"She is fearless and high-hearted. All love her. Let her be as lord..." so spoke Hama asking for Eowyn to be left as steward when Theoden goes to war.

Do you think people tend to overlook her election as leader of the people, when Theoden had assumed he'd leave a man? Do you think this was right to let her rule in her uncle's stead while he was off to war, or should he have disregarded his people's desires and let her come to war and left someone else to rule them?

Any other thoughts on this?

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Eowyn would have made a good stewardess, but perhaps at a different time. While she was genuinely good and loyal, she wasn't ready for the task yet, and her heart was elsewhere... on the battlefield. She needed more experience and maturation before she would truly be ready for a responsibility like that. Of course, there was no more time left to get experience in war or leading by the time that this takes place. Eowyn didn't want to govern at home, in a more passive role than being on the battlefield. She wanted to fight for what she loved, hand-to-hand, physically helping to defeat the enemy. At home, the danger was lesser, the types of challenges different. Maybe if Eowyn had had the experience of fighting in battles before she was appointed stewardess, the hunger and drive to fight would not have been as intense. Also, this experience would have helped her to rule, in event of a battle needing to be fought on home territory, for some reason.

I don't think that Theoden completely understood, or wanted to understand, Eowyn's nature, despite how much he loved her. Like a good father figure, he wanted what was best for her; like a good ruler, he also wanted what was best for his country. Hama's words would obviously have made a great deal of sense - Eowyn's courage, and the people's loyalty to her made her quite the reasonable choice. Yet he knew that she desperately wanted to come to war with him. Rohan was farther away from the heat of the war; he was going right into the fire, as it were. Certainly Rohan would be a safer place for Eowyn to be, and she would be able to use the strength she possessed to guide the people until the time Theoden returned, if he was to return. However, he underestimated the flame of passion inside Eowyn - it stretched toward the greater fire, it would not idly shrink and die.

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Beautiful words about a beautiful spirit, Nerissa.

I haven't read the books in a while so I will keep it short since I might be influenced too much by the movies.

I agree with you that being King or ruler of a country is a very special position. The good ruler will always put service to the people and the country above him/herself and that takes a strong and committed personality. I believe Eowyn possesses all the necessary qualities to take on such a duty at that critical point. She might not look like it or wish it at all but I'm sure she is mature in her heart and would put her loyalty to her king and her country above her own wishes and desires. It runs in her blood and she knows her duty.
Even if it would make her miserable for the moment. The Rohirric is a rough people and Eowyn has already proven she is a woman who has the heart of a man. But she is also pragmatic and I think she would grow with the task.
As the queen she would definitely get her share of battles. Rohan consists of tribes and clans and there would surely be both internal disagreements at times as well as external threats over the years. No matter how hard it may sound I'm sure Eowyn would let her passing love for Aragorn fade until it was only a sweet memory from when she was young and .. well, young!
But well, all this was only hypothetical.

Nerissa, what do you mean that Theoden might not understand Eowyn? Or well, I can see what you mean that he wanted what was best and safest for her. Hmm.. when I think about it I think you're right.. he might or might not understand her (well, even Theoden has been young once!) but I think he also thinks of his duty to the people. Rohan can not be without a leader in such difficult times and so he must send their best card - Eowyn - regardless of her passion for war or battle or Aragorn!

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Thank you. I do agree that Eowyn possessed the qualities of a good leader. She was self-sacrificing, and loyal above all else. Had she stayed, though, I believe she would have always regretted it.
Besides that, LotR would have had a slightly different ending. The Eowyn/Faramir relationship would not have blossomed, and neither of them would have been able to grow and heal as they did, emotionally. Alright, I'll go put my E&F shipping fanaticism away for now.
I like what you said about Eowyn growing with the task. I suppose it would have been more of a "train-as-you-go" type of experience for her, through the ins and outs of governing and warfare.

Theoden had so much to think about at the time. First and foremost, there was his country. Then, there were his loved ones. Leaving Eowyn as stewardess seemed to answer two dilemmas at once. It would be easier to leave Eowyn as stewardess than it would be to have her in the very heart of danger, and the people loved her and were loyal to her. So, she would be safer and more protected, and the homeland would be strong under her. Obviously, these were the things most important to him, and must have most influenced his decision. But it was Eowyn's spirit that he seems to have underestimated, or perhaps mostly left out of the equation. She wanted to be the most help she could, despite the cost to herself. It was her love and loyalty that drove her out to war, while it was Theoden's love and loyalty that would have kept her at home. That spirit in Eowyn was not one that would easily wither and die, especially not when she had already made up her mind and steeled her will.

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