[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

I won't belabor the point either. :)

Any thoughts on my analysis of Denethor?

[carton253]

Liked it... Since I consider that most people are complex and conflicted than they are simplistic, you have given Denethor more aspects than Tolkien. Sometimes you never know why a person is what they are (Sydney Carton from A Tale of Two Cities is one... why is he like that?)

Faramir says something interesting about Gondor to Frodo... We are in a springless autumn.

By time we meet Denethor in the book, there is nothing left to him but a springless autumn. He is harsh, severe, and downright cruel. Boromir is dead... and with Boromir's death went the light of his life.

Tolkien leaves Denethor like that. Never tries to redeem him... or give us some reason to like him. (Whereas, Smeagol is the villian, at least Smeagol is funny and entertaining... and teeters for a moment on the edge of redemption)

It's funny... Tolkien writes Boromir with huge strengths and weaknesses. Faramir is for the most part seen only with strength. Denethor is seen failing, falling, and Tolkien does nothing to catch him.

PS - Can you tell me about your freep name...