LORD OF THE RINGS: FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING

another thing about boromir: i think it’s really unfair to paint his fall as the general “weakness of Men.”  yes he was the first in the company to fall to the Ring but he’s also the one who has, in a way, been under its influence the longest (with the exception of Frodo, but the Hobbit/Ring dynamic is a digression for a different post).  Boromir has been actively fighting Mordor for most of his life and more importantly has lived nearest it that whole time. Sauron returns to Mordor before he is even born.  He is never free of its threat - a threat he is *directly* responsibly for holding at bay as the heir of the Steward of Gondor. (and proximity is important here! we see throughout lotr that the closer to sauron/nazgul, the more affecting his power is). 

he’s lived under the shadow of the zenith of the Ring’s power for over forty years.  those three months of the quest were just when the ring able to work on his mind *specifically* and to use the years and years of stress and love and responsibility that was already ingrained in him against him.  his fall is a result of his deep and devoted care for his people and his city which he loves so much and feels so much responsibility to.  and it’s not just love; it’s hope.  hope that finally here was something that could end the long war! something that was actually powerful enough not just to hold the enemy at bay but to defeat him! - it is that love & hope that the Ring grabs onto and twists. Boromir’s “weakness” is that he cared so much for so long. 

Now I hear you saying “But Faramir resisted!” But Faramir was in the presence of the Ring for a very, very short time AND had the cautionary tale of what happened to Boromir.  plus, Faramir doesn’t have the same expectations that are placed on Boromir. He’s already a disappointment to Denethor, he’s never expected to be in charge of Minas Tirith as a whole.  As for Aragron, aside from anything else he’s Isildur’s Heir which surely is a strong caution against following Isildur’s folly - but he also has spent his life pretty far away from Mordor and in the protection of Elvish lands.

and as soon as he wasn’t in the Ring’s physical proximity Boromir repented immediately, he picked himself back up and literally gave his life to save Frodo, to save the Quest and the Fellowship.  He put the full weight of caring that he had given to Minas Tirith to saving these four Hobbits.  The Ring tried to turn that caring to weakness but he died victorious.