On my current read through of The Lord of the Rings, I was greatly struck today by the similarities and distinctions that exist between Boromir and Éomer. This probably shouldn’t have taken me 20+ years to realise – Tolkien draws recollection to Boromir with Éomer’s very first words:
‘Who are you, and what are you doing in this land?’ said the Rider, using the Common Speech of the West, in manner and tone like to the speech of Boromir, Man of Gondor.
The Lord of the Rings, Book III, Chapter 2, ‘The Riders of Rohan’, by J.R.R. Tolkien
However, I’d never really considered the two as foils to each other until today, despite some really intriguing similarities. First and foremost, of course, is simply the role that both occupy within the larger narrative – Éomer enters the story mere pages after Boromir’s death, and will serve as the replacement “battle bro” to Aragorn from Meduseld until the Grey Company departs for Dunharrow. Likewise, both Éomer and Boromir are mighty warriors, renowned captains, and honourable men, born of noble blood and willingly occupying the military role that birthright bestows upon them.
Yet Éomer is by no means a straight swap or replacement for Boromir either. Much attention has been paid to Boromir’s more obvious and more closely related foil, his younger brother Faramir – but I think the common ground and the differences between Éomer and Boromir are just as interesting and worthwhile, especially given how one enters the tale just as the other leaves it.
First and foremost, the similarities are clear, as mentioned above. Both are bold, courageous, glorying in the thrill of battle and displaying an occasional rash lack of consideration in their words, in comparison to the quieter and gentler Faramir – who is no less courageous, no less willing to fight, but quieter and more measured, and fully convicted that war is nothing more than a necessary evil. In this way, Éomer may seem much more alike to the elder of the sons of Denethor.
Yet in the chapter that introduces Éomer, he displays the selfsame consideration and eventual judgement that Faramir would later show to Frodo and Sam. Despite the laws of Rohan, and Éomer’s charge to deliver the Three Hunters before Théoden before they trespass further upon his land, Éomer elects, after discourse with Aragorn, to allow them to pass freely, and even offers them aid in the form of horses.
Indeed, Éomer’s decision here is even bolder, even kinder, than Faramir’s. Beyond the quest of the Three Hunters to rescue their companions, Éomer has no idea of what Aragorn and his allies are doing in Rohan, and even that errand could well be a falsehood. Further, these three are confident, armed, and possibly aided by sorcerous powers from the Golden Wood, as evidenced by their disguising cloaks. Éomer has every reason to distrust and fear these strangers, and to drag them back to Edoras by force, especially in these uncertain times of war.
Faramir, on the other hand, can see little threat in the Halflings that stumble through Ithilien. And he is able, through careful questioning and discernment (and Sam’s unwise impulsiveness) to determine their purpose in full, and is then able to judge with full measure of knowledge that he will allow Frodo to proceed on his quest. Faramir famously faces the greater temptation, with the Ruling Ring within his grasp…..but it is Éomer who makes the greater leap of faith.
Indeed, Éomer is never given the chance to be tempted by the Ring in the same way that Boromir and Faramir are, making any question on that point uncertain. However, I would make the case that Éomer would stand a fair chance of resisting its temptation, at least insofar as Faramir was also able. For in Faramir’s case, he is able to find the strength to refuse the Ring through a vow he makes, a vow that he speaks even before he is fully aware of what Frodo bears:
‘What in truth this Thing is I cannot yet guess; but some heirloom of power and peril it must be. A fell weapon, perchance, devised by the Dark Lord. If it were a thing that gave advantage in battle, I can well believe that Boromir, the proud and fearless, often rash, ever anxious for the victory of Minas Tirith (and his own glory therein), might desire such a thing and be allured by it…..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.’
LOTR, Book IV, Chapter 5, ‘The Window on the West’
When Faramir later learns that Frodo bears the Ring itself, he holds himself true to these words.
Éomer makes no such oath to the Three Hunters – rather, he demands one of them, one which places him in great danger.
[Éomer] ‘This is my choice. You may go; and what is more, I will lend you horses. This only I ask: when your quest is achieved, or is proved vain, return with the horses over the Entwade to Meduseld, the high house in Edoras where Théoden now sits. Thus you shall prove to him that I have not misjudged. In this I place myself, and maybe my very life, in the keeping of your good faith. Do not fail.’
LOTR, Book III, Chapter 2
Though the context is very different, the parallel is clear – both Faramir and Éomer put great stock by such promises and grimly keep to them, no matter the risk to themselves. This is not to say that Boromir was less honest than these two….yet at the same time, Boromir does eventually fail in his charge as a member of the Fellowship, does fail to aid Frodo as he should. I do not know and cannot prove if Éomer should have done better in Boromir’s place – but I think it is at least possible.
