[davem]

So passed the sword of the Barrow-downs, work of Westernesse. But glad would he have been to know its fate who wrought it slowly long ago in the North-kingdom when the Dunedain were young, and chief among their foes was the dread realm of Angmar and its sorcerer king. No other blade, not though mightier hands had wielded it, would have dealt that foe a wound so bitter, cleaving the undead flesh, breaking the spell that knit his unseen sinews to his will.

I found this interesting - what is the nature of the WK's 'sinews' if they are 'unseen' - in fact, what is 'undead flesh'? Maybe we've all seen too many vampire movies, heard too many references to the 'Undead', but if 'flesh' is not 'alive' what is it? The WK's flesh, his 'sinews', are bound to his will by a 'spell'. It seems that in his 'will' resides his 'power' over his 'flesh'.

So what seems to have happened is that the moment the Barrow Blade entered his 'flesh' it broke his 'will' - ie the 'spell' of the blade bound about with spells for the bane of Mordor remember) was intended to overcome the 'spell' which held the WK's sinews to his will.

So, what we see is a kind of 'battle of wills' - which the WK loses. The magic of the blade is more powerful than the 'magic' of the WK. So, we have an example of Numenorean 'magic' (possibly Elvish in origin) overcoming the power of Sauron in the WK. Not having any information to hand & the Encyclopedia of Arda & Foster's Guide not being much help, does anyone know whether the WK was a Numenorean himself?

Whatever. What we also have is Eowyn's naming of him 'dwimmerlaik' or phantom. He has 'sinews', he can wield a mace & break her arm, yet it seems that he is rather a 'will', controlling a physical vehicle, & that his 'body' is as much a thing subject to his will as is his Fell Beast or the mace he uses. Its as if the Barrow Blade severs 'him' (his 'will') from the physical realm, breaks his hold on this world, & the result is that he is removed into the other world forever. He (like the High Elves) has existed in both realms, but unlike the Elves he has, since his subjugation to Sauron, truly belonged only in the other world. Only his 'will' enabled him to control things in this world. He is truly a 'wraith', a 'phantom'. The Barrow Blade has cut his link with this world. Its interesting that in folklore the inhabitants of the other world, the fairies, fear iron as it makes them powerless to act on one who bears it.

Certainly, what we witness on the Pelennor is yet another crushing of Sauron's power at the (long dead) hands of a Numenorean. Just as a Numenorean blade (symbolically - I know Narsil was made by Telchar!) cut the Ring from his finger & destroyed his body 'cleaving the undead flesh, breaking the spell that knit his unseen sinews to his will.' so his greatest servant suffers the same fate. Sauron must have felt both anger & fear when he realised his servant's fate.

EDIT

Originally Posted by Celuien

...here at least I think she is acting not only out of the recklessness of despair, but also out of both her upbringing in Rohan and a love that outweighs any fear. All three acting together are an amazing combination.

What strikes me most in this context is the different responses of Eowyn & Denethor. Both face the same fate (as they believe at least) - their own deaths, the death of a close relative, the ending of their House. But they respond in opposite ways. Denethor seeks to make his own death, his son's & his House's end a fact - its as if he has decided that its so inevitable that he'll join it & help it happen. Eowyn on the other hand, for all she believes herself to be seeking death actually isn't, & when it comes to it she faces it down. If she must die she will go out with a bang. Denethor literally goes out with a whimper.

Both have been through the most severe depression - clinical depression we might say - death is at the end of the road each has chosen, but when they get to that end, confront death face to face, Eowyn defies it. And she does it without any real hope of success - unlike in the movie, where she says she will 'kill' the WK if he touches Theoden in the book she merely says she will smite him - 'knowing' that that will make not a bit of difference. The point is that when it comes to it, when all she can do at the last, is 'spit' in her enemy's eye before he kills here she does precisely that.

The WK is a symbol for both of them, Denethor & Eowyn, he is their 'depression', the black cloud that has covered them for so long, made (undead) flesh. Denethor allows himself to be consumed by that cloud, Eowyn strikes at it. If she calls him 'phantom' it is both because that is his true nature & also because he is the 'emptiness', the 'nothingness' of her life. When she cries 'Begone foul Dwimmerlaik!' she is crying out as much at her own, internal, WK as against her foe on the battlefield. That act of defiance, as anyone who has suffered from depression will tell you, is what seperates the 'victims' from the 'survivors'. Its not the fact of death - which is inevitable - but our response to it, which is important.

But what of Eomer? What is his response to the death of his kin & the seeming inevitability of his own death & the destruction of his people?

'Eowyn, Eowyn!' he cried at last. 'Eowyn, how come you here? What madness or devilry is this? Death, death, death! Death take us all!'
Then without taking counsel or waiting for the approach of the men of the City, he spurred headlong back to the front of the great host, and blew a horn, and cried aloud for the onset. Over the field rang his clear voice calling: 'Death! Ride, ride to ruin and world's ending!'

Perhaps a little too close to Denethor's for comfort?