Aragorn's Response to Boromir

[Enoch_Arden_5]

Aragorn starts off by saying, "...it was spoken of old among us that it [the Sword that was Broken] should be made again when the Ring, Isildur's Bane, was found. Now you have seen the sword that you have sought, what would you ask? Do you wish for the House of Elendil to return to the Land of Gondor?"

Initially, it almost seems like Aragorn's tone is challenging toward Boromir; but after reading it carefully, it seems as if Aragorn might looking (maybe hoping) for an invitation to to come home. After all, Aragorn is quoting the dream, which told Boromir he would find the broken sword in Imladris.

Is Aragorn possibly hoping Boromir might see the dream as an invitation for the rightful king to come back to Gondor (not just to take over, but also to aid Gondor in fighting the enemy and conquering their foes)? It would be a much better entrance for the incoming king than having the recognized heir to the Stewardship questioning or challenging Aragorn's place.

Boromir responds (in part) by saying, "Yet we are hard pressed, and the Sword of Elendil would be a help beyond our hope...." It almost seems like Aragorn might be playing on Boromir's desire for great warriors and allies as a way for the king to come back to Gondor (by direct invitation from the Son of the Steward). And since Boromir already knows Aragorn is the heir of Elendil, he would willingly be inviting the king back to Gondor.

 

[Kate Neville]

We sometimes forget how much of a wrench in the works Boromir was. He only arrived that very morning — Elrond’s words to Gandalf imply that Elrond hasn’t told anyone anything about Boromir (which may be doubtful, but it may also be that Boromir didn’t have time to tell Elrond more than that he came because of a prophetic dream). Aside from the question of what the original Council Agenda was to be, I don’t think that any of the major players had a plan beyond Get The Ring to The Fire. I expect Gandalf shared his foreboding that Frodo would have to be the Last Ringbearer, but it wasn’t a sure thing, so I don’t think Aragorn could have set any post-Council plans. The validation of the identity of The One Ring was the first sign that the Sword should be remade [maybe the trip Aragorn took between his last meeting with Gandalf and the events in Bree was actually to get the sword — perhaps he had left it with a potential Ranger heir, which would make the carrying of a broken sword a little less odd]. Boromir’s dream would have been a clarion call — it actually mentions both the Sword and Isildur’s Bane! Elrond speaks of Minas Ithil; Aragorn aligns himself to Elendil and Isildur before basically asking Boromir what he wants for Gondor. It is both a challenge and an offer: to seek for the Sword that was Broken is to seek for Aragorn. It’s kinda like a “Take my hand if you want to live” moment. Boromir is as wary as Sara Connor, but it would be evident to everyone that Boromir cares deeply about Gondor, so its a gamble worth taking. His later speech is his version of Boromir’s stand at the bridge, paralleling the Rangers’ “vocation” to protect the North with Gondor’s fight. Boromir’s story ends with the dream prophecy. Aragorn ends by swearing to fulfill the first two lines at least: “The Sword shall be reforged. I will come to Minas Tirith.” [But we won’t get there for a few weeks!]

 

[Flammifer]

Hi Kate,

I like your comment, "We sometimes forget how much of a wrench in the works Boromir was."

I think it is a tragedy (literally) that the leaders of the Council perceive Boromir's arrival as 'a wrench in the works'.

Perhaps, if they perceived it instead as an opportunity sent by the Gods (literally), some tragedy could have been averted?

I am particularly puzzled by Gandalf's lack of engagement. He is usually swift to spot the hand of Providence at work, and often seems to expect, and even rely on 'chance, if chance you call it' working in favorable ways.

Why is Gandalf seemingly asleep at the throttle here?

 

[Kate Neville]

Hi Kate,

I like your comment, "We sometimes forget how much of a wrench in the works Boromir was."

I think it is a tragedy (literally) that the leaders of the Council perceive Boromir's arrival as 'a wrench in the works'.

Perhaps, if they perceived it instead as an opportunity sent by the Gods (literally), some tragedy could have been averted?

I am particularly puzzled by Gandalf's lack of engagement. He is usually swift to spot the hand of Providence at work, and often seems to expect, and even rely on 'chance, if chance you call it' working in favorable ways.

Why is Gandalf seemingly asleep at the throttle here?

This is why I suspect that no one, not even Elrond had heard the complete dream prophecy -- while Elrond and Gandalf absorb the details, Aragorn is the first one to respond. He reacts to 'the Sword that was broken;' Elrond of Imladris/Rivendell, who had just spent far too long reminding everyone how far the world has fallen from the glory of the past, speaks of Minas Ithil-now-Morghul; Frodo literally stands forth; finally, Gandalf asks the Halfing to bring out Isildur's Bane. [I haven't yet listened to the 4/7 episode, so excuse me if I'm repeating anything someone else already said.]

 

[Flammifer]

I agree Kate. They all make a hash of the whole thing. Aragorn drops his difficult question on Boromir extremely prematurely. Bilbo recites his poem about 'The crownless again shall be king', just when everyone is trying really hard to skate around that exact subject. Elrond fails to control the speakers and the agenda. Gandalf says nothing, when he should perhaps intervene. No one seems to respect Boromir's prophetic poem sufficiently, or analyze it carefully, as they all want to drop their dramatic bombshells and get their own agenda in. I doubt that Boromir is very impressed. I wouldn't be.

 

[Jim Deutch]

They all make a hash of the whole thing.

I derided the movie scene as "The Squabble of Elrond" but really, the book version is not so smooth and under control as all that after all, is it?. Jackson exaggerated it unduly, but he didn't make up the disorder of the council out of whole cloth. . .