# Air of Wizards? or of Numenor?



## Maeglin (Dec 10, 2003)

The Two Towers: _The Window on the West:_ 


> "But I can say this: you have an air too, sir, that reminds me of, of-well, Gandalf, of wizards." "Maybe," said Faramir. "Maybe you discern from far away the air of Numenor."



I'm just curious as to people's views on that quote. Do you think that Faramir represented the men of Numenor or wizards better? I don't mean just by appearance and blood, for we know that Faramir has Numenorean blood in him and has that "air" about him. But he was also a pupil of Gandalf whenever Gandalf visited Minas Tirith, and he had the intentions and wisdom of a wizard, and perhaps the lifestyle even. Well anyway, this quote may take some analyzing if we really get into the nitty gritty, but just let me know how you interpret this.


----------



## Flammifer (Dec 10, 2003)

Hmm..........I suppose that the Maia-ishness (hey I'm too lazy to delve into my vocabulary alright?) of Gandalf could have sort of 'worn off' on Faramir, which means that he might have had an air of Wizards such as Sam detected..........so maybe Faramir had an air of both Numenor and Wizards...........


----------



## Húrin Thalion (Dec 11, 2003)

What one must remember is the difference between Númenoreans and otehr men, they were clearly more elf-like, in both appearance and lifestyle. And of the Ainur it is said that they were more like to the First than ot the Secondborn of the children. I am talking about 'air' now, not looks, but if you do, surely, Gandalf could have decided to look like a man of Gondor to make his mission o help them somewaht easier. 

If I would present my own idea, it is a combination. A combination of the 'royalty' that Aragorn shows sometimes, for example in the boat beneath the statues of Argonath, and of the nobility old world, the one of the Firstborn. In one way or the other, Faramir might have had an elvish strain in him, as had Aragorn, which would probably give them an 'air' of nobility and elvisness. 

Måns


----------



## Gil-Galad (Dec 11, 2003)

Faramir was a descendant of the Numenoreand Kings.The Numenoreans were still different from the other men in Middle-earth,although throughouut the years they lost most of their power.
With the years Numenoreans lost an enormous amount of the wisdom they had had before as well as their lifestyle had been changed.
Faramir's case was different in a way,for Gandalf had a direct influence on him.Thus Denethor's second son had the chance to learn some of the things which "the ancient Numenoreans" knew.
I believe that ha learned some things and his wisdom grew enough to differ him a lot from the other Gondorians,but at the same time he was far away from the real Numenorean lifestyle and knowledge.


----------



## Eledhwen (Dec 12, 2003)

A quarter of the Elvish strain of Numenor was from a Maia - Melian, Thingol's wife, mother of Luthien. Aspects of such strains can re-appear in later generations, and it is apparent that the Wisdom of Melian appeared in some strength in Faramir.


----------



## HLGStrider (Aug 20, 2004)

Faramir always felt like Aragorn's sensitive younger brother. 

Take a romantic comedy where there are two guys, the perfect, dashing, confidant guy the girl likes and the clumsier, shyer, sweeter guy who likes the girl. Aragorn is the first. Faramir is the second. 

But that's just analyzing it in a romantic light.  Not what you had in mind.

To sum it up, Faramir has Aragorn's air of Numenor, but Gandalf, who plays the father/mentor figure to both men, has let his teaching rub off on both of them.


----------



## Elanor2 (Aug 20, 2004)

HLGStrider said:


> Faramir always felt like Aragorn's sensitive younger brother.



Well put HLGStrider!

I'm now wondering. Could it be that Aragorn felt like a fosterfather to Faramir (and even Boromir)?

We know that Aragorn was engaged in the Gondor wars when he was young(er) and that he met Denethor in that guise. Perhaps he even met both Boromir and Faramir as children as well.

Timelines anyone????


----------



## HLGStrider (Aug 24, 2004)

I once brought this up in an old thread and I'll see if I can find it for you. . .but Faramir would've been; I think; about three when Aragorn departed Gondor. It is POSSIBLE Faramir had some vague memory of Aragorn and even more possible that Aragorn knew of Faramir but only as a the son of Denethor. Their paths are never said to cross after that.


----------



## HLGStrider (Aug 24, 2004)

*AH! I have found the links!*

Here we are. . .the thread I mentioned plus its sister thread. . .the topic you addressed is touched upon briefly.


http://www.thetolkienforum.com/showthread.php?t=4677

http://www.thetolkienforum.com/showthread.php?t=8874

Even if they don't go far in answering your question, you may enjoy them as they are.


----------



## Valandil (Oct 30, 2004)

Elanor2 said:


> Well put HLGStrider!
> 
> I'm now wondering. Could it be that Aragorn felt like a fosterfather to Faramir (and even Boromir)?
> 
> ...



2978 - Boromir born
2980 - Aragorn (Thorongil) leaves Gondor after the victory at Umbar
2983 - Faramir born

It's possible that Aragorn bounced Boromir on his knee (likely comment/thought at Rivendell: _'My, how you've GROWN! I knew you when you were thiiiiisss big! Here now, let me pinch your cheeks!' _   ), but I think it unlikely if Denethor was around.

Back to the original comment though, I take that as a statement about the nature of Faramir himself... I don't think Gandalf so much 'rubbed off' on him, or anything... but his nature was to be noble, pure, true, brave, good, kind, wise... the ideal qualities of 'The West' - whether Numenor or Valinor.


----------

