tolkiens legendarium - How was Boromir going to use the One Ring?

During the course of the Lord of the Rings, many people suggest using the One Ring against Sauron, for example Boromir, who proposes using it to defend Gondor. Likewise, more knowing characters such as Gandalf and Elrond are diligent to explain that using the Ring against Sauron himself is foolish and destructive.

However misguided Boromir's ideas about the Ring may have been, I'm intrigued: How did he think the Ring would have helped him protect Gondor? How did Boromir envision using its powers?

Answer

Letter 246:

It was part of the essential deceit of the Ring to fill minds with imaginations of supreme power.

In the case of Boromir, this is exemplified by his statements at the Breaking of the Fellowship; for example in his words to Frodo:

The Ring would give me power of Command. How I would drive the hosts of Mordor, and all men would flock to my banner!

This, however, is totally consistent with Tolkien's statement in his letter (above) in that it is an "imagination of supreme power".

In other words, rational thought about how to use the Ring, or even if one could use it, doesn't come into this. The Ring deceives people into thinking that they can, into imaginations of what they might achieve (we see the same effect when Sam uses it in Mordor).

It is therefore probable that Boromir had no idea whatsoever of how he would actually use its power if the Ring came into his possession; the deceit of the Ring was sufficient on its own.

Comments

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