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Tumblr crosspost (30 November 2020)
Mar. 9th, 2024 07:09 ampotatoobsessed999 responded to this post:
#it’s interesting that he would go out of his way to clarify that he doesn’t want gondorian domination#as if that is something remotely possible#in the present moment #but it’s nevertheless in his head as a dark possibility #which makes a whole ton of sense if you bear the dream-visions in mind (via anghraine)
I’d been wondering specifically about that bit, why the prospect of Gondorian imperialism would even be on his radar! This makes so much sense. He’s looking beyond the war, afraid that even if they win, what they do to get there might change them into something monstrous. And he’d rather lose than have that happen. Better to fall like Arthedain than like Númenor.
I replied:
Yeah, exactly! And that fits very neatly with his rejection of the Ring.
I think LOTR is quite clear (as are Tolkien’s letters) that death and failure are to be preferred above victory with the Ring, however difficult a choice that may be in the moment (and Faramir does genuinely struggle with it for a moment). But Faramir has already been thinking about the cost of victory for victory’s sake—even when it means survival—and about the intolerable forms that victory can take. Refusing the Ring is hard, but also the natural culmination of his thinking.
Tagged: #i think it also fits with the implication throughout lotr that there's a greater purpose at work #as with the ring falling to frodo #and gollum etc #like ... maybe faramir isn't haunted by númenor just because
#it’s interesting that he would go out of his way to clarify that he doesn’t want gondorian domination#as if that is something remotely possible#in the present moment #but it’s nevertheless in his head as a dark possibility #which makes a whole ton of sense if you bear the dream-visions in mind (via anghraine)
I’d been wondering specifically about that bit, why the prospect of Gondorian imperialism would even be on his radar! This makes so much sense. He’s looking beyond the war, afraid that even if they win, what they do to get there might change them into something monstrous. And he’d rather lose than have that happen. Better to fall like Arthedain than like Númenor.
I replied:
Yeah, exactly! And that fits very neatly with his rejection of the Ring.
I think LOTR is quite clear (as are Tolkien’s letters) that death and failure are to be preferred above victory with the Ring, however difficult a choice that may be in the moment (and Faramir does genuinely struggle with it for a moment). But Faramir has already been thinking about the cost of victory for victory’s sake—even when it means survival—and about the intolerable forms that victory can take. Refusing the Ring is hard, but also the natural culmination of his thinking.
Tagged: #i think it also fits with the implication throughout lotr that there's a greater purpose at work #as with the ring falling to frodo #and gollum etc #like ... maybe faramir isn't haunted by númenor just because
