LotR -- Book 6 - Chapter 5 - The Steward and the King

[Alphaelin]

Yay, I got back home in time to join the discussion of this chapter! Faramir and Eowyn are two of my favorite characters. I suppose I am a Faramir swooner -- looks, kindness, courage, integrity -- sigh. No wonder I lost my heart to him when I was fourteen, lol.

I enjoy the idea of Faramir trying to pump both the Warden and Merry for information about Eowyn right after their first meeting, too. I'm not sure if it's osanwë ability or an immediate crush, though.

All swooning aside, the Faramir/Eowyn story draws me in more than the Aragorn/Arwen story, simply because it is more fleshed out. You get an idea that as they are meeting and talking every day, their mutual liking and respect is growing into love, albeit unrecognized by Eowyn at first. Then there's that wonderful description as they wait for 'they know not what':

And so they stood on the walls of the City of Gondor, and a great wind rose and blew, and their hair, raven and golden, streamed out mingling in the air.

To me, this sentence foreshadows the 'mingling' of their souls in marriage and is a beautiful image.

Originally Posted by Fordim
I find this most distressing with Eowyn, insofar as what she gives up is the very character and dynamic presence that has made her so interesting in the story.

How interesting that you think the masculine 'warrior role' is so much more interesting and dynamic than the traditional female 'healer role', Fordim I know a lot of doctors and nurses who might not agree with you.

Like Lalwende , I think there is some symbolism that can be attached to Eowyn's development, but I guess my ideas focus on how she sees her masculine/feminine sides. Prior to her entrance into the story in TTT, Eowyn was forced into the role of Theoden's caregiver, in which her role "seemed more ignoble than that of the staff he leaned on", while the boys all got to go outside and play with their spears and horsies and chase Orcs. This is the stereotypical 'traditional female role' where the woman's job is to be quiet and wait on the menfolk. As an outlet for her feminine side, it is an exerise in frustration for her. When, in her despair, she takes up her sword and follows Theoden into battle, there is an element of following her masculine side. She's able to harness her 'masculine' skills with tremendous success, but finds that living through her masculine side brings her the fame she wanted, yet not the love she wanted.

Finally, when she is able to accept and return the love of Faramir she is willing to turn to her feminine side again, possibly because she feels Faramir values all of her. He never asks her to give up her sword! Now she's going to learn the skills of healing, just as she learned the skills of riding and swordplay. She ends her story with the prospect of living as a woman in balance, having the powers of both life and death in her hands. In this way, she is the perfect match for Faramir, who already has been described as balancing love of lore and his own skills as an officer.