12-26 - Faramir
Faramir
Early years of Faramir's life are described in the main narrative of The Lord of the Rings only passingly, with more detail revealed in the appendices. It is stated that Faramir was born in the year 2983 of the Third Age; his father, Denethor II, was a man of noble descent and the heir to the Stewardship of Gondor, ascending a year after Faramir's birth. Denethor had married Finduilas, daughter of Prince Adrahil of Dol Amroth; however, she died untimely when Faramir was five, and is said to have remained to him "but a memory of loveliness in far days and of his first grief".
After her death Denethor became sombre, cold, and detached from his family, but the relationship between Faramir and Boromir, who was five years older, only grew closer. The brothers greatly loved and highly esteemed each other, and neither in childhood nor in later years was there any jealousy or rivalry between them, even though Denethor openly favoured his elder son. Tolkien wrote that Faramir was used to giving way and not airing his own opinions. Among other things, Faramir displeased his father in that he welcomed the wizard Gandalf who occasionally visited Minas Tirith, the capital of Gondor. Being eager for knowledge, Faramir learned much from Gandalf about the history of the realm and about the death of Isildur.
Gondor had long been threatened by the nearby realm of Mordor, and in 3018 the Dark Lord Sauron began the War of the Ring, attacking the ruined city of Osgiliath that guarded the passage to Minas Tirith. Faramir and Boromir commanded the defence, and were among those few who survived when the eastern half of Osgiliath was captured and the bridges across the River Anduin were destroyed.
In The Fellowship of the Ring it is recounted that shortly before the battle Faramir had a prophetic dream, which later often recurred to him and once to Boromir. In this dream a voice spoke about a "Sword that was Broken" that was to be found at Imladris far to the north, about the awakening of "Isildur's Bane", approach of "Doom", and appearance of "the Halfling". Faramir decided to journey to Imladris and seek advice of Elrond the Half-elven, but Boromir claimed the errand for himself, fearing for his brother, and was approved by Denethor and a council of the elders; Faramir remained to defend Gondor.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faramir