Ah, yes! I love the way you said that. It's like she found fulfillment when she met Faramir. But it's more than just fulfillment. She was searching all her life because she was insecure about herself, maybe. She goes off to battle because she thinks she can find satisfaction in either fighting for a good cause or dying for it. Well, she comes out alive (barely), her uncle dead, and Eomer becomes king of Rohan...but through it all, she finds her 'meaning in life' through becoming a healer and Faramir's wife. I know the film wouldn't be able to portray all that, or it would be really long, but through the book, you find the depth of Eowyn's character, and I think it's intriguing.

Wow. You hit it right on the head. I think that a lot too. I also think that she was a bit more love sick for Aragorn, not the flirty "Have some stew" kind of person. But she is a strong person.

I really hate both. Arwen is really boring and Eowyn is a sook.

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Originally Black Rider 11... Cut short and not so sweet.


Wanna Glitter name? Just ask

Ok, let me start by stating the obvious. People prefer oethers they can relate too.

Ok now lets look at Eowyn.

Yes most can relate to her.

Now Arwen.

Some can realate to her but not many.

Ok another obvious statement. People like those that are stronger tehn themselves.

Ok lets look at Eowyn.

Any one who says Eowyn is not strong... I am sorry, you obviously dont know what strangth is. Imagine this. Your parents died when you were young. Your people are slowly being killed off. Your fatehr figure is sick. Your brother (you think) abandoned you. AND to make matters worse there is a snakish looking guy hitting on you. ok. BUT she is prepared to (if she must) take on the responsability of suprime ruler of the kingdom.
And last but not least, the person she turnes to, when he finds out his babe is coming back to him, dumps her. Ok, if that isnt strangth I dont know what is.

Arwen.

Yes she is strong in her belifes, in her love and her life. She shows it thru her love for aragorn.

ok next obvios statement. People like those who look nice


In my views... Eowyn(Miranda) is one of the prettiest people alive! But, she has a human beauty. Where Liv, is more unearthly/movie star pretty. She is amazingly beautiful.

Ok, I prefer Eowyn. Here is why.

1. She kinda looks like me. pale, blue eyes, blonde hair
2. She has the stranghth to endure hard times. As I(in a much smaller perportion) have had to do.
3. She knows how to kick butt, and has no problem doing it.
4. She like myself is competitive. Her life is about proving she is just as good as men.
5. She gets over her grief with Aragorn, and moves on. unlike many Wemon who, will stay thinking about that person for their whole life.

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Missing Charlie already!

Beautifully put, vikingmaiden. Basically, the two complete eachother. They provide the piece the other was missing. Aragorn did not have that piece, or at least not for her, but Faramir did.

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"...that kind of music in general turns my stomach. It's nice that they do have fans, though." -Nienor

Just one thing. Aragorn never liked Eowyn in that way she that statement is not exactly applicable.

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I prefer Eowyn, and not so much because she's human and I can relate to her. She is someone who fights for those that she loves and does absolutely all she can for them.
But Arwen... I don't understand why Tolkien didn't make Aragorn's love a more impressive character. I mean, all his female characters are pretty amazing. Look at Luthien. She fell in love with a human, who was given an impossible task to complete in order to marry her (and I think Elrond alowed Arwen to marry Aragorn only if he was made King). But she didn't sit around waiting to see if he'll make it. She helped him all the way. And didn't give up even when he died! Now, that's something!
Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike Arwen, I just feel that Tolkien didn't complete the character. I mean, in his world of great deeds and sacrifice, just giving up your immortal life seems not enough to stand out.

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*jumps in* Whoo! Hang on a sec! "just giving up your immortal life"? "Just"? That is one heck of a big just that we're talking about here.
I guess we should say that she also just decided to leave her family, people, and whole world behind her forever... she just gives her love to a man who will probably be killed at any moment... she just spends years and years hoping and loving and staying constant...
There's more to a person's stregnth than physical action. Can you imagine waiting all those long years for something that would probably never happen? I don't think I'd want to.

All in all, there's a different kind stregnth in Arwen that I think we've lost today, and that needs to be regained. Paitence, Hope, Love, Fidelity... all these are wonderful things that we all should have a portion of. And for those things, I admire Arwen.
And I don't say she's better than Eowyn, or the other way around! They each are wonderful role models, and I'm not gonna dare presume to lift one above the other. They're both amazing characters created by The Professor, and that's that.

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~I am a Shieldmaiden for Christ!~
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Doll base

OK, I can see how "just giving up immortal life" sounds wrong. You make some good points, Arsaniel. I was not talking about Arwen as a person, but as one of the characters. All that about what she's going through we have to imagine for ourselves. I don't understand her absence from the book. I think if there was at least one conversation between her and Aragorn or something like that it would have made all the difference. Something like the "I choose a mortal life" scene in the movie. That was really good.

Ok, may I clear up what I sayed before?

Eowyn(Tho she didnt relize it) never (again) NEVER loved Aragorn more then a sister brother relationship. She Saw Aragorn as one of the few people stronger then herself(in some ways, not all) As I sayed before People like those who are stronger then themselves. I think that in the movie they showed aragorn misleading her a little. He was not showing her that he didnt love her. he was ignoring it and hoping it would go away. But Eowyn, in the end relized the truth, and got amazing, sweet, gorgeous Faramir! SOunds good to me..

