Great post! If I might split a few hairs here, in the spirit of "yes-and":
"But what if Éowyn has misread the situation? What if riding off to almost certain death is not a privilege, but a burden? What if men ride into battle not to win glory, but to defend their homes? And what if they are defending those homes not for themselves alone, but also for the women and children?"
It's true that riding off to almost certain death is a burden, and that the men riding into battle are doing it to defend their homes. It's *also* true that winning glory in battle is a *major* way to earn respect and improve one's reputation in her culture.
"If so, then Éowyn is privileged. She is not required to lay down her life unless all the men have laid down theirs."
She *is* required to lay down her life if the men fail, though. She's been specifically assigned to lead and defend the remainder of the people in the absence of her uncle and brother, and if they fail she will still have to do the work of dying in battle without the rightful wage of being remembered with honor.
She is suicidal, yes. She is acting as though glory in battle (or marrying a powerful man like Aragorn, who would treat her with the respect and honor her uncle and brother had been unwilling or unable to provide) is the only way to prove her worth. But in the context in which she was raised, she's not *wrong*. Her character arc isn't learning that she's been stubbornly clinging to a model of self-worth that she made up for herself - it's learning that the model of self-worth she had been taught isn't the only way to live. And it's worth noting that while she becomes a healer in a community where healing is highly respected, Faramir (who himself "uses the sword only to enable the coming of peace") and Aragorn both explicitly acknowledge that she *has* won glory in battle.
Fantastic essay, Amy! This surely flips the common script on Éowyn. She came to her understanding of her role, if you will, through pain and hardship, bitter experience, in a different way than her future husband did, who found his through the wisdom of lore and personal counsel from the wise (Gandalf, especially). They are the perfect match, brought together in healing through the hands of the King.
The arc of Galadriel's story is similar, without the shame of becoming merely objectified by others. She was drawn towards the glories of battles and dominions. But found her fulfillment in a "diminished" role of healing and making things grow, remaining her true self.
It's worth remembering, also, that Eowyn did not GIVE UP the sword as much as she TRANSCENDED it. By choosing to become a healer, she effectively sets herself as equal to the king himself; it was not because of his sword or his lineage that the people of Minas Tirith first accepted Aragorn as king, but rather for his skill as a healer. And she never repudiated her past; she carried the sobriquet "of the Shield-Arm" with pride for the rest of her days.
Ooh. This is intruiging. I have always personally liked the ending Eowyn got. She is such an interesting and three dimensional character, and you understand her so well, it seems. Thank you for a fascinating commentary!
Great analysis. I feel better.
Great post! If I might split a few hairs here, in the spirit of "yes-and":
"But what if Éowyn has misread the situation? What if riding off to almost certain death is not a privilege, but a burden? What if men ride into battle not to win glory, but to defend their homes? And what if they are defending those homes not for themselves alone, but also for the women and children?"
It's true that riding off to almost certain death is a burden, and that the men riding into battle are doing it to defend their homes. It's *also* true that winning glory in battle is a *major* way to earn respect and improve one's reputation in her culture.
"If so, then Éowyn is privileged. She is not required to lay down her life unless all the men have laid down theirs."
She *is* required to lay down her life if the men fail, though. She's been specifically assigned to lead and defend the remainder of the people in the absence of her uncle and brother, and if they fail she will still have to do the work of dying in battle without the rightful wage of being remembered with honor.
She is suicidal, yes. She is acting as though glory in battle (or marrying a powerful man like Aragorn, who would treat her with the respect and honor her uncle and brother had been unwilling or unable to provide) is the only way to prove her worth. But in the context in which she was raised, she's not *wrong*. Her character arc isn't learning that she's been stubbornly clinging to a model of self-worth that she made up for herself - it's learning that the model of self-worth she had been taught isn't the only way to live. And it's worth noting that while she becomes a healer in a community where healing is highly respected, Faramir (who himself "uses the sword only to enable the coming of peace") and Aragorn both explicitly acknowledge that she *has* won glory in battle.
This is more correct.
Fantastic essay, Amy! This surely flips the common script on Éowyn. She came to her understanding of her role, if you will, through pain and hardship, bitter experience, in a different way than her future husband did, who found his through the wisdom of lore and personal counsel from the wise (Gandalf, especially). They are the perfect match, brought together in healing through the hands of the King.
The arc of Galadriel's story is similar, without the shame of becoming merely objectified by others. She was drawn towards the glories of battles and dominions. But found her fulfillment in a "diminished" role of healing and making things grow, remaining her true self.
It's worth remembering, also, that Eowyn did not GIVE UP the sword as much as she TRANSCENDED it. By choosing to become a healer, she effectively sets herself as equal to the king himself; it was not because of his sword or his lineage that the people of Minas Tirith first accepted Aragorn as king, but rather for his skill as a healer. And she never repudiated her past; she carried the sobriquet "of the Shield-Arm" with pride for the rest of her days.
Ooh. This is intruiging. I have always personally liked the ending Eowyn got. She is such an interesting and three dimensional character, and you understand her so well, it seems. Thank you for a fascinating commentary!
I quite enjoyed this. Thank you.
It's always more complicated under the surface.