Boromir and Éomer also show themselves to be of different attitude and consideration – though both have quick tempers and are overly willing to speak their mind (a trait that nearly leads to disaster when Éomer meets the Three Hunters), the latter also demonstrates greater restraint, consideration and independence of thought than the former.
This is clearly seen in their differing attitudes to Lothlórien, the Golden Wood of sorcery and myth. Both men are familiar with the legends and dark tales surrounding this mysterious place, and both evidently fear and distrust it. However, Boromir never fully trusts the Wood nor its Queen, showing stubborn fear towards it despite Aragorn’s assurances and his own experiences.
[Aragorn] stepped forward; but Boromir stood irresolute and did not follow. ‘Is there no other way?’ he said.
‘What other fairer way would you desire?’ said Aragorn.
‘A plain road, though it led through a hedge of swords,’ said Boromir. ‘By strange paths has this Company been led, and so far to evil fortune. Against my will we passed under the shades of Moria, to our loss. And now we must enter the Golden Wood, you say. But of that perilous land we have heard in Gondor, and it is said that few come out who once go in; and of that few none have escaped unscathed.’
LOTR, Book II, Chapter 6, ‘Lothlórien‘
Éomer, too, is wary of the name, displaying a similar level of distrust and misinformed familiarity.
‘Then there is a Lady in the Golden Wood, as old tales tell!’ he said. ‘Few escape her nets, they say. These are strange days! But if you have her favour, then you also are net-weavers and sorcerers, maybe.’
LOTR, Book III, Chapter 2
However, while Boromir never comes to accept Lothlórien as a place of friendship, Éomer later apologises for his misinformed judgement, demonstrating wisdom and courtesy to the strangers on the plains of Rohan. We see this humility of Éomer a mere few pages later, as he comes to trust Aragorn and defer to his greater experience and knowledge.
‘Yes, and we could find a use for Gimli’s axe and the bow of Legolas, if they will pardon my rash words concerning the Lady of the Wood. I spoke only as do all men in my land, and I would gladly learn better.’
LOTR, Book III, Chapter 2
Indeed, so much more even-tempered is Éomer that, by the end of his meeting with the Three Hunters, he is able to joke with them on the same subject that filled him and Boromir with dread.
….said Gimli. ‘The matter of the Lady Galadriel lies still between us. I have yet to teach you gentle speech.’
‘We shall see,’ said Éomer. ‘So many strange things have chanced that to learn the praise of a fair lady under the loving strokes of a Dwarf’s axe will seem no great wonder.’
LOTR, Book III, Chapter 2
In general, Éomer is far more willing to come to his own conclusions, to pass judgement based on his own sense rather than the ‘wisdom’ of others, than Boromir ever demonstrates. Another example of this can be found in the same passage, when Aragorn brings news of Gandalf and his death to Éomer.
‘Gandalf!’ Éomer exclaimed. ‘Gandalf Greyhame is known in the Mark; but his name, I warn you, is no longer a password to the king’s favour. He has been a guest in the land many times in the memory of men, coming as he will, after a season, or after many years. He is ever the herald of strange events: a bringer of evil, some now say.
LOTR, Book III, Chapter 2
………..
‘Then Shadowfax has found his way alone from the far North,’ said Aragorn; ‘for it was there that he and Gandalf parted. But alas! Gandalf will ride no longer. He fell into darkness in the Mines of Moria and comes not again.’
‘That is heavy tidings,’ said Éomer. ‘At least to me, and to many; though not to all, as you may find, if you come to the king.’
LOTR, Book III, Chapter 2
Éomer’s clear delineation of “some now say” makes it clear that he says these words to Aragorn not because of any personal antipathy towards Gandalf, but because he knows how many in Rohan now feel. He makes this even clearer a few sentences later, where he sets his opinion on Gandalf as being distinct from many of those in Théoden’s close counsel. Éomer himself is near to the king and to his advisers, yet retains and practices independence of thought and opinion. Boromir often speaks of how “we in Gondor”, or that “it is known to us of Gondor”, and suchlike – yet never does he show any inclination to set himself aside from the “we”.
Éomer serves Rohan and is determined to do the best he can by its people – even if this should mean setting himself in opposition to what these people think they need or want. For Boromir, “Gondor” and “Boromir” are nearly one and the same – he too would serve his people in whatever way he can, but he cannot conceive that his people could be mistaken, or that it is his responsibility to correct such mistakes. Boromir wants what Gondor wants, and so whatever Gondor wants, Boromir does – Éomer does what Rohan needs.
This brings us to the final contrast between Boromir and Éomer – a contrast not in who they were, but who they might have become. It is a curiosity that, of the three Men who ascend to power at the end of LOTR, none of them were “destined” to take up rulership. Éomer was the cousin of Théodred, prince of Rohan and son of Théoden – while the former was raised to be a leader and captain, and must have been conscious that he was near in line to the throne, he had no design nor wish for it either, and accepts the kingship out of necessity following Théoden’s death.
