From: krsear02@ulkyvx.louisville.edu (Kendall 'Opusii' Sears)
Subject: Re: Eowyn
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 16:58:55 GMT
Organization: University of Louisville

In article <1992Dec17.134052.22089@lgc.com>, mbs@zycor.lgc.com (Matt Shostak) writes:
> In article <1992Dec17.041745.6080@leland.Stanford.EDU> jchokey@leland.Stanford.EDU (James Alexander Chokey) writes:
>>In article <BzDoL6.Got@acsu.buffalo.edu> sulkom@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Mark Sulkowski) writes:
>>
>>>
>>>	Remember that Sam also settled down to comfortable home life.
>>>I'll bet many characters settled down.  Consider those that left to
>>>the West.  They probably settled down too in their own way.
>>>
>>
>>	That's very true.  But, as I noted in another post, Eowyn's 
>>settling-down into a domestic life has other resonances.  For her, settling
>>down also entails accepting a specific type of "female" role --  a role
>>that virtually every other humanoid female characters in LOTR occupies-- and
>>a role that Eowyn had previously rejected. 
>>
>>	I don't think this is purely speculation and interpretation--  There
>>seems to be a very real basis in the text for looking at Eowyn's actions 
>>in terms of "gender roles."  In her conversation with Aragorn, Eowyn uses 
>>language that indicates an awareness of the textual reality that being a 
>>warrior is a "man's job," while taking care of domestic affairs is a "woman's 
>>job." She says:  "Shall I always be left behind when the Riders depart, to 
>>mind the house while they win reknown, and find food and beds when they 
>>return? . . . All your words are but to say: you are a woman, and your part is
>>in the house.  But when the men have died in battle and honour, you have leave
>>to be burned in the house, for the men will need it no more.  But I am of the 
>>House of Eorl and not a serving-woman."  The fact that she has to disguise 
>>herself as a man in order to ride to battle with the Riders just drives home
>>the point that being a warrior is a specifically masculine activity in Rohan,
>>as in the rest of Middle-earth.  In going off to battle, Eowyn really _is_ 
>>challenging the gender roles that are encoded in LOTR.
> 
> How about an alternate explanation.  It is not because she is a woman per se,
> but because she is a woman of the ROYAL LINE that she is not allowed to go.
> Perhaps her use of the word "shieldmaiden" in one of her discussions
> suggests that there were such fighting women in Rohan, but just that she
> was not allowed to be one of them.

How about this....  Eowyn's *DESTINY* dictated that she be the way she is.
Her whole purpose in being born was to slay the Nazgul.  Remember that
no _man_ may slay him, but SHE is woman (hear her roar? ;-)

It is not that she was trying to break the "female role" for the "good/bad"
of all the women of the Rohirrim; she was driven by destiny, just as Bilbo's
destiny was to find the ring.

Eowyn didn't _decide_ to settle down either. She was forced into submission by
Aragorn in a pseudo-Royal decree.  Her eventual settlement was because she had
fulfilled her role, just as Frodo and Bilbo BOTH felt the need/urge to settle
down once their roles were finished.  If you'll (generic you) reread the
series (I have MANY times) you should notice that _every_ character settles
down after their role is finished.  This may be attributed to peace but in
my studies of the series (and supporting literature) I have found a pattern
in those who play major parts (and often the minor parts as well) of settling
into docility (word?) after their parts are finished.

Not believing that he got into this discussion
  Kendall.

-- 

   Kendall Sears                   KRSEAR02@ULKYVX.bitnet
   Programmer                             ///
   Child Development Unit                /// Amiga
   Department of Pediatrics          \\\/// Currently running AmigaOS 2.04
   University of Louisville           \XX/ And Supporting Unix Sys V Rev 4.
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"Numbness is bliss... I can't feel a thing." -me.

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