I guess as a mortal woman the one depiction I miss is that of the older "wise woman." This figure does play a role in fantasy and fairy tales, sometimes as the nasty hag and sometimes as the beneficent teacher guiding the hero or heroine.
Tolkien's older women, like Goldberry or Galadriel, are very old, indeed immortal. They are certainly very wise, but their shining beauty and eternal youth makes it harder for a mere human to identify with them, at least in this respect!
The one character I see in this role who appeals greatly to me is actually in Morgoth's Ring. This is the older wise woman whom Littemanpoet mentioned. Andreth who is in Morgoth's Ring has become one of my very favorite characters. Actually, I think of her more as a person, than a "character". She is the poignant older woman who had deeply loved Finrd's brother as a youth and, as a mortal, had not been able to marry him.
The disussion between the Elf Finrod and the human Andreth is one of the best portrayals of friendship and exchange of ideas that I have seen in all of Tolkien's writings. It is nice to see a male/female friendship as well as one which cuts across human and Elven lines. I almost wish there had been such a character in the LotR.
Iterestingly, this essay was done very late in Tolkien's life. And it has wonderful ideas about immortality and the healing of Arda and the possible entry of Eru into the world which I have not seen elsewhere. I just think it may have taken the author a while to work up to this depiction--an older woman, a male/female friendship, and the actual ideas of the essay.
I believe that all Tolkien's female characters have great depth, but, in this one, he seems to be striking out in a different direction than before and I find it fascinating.
Are their other depictions of this type in Silm or HoMe that I have overlooked?
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