Denethor II
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Denethor II by Eonwe-(Valar)
Denethor II's Depressionby Varda-(Valar)
Images of Denethor II
Denethor II
by Eonwe-(Valar)
June 24, 2003
Son of Ecthelion II, Steward of Gondor.
Reference: Return of the King, book 5 of Lord of the Rings
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Denethor II's Depression
by Varda-(Valar)
July 14, 2006
Denethor II was married to Finduilas of Dol
Amroth. Their children were Boromir
II of the Fellowship and Faramir
II who succeeded his father as Ruling Steward.
Denethor was highly intelligent, educated, brave,
and driven, but his mind was weakened by depression over the death of
Finduilas and possible guilt feelings over it. The death of Boromir,
his intended heir added to this. Faramir's potential death from
the Black Breath and Denethor's guilt
and inability to make amends with a comatose son added more to the
condition.Denethor, responsible for the lands of Gondor, saw it
constantly under siege by the growing power of Mordor, an impression
added to by Sauron's filtering of the sights that Denethor saw in the
Palantir of Minas Tirith, until it appeared with the coming of the Corsairs of Umbar that the kingdom would be
certainly taken with no reinforcements coming.
He refused to be taken by Sauron, but wanted to take
his remaining son with him, and in ultimate depression decided to kill
himself and Faramir in the funeral pyre of heathen kings. Thanks to
intervention by Pippin, who brought in Beregond, and Gandalf, Faramir
was saved, but Denethor still managed to kill himself on the pyre. As
he did so he held the Palantir, marking it forever after for all other
users with the sight of his burning hands before they could tear the
vision away to their own choices.
Reference: Lord of the Rings
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Images:
Image
"Denethor grieves for his son". Pippin and Beregond along
with one
of the unthinkingly loyal guards are in the background. Artist
Anke-Katrin Eissman, from Rolozo Tolkien site
Image of Denethor at his pyre with the palantir, Gandalf and
Pippin, maybe Beregond, witnessing. Drawn by Robert Chronister, from
the Rolozo Tolkien page
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