A Gondorian Love Triangle

Just listening to Episode 133 and what struck me most was how, thanks to Corey's careful analysis, I was made aware for the first time of the brilliance and subtlety with which Tolkien introduces the complexity of the Denethor/Boromir/Faramir relationship. Of course when Tolkien first wrote this chapter, none of that existed even in outline. It all "grew in the telling" much later. But when Tolkien went back to rewrite the Council Of Elrond he pencilled it all in - the complex love and rivalry between Boromir and his unnamed brother, their difference in character, Faramir's closer attunement to the spiritual world, Boromir's reluctance to take second place to anyone, Denethor's closeness and authoritativeness. So much of their character is already there - but so lightly sketched that an inattentive reader would barely notice it. Tolkien does it all with hints and foreshadowing, but without spoilers.

Some things, though, are left entirely for later. I don't see any hint here of Denethor's preference for Boromir over Faramir, unless you can read that into the fact that the dream is first taken seriously when Boromir too experiences it.
 
Yes, nice. I think a first time reader paying a moderate amount of attention is being groomed to think very favourably of Faramir when he eventually enters the narrative.
 
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