Gondor holds a strategic position south of Mordor, the domain of the evil lord Sauron. The passes from Mordor into the rest of Middle Earth lead directly into territory Gondor has traditionally held since the beginning of the age.
Gondor is, at the start of the story, held by the Lords of Gondor, the Steward Denethor and his sons, Boromir and Faramir. They maintain the kingdom from the white towers of Minas Tirith, the capitol city, until such time as the rightful king, Isildur's heir returns to claim his throne.
Men of Gondor in Tolkien's work generally hold positions that highlight three main virtues: valor, justice, and strength. In many cases, Gondor men exhibit valor: courage that stands even with a full understanding of the probable costs of so doing. Boromir is hailed as a valorous captain, whose exploits both in command of troops and in single combat with the enemy's minions have not seen an equal in living memory. Justice is also shown, with every choice leading to consequences- which is not limited within Tolkien's work to the men of Gondor, but the approach of such men is unique. They consistently seem to seek out the opportunity to make good on any debt incurred by a wrong choice. Boromir falls against impossible odds defending the Hobbits Merry and Pippin after betraying another Hobbit. Beregond, a member of the Royal Guard in Minas Tirith, is forced to leave his post to save Faramir's life, and makes a point later on to seek judgement from the new King of Gondor, Aragorn to atone for his lapse in duty. Finally, strength is shown consistently by the ability of the men of Gondor to overcome poor odds in battle, and is implied in the meaning of the word Gondor: Land of Stone.