Any who, Arwen. I too must say(from the christian point of view) Imortailty... Big deal! But what people fail to think relize, is, that to Arwen, I dont think that was the HUGE issue in her mind. I think she was more thinking of never seeing her mother, father or brothers again. Thats what I would be thinking of.
I never said Arwen wasnt strong. But I think Eowyn is more masculine strong, Arwen is more Femanine strong. BOTH are admirable and should be desired.
And what I find funny, is that Aragorn(Mr. Macho, strong, brave, smart) gets Arwen(the visibley weaker(only from apearance) of the two). And Faramir(sweet, kind, caring, soft hearted) Gets Eowyn(Who is head strong, brave, strong) I always found that a little strange. But thats the beauty of Tolkines writings.

Ok, I think that Arwen and Aragorn, was a baeutifuly predictable match. Now I say beautiful is because it wasnt IN YOUR FACE obvious. Aragorn, was almost fallowed by a shadow of Arwen. Almost like a part of her was with him at all time. Tho she was rarely metioned in the book. WHen aragorn talks, he mentions her often. tho he doesnt come right out and say it. Wich I love!

And Eowyn and Faramir's relationship, Was beautifuly unpradictable! I loved how it was done! I think that its one of the greatest love stories EVER in the history of middle earth! I loved that pert of the book. I read it so many times!

Ok, too end this post! I must say that EVERY character in LOTR is amazing! I love every one of them. Tolkine spent over 15 years of his life developing them. I concider it a discrace to him, and his work, to hate his characters. So *raises cup* To Eowyn and Arwen! *toast!*

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Missing Charlie already!

I was thinking a lot about why I admire certain literary characters this morning (in the shower, actually )

Eowyn had dreams. She dreamt of marrying a king, and being a queen. She thought this was her destiny. When Aragorn came along, soon to be king, she thought her dreams were coming true. But marrying a king was not what was meant for her life, after all. She is heartbroken when Aragorn tells her that he does not love her. She never really loved him, just the idea of him. (I think a lot of girls are guilty of this-- myself included). While spending time in the Houses of Healing, she begins to let go of what she thought was her purpose in life, and begins to accept and embrace the real purpose for her life-- to marry and love Faramir. Faramir was the only one who could complete her.

So kids, the moral of the story is, its not bad to have dreams-- in fact, please please dream-- but those dreams may not always come true, because it wasn't what was meant for your life in the first place. Some dreams you'll have to let go of in order to live to your full potential.

//edit// this is not downplaying Arwen at all. I just simply haven't taken the time to analyze her character yet and understand what her life means to me

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"...that kind of music in general turns my stomach. It's nice that they do have fans, though." -Nienor

That's an interesting way of looking at it, and the way you tied it in with Eowyn was really interesting. I think the characters in lotr have such a relevance to our lives today. I mean, right now, I'm trying to figure out what to do with my life--you know, find a 'meaning' and what have you, and just reading the book can help you find answers so to speak...Hmm, I shall go and ponder this...

Wonderful Topic....its great to be able to see everyones opinions on certain characters

In my case I like Arwen more....I am facinated with the Elvish people's...she has such a mystical beauty and presence about herself...so careing and yet has her strength...but I also believe all the women have there certain presence in the whole scheme of things...without them it would not be the same...

<cheers> Everyone

I completely agree with what everyone has said. I can't believe I missed such a great conversation.



lol I guess opposites attract.



That was so beautiful Bellethiel! Gosh, I should write that down somewhere...

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Ever so lonely...

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I think one thing Tolkien may be portraying through these relationships (whether intentionally or not) is that life doesn't turn out the way you expected or planned.

Something a lot of people have been saying in this thread is that they think Aragorn and Arwen and Eowyn and Faramir were unequally matched. Some people have been saying that Aragorn and Eowyn were the fighters, so shouldn't they be together? But the thing is, life doesn't usually work out that way. How often do you see a (happily) married couple where the husband and wife are very similar (at least at the beginning of the marriage)? Marriage isn't two separate people. Its a single body. The two people have to complete eachother, make up for where the other person falls short. I think its beautiful.

Anyways, back to life not being the way you expect it. Eowyn expected to marry a king, a warrior, a fighting man. But then she met this man who taught her to live in peace--not just in terms of war and peace, but peace within herself. He completed her. He wasn't what she had expected, but he was what she needed.

Lets look at some other literary couples, shall we?

-Jo and Freidrich in Little Women. Jo had always dreamed of marrying a young, dashing, rougeish, somewhat wild man. Laurie was all this, but she knew he wasn't right for her, and then she vowed to nevery marry. Then she met Freidrich. Older, mellow, wise, and intellectual. But most importantly, he was right for her.

-Lizzy and Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. If you know this story at all, you know that Lizzy hated Darcy from the first time she met him, and he was the last man she ever expected to marry, but again, he was right for her.

I guess this is just something I've been learning lately. You can't cling too tightly to your expectations, because you don't have the big picture of what your life will be like, and therefore you can't know exactly what is right for you.

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"...that kind of music in general turns my stomach. It's nice that they do have fans, though." -Nienor