I haven't read the book recently, but I'm sure it's the same as it is in the movie:
What does she mean when she says that her greatest fear is a cage?

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Shadows of Isildur - Become who you were meant to be!

Eowyn does not want be in a cage, like a bird per se. She does not want to be trapped in a small cage where it is in her nature to fly, but she is a prisoner, unable to move. Stifled from spreading her wings.

Eowyn wants to fight, to make something of herself to live up to her title of a Daughter of Kings. She does not want to be like the women who stay at home and await their husbands return before doing anything... she wants to live her life the way she wants, fight alongside those she love...

does that make any sense?

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The waves that C R A S H E D upon
The R O C K S that you were trying to step along

And in my head I heard them play a S O N G

*nods*

what she said. *points up*

lol


Basically the way I understood it but I may add this.


I figured she was talking about Theoden not letting her do things like fight and such as mentioned above. I may just be reading into it but i got the the idea that she had been "supressed" her whole life and forced to live a "ladies" life when she wanted to fight, adventure, and be free to do her own will.

Just the idea I had when i saw the scene... *shrugs*



And while I'm here let me say welcome to the forum!!!!

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Visit The Varsian Kingdom!

I also think it had a lot to do with seeing Theoden become more and more under Wormtounge's spell. I'm sure she saw him as a king who would lead people to battle, then watched him as he sat in his throne and did nothing. To her, he was caged inside Meduseld, never doing anything worthwhile - even going out to the people.

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going on a journey through my old claims

she does not want to be imprisoned.

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the best book ever is LORD OF THE RINGS

well.... yes... I guess it is like the metaphor of "a golden cage"

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Elen síla lumenn' omentielvo

You could say she was a Middle-earth feminist, in that she felt the injustice in not being allowed to do the same things as men. It's part of what makes her such an interesting character.

It always reminds me of a line from the poem "The Schoolboy" by William Blake:

"How can the bird that is born for joy
Sit in a cage and sing?"

Although obviously from a totally different perspective to Eowyn's, I think that sums up her feelings quite well.