The Lord of the Rings Explained – Faramir’s Wisdom

In the Films

In the films, Faramir learns of the Ring and resolves to bring it to his father Denethor.  Thus, he brings Frodo, Sam, and Gollum to Osgiliath, where Frodo nearly surrenders himself to a Nazgûl.  This makes Faramir finally understand the evil of the Ring, and he lets the hobbits continue on their quest.

Sons of the Steward

Faramir is markedly different in the book.  Where his elder brother Boromir delighted in weapons and battle, Faramir was gentle and had a keen interest in lore and music.  After their mother died, their father Denethor began looking into the palantír of Minas Anor, which only deepened the steward’s despair.

Whenever Gandalf came to Minas Tirith, Faramir would learn what wisdom he could from the wizard.  This didn’t sit well with Denethor, who believed Faramir was less courageous than his brother.  On the contrary, Faramir was as brave as Boromir, except that he didn’t seek glory in battle the way Boromir did.

Like his father, Faramir was good at reading people, but unlike his father he felt pity for them rather than contempt.  Faramir saw Boromir as Boromir saw himself: as the greatest hero alive in Gondor.  Nonetheless, there was no rivalry or jealousy between the brothers, even despite their father.

Isildur’s Bane

Faramir had a prophetic dream that spoke of Isildur’s Bane.  The following day, Sauron began the war upon Gondor, Faramir and his brother held the last remaining bridge in Osgiliath.  The sons of the steward were among only four who survived that battle, and afterwards Faramir had the same dream repeatedly.  Boromir received the dream only once.

Seek for the sword that was broken:
In Imladris it dwells;
There shall be counsels taken
Stronger than Morgul-spells.
There shall be shown a token
That doom is near at hand,
For Isildur’s Bane shall waken,
And the Halfling forth shall stand.

All the brothers learned from their father was that Imladris was an old name for the valley where Elrond Halfelven dwelt.  Faramir wanted to go to Rivendell himself, but as the journey would be particularly dangerous, Boromir took it upon himself.

Boromir’s Return

After months with no word from his brother, Faramir heard the blowing of Boromir’s horn, which he and his father both took as a bad omen.  Three nights after that, Faramir was guarding the riverbank, when he saw a boat floating on the Anduin and felt himself drawn to it.

When he waded out and looked into the elven boat, Faramir saw the dead body of his brother.  Later the Horn of Gondor was found washed up on the shore in two pieces.  The news of his favourite son’s death only drove Denethor further into madness.

Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit

Some days later, while fighting in Ithilien, Faramir and his company noticed the smoke from Sam’s campfire.  Needless to say, the Gondorians were astonished to find two halflings, the men having been unaware they were more than a legend.  Faramir proceeded to question Frodo about his business in Ithilien.

Faramir figured out that they were likely the halflings his dream spoke of.  When Frodo mentioned that he and Sam had set out from Imladris with Boromir, Faramir guessed that the hobbits were hiding something of importance: likely the mysterious Isildur’s Bane.

Interrogations

On their journey to Henneth Annûn, a hidden refuge of the Ithilien Rangers, Faramir continued to question the hobbits, subtly steering them towards revealing their secret to him.  He grieved at the news of Gandalf’s death, and we learn that Faramir had guessed that Isildur took some sort of weapon from Sauron.

After deducing early on that Frodo was not a friend of Boromir as he claimed, Faramir asked further questions and answered some of Frodo’s, and the captain of Gondor guessed a great deal more than either hobbit realized.  This led to Faramir learning that Boromir wanted to bring Isildur’s Bane to Minas Tirith.

Faramir, however, knew that Boromir would have fallen victim to the promise of glory.  He assured Frodo that, while he loved his brother, he did not seek glory in battle as Boromir did:

‘But fear no more!  I would not take this thing, if it lay by the highway.  Not were Minas Tirith falling in ruin and I alone could save her, so, using the weapon of the Dark Lord for her good and my glory.  No, I do not wish for such triumphs, Frodo son of Drogo.’

Faramir, The Lord of the Rings (Book Ⅳ, Chapter Ⅴ)

A Chance for Faramir to Show His Quality

While dining with the hobbits in his hideout at Henneth Annûn, Faramir told them about the history of Gondor, including how the last king died without an heir.  He was able to get Sam talking about Lothlórien, and eventually Sam let slip that Boromir “took his peril with him” into Lórien, and that he wanted the Enemy’s Ring.

Faramir acted for a moment as though he might try and take the Ring from the hobbits, but after a moment he sat down again.  Lamenting that it was “too sore a trial” for his beloved brother, Faramir once again told the hobbits that he would not take the Ring, even if he desired to use it.

‘But I am not such a man.  Or I am wise enough to know that there are some perils from which a man must flee.  Sit at peace!  And be comforted, Samwise.  If you seem to have stumbled, think that it was fated to be so.  Your heart is shrewd as well as faithful, and saw clearer than your eyes.’

Faramir, The Lord of the Rings (Book Ⅳ, Chapter Ⅴ)

Faramir cautioned the hobbits to neither show him the Ring nor speak of it again, knowing that its power might well drive him mad if he saw it.

‘Sleep, both of you – in peace, if you can.  Fear not!  I do not wish to see it, or touch it, or know more of it than I know (which is enough), lest peril perchance waylay me and I fall lower in the test than Frodo don of Drogo.’

Faramir, The Lord of the Rings (Book Ⅳ, Chapter Ⅴ)