Recently requested by EchoOfMercy:
Could you do a post on the faults of Eowyn next? :)First of all they all have faults. Legolas, Arwen, Elrond, Galadriel, you name it! They are all sinners! So what is the difference between them and Eowyn? Actually, there is a big difference. The characters I've mentioned, while they are filled with sin, they have the desire to do good. Eowyn on the other hand, is quite the opposite. There is
nothing good, pure, or honorable about feminism, and while reading Tolkien's books, or watching Jackson's movies, that is basically what you read/watch when Eowyn enters.
"All your words are but to say: you are a woman, and your part is in the house."That's just it, are part
is in the house, and this is something that Eowyn is simply not willing to accept. Many will blame it on Eowyn's culture, but it is
not the culture's fault. There is nothing wrong with teaching a woman how to fight! Indeed, Eowyn was right when she said:
"Those without swords can still die upon them"But when it comes to a point where you have a desire to fight alongside men, there's the problem. It is a shame for a woman to fight, and Tolkien could not make this more clear. Eowyn was a feminist, and we cannot blame it on the culture.
Should we pity Eowyn?I have often been asked this question, and really the answer is up to you. I am not going to curse you for liking Eowyn or having pity upon her. I pity that she did not know the joy of femininity. Eowyn went through a loss losing her parents, but we must remember Eomer. Eomer is also a Man's man, and he knew that it was not a woman's place to go out to war. Those attitudes do not come from just nowhere, so therefore I do not pity Eowyn.
Concerning her "love" for Aragorn:Oh, was there not a person in the crowd who did not simply swoon when Aragorn came on screen? So, why didn't Eowyn have her right to give away her love for Aragorn? Indeed, she had no right whatsoever. I often find myself annoyed when people tell me that Aragorn "led Eowyn on", but let me ask you, when did he do that? If he did, I must have missed something. Eowyn was going after a man's heart, that was already taken. There is nothing pure or feminine about that. Eowyn did not approach Aragorn in a proper way, so there is no excuse for any behavior with Aragorn.
Arwen VS Eowyn
I try very hard not to get into these debates, because honestly, there is no debate. Arwen was pure in the heart, but Eowyn did not know a woman's part.
I have often been "chewed out" for saying this, but I believe that Arwen went through more suffering then Eowyn. Eowyn's parents were killed, yes. But Arwen's mother left her, and Elrond, and I cannot imagine the pain and confusion Arwen went through. They both sinned, yes. But there is a big difference. Look at it this way:
Arwen learned from her mistakes.
Eowyn ignored her her mistakes.
And let this be our end.
I am not an Eowyn fan, I used to be, but I was an Athiest and feminist then. After I became a Christian, my opinions changed a bit, actually a lot. And this is just how I feel about Eowyn, Tolkien felt the same also. Considering the woman who Eowyn was based on in Tolkien's life, Eowyn is not a good role model at all, and is not a character I would recommend for a favorite.
