Boromir and Rivendell

WaverlyPontiff

New Member
I was curious about the watch that Rivendell keeps. We know that Boromir arrives on the morning of the council and that he was unlooked for. My question is, how is it possible for him to be so close to Rivendell that he arrives in the early morning but no word of him being near had been brought forth? Surely Elrond would know of a man so close to his realm? Do the elves not keep a close watch on the borders? I know it is a small thing but it is something that has struck me for a while now since listening to the podcast. On another note I have finally caught up, I am listening to the last bit of last weeks episode so I hope to be able to listen live next week! Thank you for an amazing product.
 
'Unlooked for' can simply mean unexpected. They may have been tracking him for days without expecting him to find Rivendell on his own; or they may have intercepted him quite a way out from Rivendell, challenged him, and then brought him to Elrond for an audience. Each of these could be described as 'unlooked for' as Boromir wasn't extended an invitation by Rivendell, nor was his visit pre-announced, as state visits usually would be.
 
Hi WaverlyPontiff,

I agree with Anthony that 'unlooked for' could just mean unexpected. But I think it means more. I think Elrond and Gandalf are surprised when Boromir shows up. (They certainly don't seem to have come up with a very good strategy for dealing with him during the Council.) If the Elves had been tracking Boromir, or escorting him, through the environs towards Rivendell, I don't think Elrond and Gandalf would have been caught so unprepared.

So, I do think the guards (physical and spiritual) of Rivendell somehow did not detect him. Now, I expect those guards to be extremely efficient, so how could they have missed him? Well, Boromir is carrying an angelic message. As a divine messenger, he may have spiritual protection which can obscure the defences of Rivendell?
 
I can see both of your points and thank you for your thoughts. I guess I always imagined Boromir kind of bumbling through the wild and stumbling upon Rivendell by chance-if chance you call it. I know he is a great Captain of Gondor and the son of the Steward but I never really imagined him as wood crafty, and not enough to sneak by High Elf guards and watchmen. I am putting the elves of Rivendell in the same category as the elves of Lothlorien and they had quite a watch set upon their borders. The Nazgul had just been thwarted at the borders of Rivendell so I would assume that Rivendell would be on guard.
 
Hi Waverly Pontiff,

If you are interested in speculations of Boromir's lengthy journey to Imladris, you might check out a post of mine titled 'Did Boromir go through Bree in his journey to Imladris' back in March. There are some other posts and threads on the subject clustered around the same time.,

One of the speculations is that Boromir may have hypothesized that 'Imladris', which his father told him was a 'northern dale' wherein lived great lore masters, might have been in the Ered Luin. Tales of Cirdan as lore-master, and of Elves in the Ered Luin might have led him in that direction. This could explain the greater distance which Boromir said he travelled than the distance between Minas Tirith and Rivendell, and the lengthy time it took him. If this speculation was correct, then, in the Ered Luin, Boromir (though a long way out of his way) could have got fairly precise directions from either Dwarves or Elves, both of whom knew that Imladris was Rivendell, and exactly where it was.
 
Why not both?

At some point Boromir fumbling through the Ettinmoors transforms from "some random guy" to "Boromir son of Denethor". It is possible that "some random guy" has been surreptitiously tracked through his fumbling, and it is only once he gets into Rivendell (whether Elf-guided or by the hand of providence) that he is transformed to "Boromir son of Denethor" and is "unlooked for" in that context.
 
Great points thanks! If Boromir had made it to Cirdan wouldn't it be possible that he would have tagged along with the elves that came from the Havens? Anyway, I will go and look for your post. Thanks!
 
Great points thanks! If Boromir had made it to Cirdan wouldn't it be possible that he would have tagged along with the elves that came from the Havens? Anyway, I will go and look for your post. Thanks!


He might not have made it to Cirdan, but have encountered Elves or Dwarves in the Southern Ered Luin, before reaching the Havens. Once he learned from them where Imladris was he would have proceeded thence immediately.
 
Good point. I enjoyed the post that you mentioned. It sent me down a rabbit hole looking up Tharbad and its history, a great way to spend my conference period!
 
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