Why their were no women in the fellowship

[Mithalwen]

Originally Posted by The Saucepan Man

What makes you say film-Arwen is a Xenarwen figure? Heck, all she ended up doing was riding with Frodo to the Ford and defying the Nazgul when she knew Daddy would bring a flood down on them if they came any further. Hardly qualifies her for warrior-princess status.

And, more importantly, what's to say that book-Arwen wouldn't have been a Xenarwen, or at least a tad more tough in a pinch than she is made out to be, had she been given the opportunity. Luthien is the precedent here, after all.

To clarify - Since this was a MIRTH thread and the Xenarwen expression had already been used, I used it as a shorthand caveat for " I was outraged that PJ was preparing to corrupt the story by sending Arwen to fight at helm's deep (a bigger corruption even than sending Haldir, blah, blah ), miffed that even the remaining expanded role deprived me of one of my favourite cute elf-boys - three since no Elladan and Elrohir either ), and while I have nothing much against "book" Arwen other than her extreme dullness she has now become melded in my mind with Liv Tyler. And there is something about Liv Tyler that is so irritating that I want to smack her every time she comes on screen".

And yes that is irrational and unfair - but it didn't help that she seemed so unenthusiastic about the films in the first interviews. I am sure she is probably lovely in real life and seems to be remarkably grounded despite her unorthodox upbringing - but irrational dislike - is irrational..... Also I doubt it since she had to be fetched back from Lorien by her brothers ... so it is unlikely she would have been scouting alone in the wild.... Anyway - Luthien and Beren's tale is far from a favourite with me - this is probably another irrational dislike but, to quote Powell, Beren always seemed to me to be "so wet you could shoot snipe off him" ...

I bet you are so glad you asked now