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Originally Posted by Aaron
Not really. I never felt an ounce of pity for Eowyn, Arwen meanwhile truly was doomed but it was a doom created by her own ignorance. Surely no intelligent person would give up immortality? That is the problem when one is governed by the heart and not the head.
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Oh, you romantic...
And after all, what does one's life mean when he has nothing to live for? Literally, you can preserve immortality, but "dwell in the dimming world...", in the material way, you might be immortal, but actually, you are not alive anymore. Your *real* life is gone, and how do you get it back?
And the most tragic moment? I'd consider before I say "tragic" that there are few really "tragic" moments in Tolkien's work - both LotR and Sil are much rather, as said by d*p up there, "full of sorrow on each page" (well, maybe not each, but mostly) - but this is, in most cases, compensated by joy, happiness, or just a blink of hope, which makes all the sorrowful things seem in some other light even beautiful: beautiful and sad, that is I think the best description for all LotR. Even Fingolfin's death, much like Maedhros' rescue by Fingon, have glimpses of joy in them: in case of Fingolfin, there is his bravery and what he was able to do before he died: he hurt Morgoth seven times. And even then, you see, his body was not left to rot dishonorably in Angband (or worse), but it was taken out by the Eagles. I should mention that I associate Fingolfin's death with one similar moment, which I consider similar weight, but it is not from Silmarillion nor from LotR: it is the death of Thorin Oakenshield, as mentioned by Volo. His last speech to Bilbo is a moment which would make me cry, as much as it did move Bilbo. And Maedhros and Fingon - this is a beautiful example of restoring friendship, and of a friendship stronger than anything, although the picture of the beautiful and gifted Noldo being tortured by tying him up there on Thangorodrim and then having to get his arm cut by his best friend is rather tragic, it is one of the strongest moments of all for me.
Bethberry, you are right about the women - taking not just Arwen, Eowyn, but even Entwives or Elladan,Elrohir&Arwen's mother Celebrían... women had never joyful fate in Tolkien's work. Not mentioning the Old Test.... eh, meaning Silmarillion women
Finduilas, Nienor, Melian... Lúthien *ahem* we all know it...
But if I had to say if there were some whose fate was really tragic, REALLY TRAGIC, without any compensation for their suffering, or at least which I consider not to have died by such a heroic death, you know, those who were not celebrated at least in their death, I'd say Túrin Turambar.