Thinking about this, I kind of think... "would Arwen have the strength to do any of this?" It's weird how compelling it is to compare two of the only female characters in LOTR!

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~~Siggy by Lembas~~

Well, personally I don't think Arwen would have the courage to fight the Witchking, not like Eowyn did. In the book, Arwen is not at all a fighting person, and in the movie her only scene to have something similar to really fight would be her protecting Frodo against the Nazgul. She did not physically fight there, but to defeat them she used elven magic.
Eowyn instead has to face the horror of being in a huge battle, surrounded by death, cruelty, blood, pain, all she has is her strength to fight with, her sword. She is physically totally involved, having in the back of her head the fear of losing someone she loves, having monsters right in front of her which she needs to kill. Eowyn probably never before has killed anyone, not even an orc, and now she finds herself in battle, with the needed strength and strategies in her head, but now she needs to perform these against her enemies, with the consequence that if she fails she dies.

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Considering all this, I don't think Arwen could have done it. I mean, in the book, she spends most of her time in Rivendell and Lothlorien, probably under the watchful eye of guards and many people who will protect her. She probably didn't have to lift a finger. In saying this, I'm not saying anything against her - I'm just thinking, in these ways Eowyn is a lot stronger than Arwen.

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~~Siggy by Lembas~~

Well, in this category, Eowyn surely is the stronger one. I appreciate Arwen's strengths and do not wish to say anything against her, even although I admire Eowyn way more, for me she's THE hero.
I just wonder where Eowyn actually learned how to weild a sword in such perfect way, Eomer and also Theoden seem rather not pleased having her endangered, so why teach her? I can't remember any sequence about this right now...

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Hmm. I wonder who did teach her. In the film she tells Aragorn "women of this country learnt years ago". I think maybe it was just taught as a precaution, in case something happened, but not with the intention of ever sending her out to fight.

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~~Siggy by Lembas~~

Yes, I thought so too. But in the movie I had the impression she was the only woman who could defend herself with a sword. Just think of the Battle of Helm's Deep, how many old women and old men there were. the women were sent into the Glittering Caves to be held save, and in the scene which was cut out where an orc manages to get into the caves, it is Eowyn who fights him.
So, I'm not sure if the others are able to fight as well, or if Eowyn is an exception.

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Hmm.
I did get the feeling she was the only one of the women who could fight and defend herself. It would be interesting to know if the others could fight.
I like the scene where Eowyn is getting Merry ready for battle with his own little helmet! It was so kind of her. Both of them weren't allowed to fight but were determined to anyway.

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~~Siggy by Lembas~~

Well, maybe we find a hint on whether all of the women are able to fight, or just Eowyn as Shieldmaiden, I really would like to know!

And yes, this scene was marvellous, although it seems I haven't seen it anymore for ages! What I remember, they both help each other in some way to keep their courage, to remind themselves what they will be fighting for.

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*Nods*

Merry and Eowyn make a pretty good team, in the film at least anyway. I love the bit when Merry enthusiastically draws his sword, exclaiming, "I'm ready!", nearly slicing Eowyn in two... though the sword's actually not blunt.

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~~Siggy by Lembas~~

Lol That scene somehow was so cute, even although he almost cut Eowyn, but him just pretending to be a warrior, at the same time as being a hobbit... Well, they surely tried their best together, and definitely did it well, killing the Witchking

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It's weird... Merry somehow got taken under the wing of the Rohirrim, and Pippin was the same with Gondor! And they both have some connection with Eowyn and Faramir.

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~~Siggy by Lembas~~

Indeed, these two parallel stories have so much in common! Tho to be honest I can't quite remember Faramir and Pippin in the book together, it's been a too long time since I've read these parts...
So I have to take the movies there... Pippin seems to have found a friend in Faramir, and saves his life, while with Eowyn and Merry just the same happens, Merry saves her life with stabbing the Witchking from behind. I'm sure this was planned by Tolkien to already get the impression of how similar Eowyn and Faramir are, and that they would find their way together, with a little help of the halflings.

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Yes, the whole idea seemed very well planned out. I can remember from the book Pippin being there at council meetings with Denathor, Gandalf and Faramir, and witnessing just how cruel the steward was to his son.

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~~Siggy by Lembas~~

Well, in the movie Denethor definitely is portrayed as the 'bad' one, focusing only on Boromir, but forgetting that he has another son. In the book, Denethor is corrupted by one of the Palantiri, but that somehow is left out in the movie, although it surely would explain his actions better.
I wonder how Denethor, if he would have lived to see Faramir marrying Eowyn, would behave towards them both, if his attitude would change towards Faramir, and how he would treat Eowyn.

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Yes, it does have a piece in the book when Denathor goes into a room and light flashes from a window, then comes out looking grey. But in the film it does hint at his use of the Palantir when he says to Gandalf: "Do you think that the eyes of the White Tower are blind? I have seen more than you know."
Well, Denathor meeting Eowyn would be an interesting experience! I guess we'll never know. Denathor can be pretty unpredictable, so I guess he could act either way.

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~~Siggy by Lembas~~

Well, yes, this quote gives a hint that he might have seen into the Palantir. But, for people who haven't read the books it remains totally unclear what he means with it, although it is the same quote in the book as well.

Hmm... I made up my mind that Denethor probably would have changed his mind towards Faramir, after he is brought back half dead from Osgiliath. But Eowyn, I'm not so sure if he would treat her nicely as he should... he gives me the impression that he thinks Rohan to be so low down in comparison with Gondor, and that maybe Faramir, HIS only remaining son, shouldn't marry someone from this corner of earth.

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