Who is Faramir

• He has a love for learning. Faramir always had a great love for lore and music. He also respected Gandalf and learned much from him, though his father would condemn him for it.


• Faramir is noble. In the book, at least, Faramir easily shrugs off the temptation of the Ring.


• He patiently endures his father's scorn. Though Denethor openly favored Boromir and had contempt for his younger son, Faramir never shows disrespect in return.

David Wenham is the man who portrayed Faramir in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy. He's an Australian actor, and not a bad-looking fellow. He's been in lots of other films, including Van Helsing and 300.

Random facts:

• Born on September 21, 1965.


• Youngest of six children.


• Six feet tall.


• Before becoming an actor, he worked as an insurance clerk.


• He has a nickname from childhood, "Daisy."

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Although many LOTR fans complained about how Faramir is portrayed in the movie, I think for the most part he's in-character. The problem is that Frodo and Sam don't give Faramir any reason to trust them. They are caught "spying," they refuse to say much, and Frodo even lies about Gollum. So Faramir keeps treating them as prisoners and drags them all the way to Gondor once he learns that they are carrying the Ring.

In The Two Towers book, the encounter begins when Faramir and his men stumble upon Frodo and Sam's camp. The hobbits are just finishing up their rabbit stew. They answer Faramir's questions readily and acknowledge that Gollum is traveling with them. However, Frodo does his best to conceal the fact that he is carrying the Ring. There is a bit of verbal sparring between them as Faramir tries to learn what Frodo is hiding from him, but Faramir is almost apologetic about it. He has to be cautious in such perilous times.

Here is a revealing excerpt from The Two Towers:

'I told you no lies, and of the truth all I could,' said Frodo.

'I do not blame you,' said Faramir. 'You spoke with skill in a hard place, and wisely, it seemed to me. But I learned or guessed more from you than your words said. You were not friendly with Boromir, or you did not part in friendship. You, and Master Samwise, too, I guess have some grievance. Now I loved him dearly, and would gladly avenge his death, yet I knew him well. Isildur's Bane - I would hazard that Isildur's Bane lay between you and was a cause of contention in your Company. Clearly it is a mighty heirloom of some sort, and such things do not breed peace among confederates, not if aught may be learned from ancient tales. Do I not hit near the mark?'

Faramir is shrewd and guesses at what Frodo is hiding. Sam accidentally tells Faramir about the Ring while the two of them are conversing about elves, confirming Faramir's suspicions. However, Faramir reassures them that he will not take the Ring.

This is a very different encounter than the one portrayed in the movie, and I think it has more to do with the way Frodo and Sam behave than how Faramir has been changed.