Like ethelfleda said, I think Tolkien wanted it to be.hmmmm how can I say it. The quote from the essay on beowulf "he was a man, and as for many, that was tragedy enough," I suppose Tolkien wanted that chapter to be like an anti climax, a moment of quiet reflection. Battle being the rushing slaughterhouse that it was, the stillness of Boromirs departure makes the reader take note. Not all deaths, as ethelfleda said, are epic, and Tolkien helps to drive that home here,and such a death provides a valuable antithesis to our modern hollywood culture, where the hero has to die a heroic death, as well as the classical idea of a hero dying in a grand fashion. By showing Boromirs death as such , I think it challenges our common perceptions, and brings us back to a more realistic sense of thinking.
And I think I sounded kinda smart there! (for once lol)
The Lamenter

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"This is the hour of the Shire-folk, when they arise from their quiet fields to shake the towers and counsels of the Great. Who of all the Wise could have foreseen it? Or, if they are wise, why should they expect to know it, until the hour has struck? "

Well, I don't really think that his death was un-heroic. I mean, simply the fact that Tolkien didn't go on about it in that chapter is no reason to think that Boromir didn't die a heroic death. Really, I think he did, as shown when Pippin is remember what happened. Boromir fought, alone against a lot of Orcs, and lasted far longer than most men would have.

Overall, though, I think that the greatest part of that chapter was the Lament for Boromir.

Interesting post, the Lamenter.

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I thought it was written kinda nicely because you think Boromir is going back to Minas Tirith.

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Faith isn't the ability to believe long and far into the misty future.
It's simply taking God at His Word and taking the next step Joni Erickson Tada

Agreed, Ashwise. I really love the last bit.

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