir/Eowyn romance at least some decent minutes of screen time, it would have literally been Eowyn settling for "second best". Even the Extended Editions didn't have enough time for that. Yes, the Eagles returning would have been cool, but even after news of the victory of the Captains and the Quest of the Ring, she still brooded over her unrequited love from Aragorn - and Faramir called her on it when the Captains set out from Cormallen and she refused Eomer's request to join them. She didn't "snap out of it" until Faramir literally said "And I love you." - which happened after much time in the Houses. None of that works cinematically without a decent amount of screen time (at least 20 minutes, I mispoke in thinking 5 would be enough) - balancing hobbits on crumbling stairs took 20 seconds. By the way, thanks for a great counterpoint to my original comment. I hope you consider this a "discussion" and not a "debate", as you bring up some very valid points. It has given me the impetus to do even a little bit more digging into how Tolkien described Faramir's budding relationship with Eowyn. It has also reminded me to keep reassessing my love for PJ's movies - the more I continue to dig into the lore, the more "head scratching" I do about the movies. They are still my favorites, but I am finding more and more instances of me asking the TV when I watch them, "PJ, what the hell were you thinking?"

[@xilef_mjj]

My middle name is inspired by both Boromir and Faramir, Jaromir. Great characters both of them

[@OJ9992]

I was always quite surprised that for all the for all the lore rich world building in LOTR, you can see something so plain and common like “June the 19th.” Not a criticism at all as creating an entirely new calendar r system would have been ridiculous work and hard to understand I just always found it kinda funny.

[@rofald]

Actually, if you read Appendix D in ROTK, you find that Tolkien did invent a new calendar system that would have put all calendar makers out of business since in his system the days of the week always fall on the same dates every year. The modern names used for the months in the book are "translations" Tolkien is supposedly doing for the benefit of modern readers from the true Westron names. In writing LOTR he is pretending that he's translating Bilbo's and Frodo's memoirs which he got ahold of somehow so he "localizes" many names and expressions to make it comprehensible to us.

[@PrometheanRising]

​@@rofald correct. Frodo's real name is something like 'Maura Labingi'

[@lili46038]

Good one, i love faramir

[@funakfunak2740]

Faramir was wise enough to send the ring away, knowing he could probably not touch it.

[@Emesh83]

Faramir is just BBBB Boromirs Better Braver Brother. Yes Braver, he made the hard choice letting Frodo go then the Brave choice of telling his father

[@toferg.8264]

Deep indeed, Deep Geek.

[@mjury67]

Boromir was in every way a great man like Faramir. Unfortunately, Boromir was tainted by the fear and waning hope of his father as he trained his oldest son to be the next steward. Denethor had fallen long before his eldest son rode north. Gandalf talks of the burden of heart and mind Faramir carried as he lay on his deathbed in he Houses of Healing. I wonder if Boromir was equally troubled?

[@wbl5649]

indeed. Boromir gets a bad rap by many but his intentions were noble. His heart was for Gondor and its people. In the end ge is a great picture of confession and redemption. He is my favorite character and I will always defend him. After him my next favorite is Theoden..

[@lingoistj1956]

A happy ending for a humble yet misunderstood and under appreciated hero.

[@phoule76]

also interesting it is that Aragorn and Faramir were both Rangers

[@613-shadow9]

even the greatest of all authors had a self-insert.

[@VaryaEQ]

I understand why Jackson changed his character in the movies - a "perfect" character wouldn't work too well in film (same reason why Aragorn often was portrayed as unwilling to become king). But it is a shame that he is a completely different person when comparing the two.

[@nathanielmik]

I always wondered if Boromir really had the dream too or only said he had it because he knew his father would not listen to Faramir. I do think tho that if Faramir had been with the fellowship Frodo might have met Boromir later and 100% would have had the ring taken from him there