Denethor II
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Articles:
Denethor II by Eonwe-(Valar)
Denethor II's Depression by Varda-(Valar)
Denethor
as Macbeth: The Tragedy of the Last Ruling Steward of Gondor
by Sanford S. Kaplan. Essay Paper.
Images:
Images of Denethor II
Denethor II
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
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 palantír 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 palantír, 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 palantír, Gandalf and Pippin,
maybe Beregond, witnessing. Drawn by Robert Chronister, from the
Rolozo Tolkien page
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