Aragorn, though king of Gondor and Arnor by birthright, was only informed of this by Elrond when he turned 21, and showed no great designs to claim the throne for its own sake, being motivated rather by love for Arwen – and his opportunity to claim rule is created not by him, but by war and violence upon Gondor, and the degeneration of Denethor himself. Aragorn was ready to become king, certainly, but he does not become king because of any manipulations on his side, he was simply well-prepared to accept the role should it become possible.
Faramir, meanwhile, as the younger son of Denethor is in a similar position to Éomer, Théodred’s cousin – near in line to rule, but not the direct heir. The deaths of Denethor and Boromir leave Faramir as the next Steward of Gondor, but again, this is not a position he was raised to inherit. That governance should have passed to Boromir – and yet, having been raised for it, it is possible that Boromir would have been the most ill-suited out of all four men for such a position. Faramir all but says as much to Frodo as they discuss him in Ithilien:
‘And this I remember of Boromir as a boy, when we together learned the tale of our sires and the history of our city, that always it displeased him that his father was not king. “How many hundreds of years needs it to make a steward a king, if the king returns not?” he asked. “Few years, maybe, in other places of less royalty,” my father answered. “In Gondor ten thousand years would not suffice.” Alas! poor Boromir. Does that not tell you something of him?’
‘It does,’ said Frodo. ‘Yet always he treated Aragorn with honour.’
‘I doubt it not,’ said Faramir. ‘If he were satisfied of Aragorn’s claim, as you say, he would greatly reverence him. But the pinch had not yet come. They had not yet reached Minas Tirith or become rivals in her wars.’
LOTR, Book IV, Chapter 5
Perhaps, through many more miles travel, the war in Rohan, and the lessened proximity of the Ring, Boromir might have deferred to Aragorn, had he survived Amon Hen. Perhaps. But it seems unlikely to me, as it did to Faramir.
Happily for Éomer, Aragorn poses no threat to him and his power – Rohan is an independent kingdom. But even so, I think such resentment could conceivably have risen between the two, were they not alien to Éomer’s character. Unfinished Tales tells us that Gríma had worked hard and unsuccessfully to drive Théodred and Éomer apart, and that the friendship and respect the two men had for each other could not be splintered, despite the potential for political jealousies. Éomer is delighted to have the company and friendship of Aragorn as a leader and as a soldier, with no concern for a loss of authority on his own part, and following the War of the Ring, he elects to renew the oaths that bind Gondor and Rohan as allies rather than to use the instability to further establish Rohan’s independence.
I can’t say if this is a coincidence or not, that the three men in LOTR who were not raised for lordship nonetheless accept it and are proven worthy of it, while the one who was prepared for rule from birth is the most ill-suited to it, but I think it’s worthy of further examination. Given Tolkien’s contrarian anarch-monarchist tendencies (“Give me a king whose chief interest in life is stamps….”), though, it seems likely that there was at least some thought behind how he formed the characters of Aragorn, Faramir, Éomer and Boromir; and that each of the first three are distinct in some way with the doomed Boromir.
The contrasts between Boromir and Aragorn, and Boromir and Faramir, are clear and well-established – but in some ways, I think the contrasts between Boromir and Éomer interest me the most, at least for the moment, thanks to how similar they could have been. It makes sense to deliberately draw Boromir and Aragorn as being different, as this leads to much conflict and many different perspectives within the Fellowship as the two travel together. Likewise, it makes sense to draw Faramir as being very different to Boromir, so as to offer us greater insight into the character of each, and to allow tension with how this new, strange man will handle the temptation that destroyed his brother.
Éomer, though, enters the story at the perfect moment to simply be a replacement for Boromir – and in many ways he is, as a great captain, a skilful warrior, and a steady ally to Aragorn. However, Éomer is also no lazy substitute for Boromir, demonstrating clarity and prudence that the latter often lacked, and a willingness to do what is right rather than what seems right. In some ways, Éomer is also more often ignored than Faramir, whose pacifist tendencies and refusal of the Ring rightly garner much discussion and admiration. I think Éomer is equally deserving of this admiration, though, in his own way
If Faramir is Boromir as he should have been, and Aragorn is Boromir as he desired to be, then perhaps Éomer is Boromir as he could have been – a great leader, fighter and friend, without designs for power or lordship, and with the hidden moral fortitude and right judgement that such forbearance (though not weakness!) grants. Through the entrance of Éomer into the story, we gain a new perspective on the character of Boromir, and Boromir’s tragic fall allows us to more readily appreciate the noble qualities of Éomer.
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