[alatar]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

Now there's an interesting point. Is book Arwen really just a trophy, or is it our modern minds interpreting her to be as such? For myself, it does at first appear that she is a rather old fashioned idea of perfect womanhood, but there is much in her character which is deeper than that. In that she inspires Aragorn to such great deeds, doesn't she actually have an incredible power over him?

Never saw her as a trophy bride, something to be won. She and he decided to make a life together in ME. He knew that she would elope with him, but he loved her, and so would not demean her by even suggesting the same. Aragorn even wanted her to 'be free' as he loved her so much.

But of course she didn't listen to a word of it.

In order to have a safe neighborhood in which to raise their children, Aragorn simply had to destroy Mordor and become king of the reunited north and south kingdoms - think that my wife made similar simple requests before we got hitched .

Sometimes I wonder if PJ's interpretation and presentation of Arwen was in response to our modern era and the need to have positive female role models. He did indeed alter a major character and change her into a figure of action rather than a seemingly passive figure, but was he right to do this in terms of presenting positive female images? Is it right to take a long established female character and change her in order to make her a better role model for our times?

Did he need to make her a warrior? Can a woman be modern and 'active' and not carry a sword? I'm just glad that PJ did not have her at Helm's Deep.

To me it is more magical, more indicative of high romance, if they do not experience any intimacy until they are permitted to be married.

Very much agreed.

Aside from any physical urges, the thought that they cannot be together until the final goal has been achieved imparts a sense of yearning to the relationship, and gives Aragorn a sense of urgency! And remember it is a serious business for Arwen to marry a mortal; when she does so the day will quickly come when she must say goodbye to her entire family forever, with no meeting after death as the Elves are tied to Arda. So I would not doubt that she would be prepared to wait until everything was perfect.

In the film, Aragorn is uncertain about his destiny, but in the books he is not. How much of this is due to the 'promise' of Arwen at the end of his duties? In the films, if he is already 'maried' to her, then he does not need to have a sense of urgency about following his destiny except for satisfying the desires of everyone else. In the books, he also has personal reasons for following his destiny.

Doesn't the concept of delayed gratification exist? What does it say about the character of a person who succumbs (or not) to passion? I never got the feeling from the film that Aragorn or Arwen were saying, "Look...I'd really like to carry this further, but I got a job to do first." Doesn' t the story seem a bit better if these two really really want to enjoy the moment but abstain in order to fix Middle Earth first?