The Middle Earth Popularity Cup

[Thinlómien]

What a no-brainer.

++Galadriel

I don't like Fëanor. I know I've said I like proud characters, but he's proud to the point of being unpleasant. I can only think of two good things in him: some of his sons are rather nice and what happend to his body after his death is pretty cool. (Okay, totally wrong choice of word this time. )

Galadriel, on the other hand, is among my favourite characters ever. I like her better than any other woman in Tolkien's works, except maybe Haleth, but she's such a minor character that they cannot really be compared.

Galadriel is proud (the key word, you see ) but not foolish nor full of herself. She's very wise and has some rather uncanny skills. Or what would you say of her mind-reading and her mirror? Also, she's ambitious and full of desire to see new lands, both of which I approve of. She has also a nicely subtle sense of humour.

Furthermore, I very much like the duality in her nature. The Noldorin pride and a certain coldness mixed with a spirit that is, in the end, very gentle. Her story intrigues me and its sadness touches me: she is, in a way, the embodiment or the symbol of the Elves' leaving Middle-Earth and the fading of their achievements.

edit: xed with Agan and Lal... interesting

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Agan

However, it seems Éowyn didn't have any other option - she must marry because that's what women do. She fought against what was considered normal, and was put to her "proper" place in the end, no matter if she did it voluntarily or not. Just so she'd get a happy ending. Just like women who did something unconventional or immoral in very old novels were in the end accepted again as members of society, and got a nice marriage and such. It's too conservative for my taste.

Exactly. Well phrased, m'dear.

Originally Posted by Mith

But she is not taking a male appointed role. She is taking the role she chooses for herself

But the role she takes clearly mirrors the role she was given earlier when she had to take care of Théoden. So, in a way, it is a male appointed role.

Originally Posted by Mith

Incidentally when she was given the opportunity to lead her people she didn't take it. She has spirit certainly but I think in times of peace she would not seek battle for its own sake. I see no blood lust in her. Her mission is to defend her king not simply fight else she would have stayed with Elfhelm's Eored.

Yes, and I could imagine her later having a similar mission to defend her people, or something. She does have a sort of warrior spirit in her, after all.

Originally Posted by Agan

Or then it's some cultural thing since I see all of us Finns have complained about it.

Yeah, indeed: Finland is the notorious feminist country where women have always been at least quite equal with men and got the right to vote third in the world and first in Europe.

[Aganzir]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

But the role she takes clearly mirrors the role she was given earlier when she had to take care of Théoden. So, in a way, it is a male appointed role.

Exactly. Well phrased, m'dear.

Originally Posted by Lommy

Yeah, indeed: Finland is the notorious feminist country where women have always been at least quite equal with men and got the right to vote third in the world and first in Europe.

And we don't have separate pronouns for he and she. We're all just hän. Or alternatively, men are referred to as se, 'it'.