Eowyn and feminism and Tolkien

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In Laws and customs of the Eldar Tolkien describes how high-Elven society looked upon gender-roles and such. I don't think it's unfair to assume that this is pretty much Tolkien's own ideal, especially since these morals are also indirectly expressed in many other parts of his tale.

He writes that the natural inclinations of the neri and nissi (men and women) were in some ways different, and that other differences were brought about by custom. Healing and caring about others were something nissi or women were more inclined to do, while the invention of new things and waging war was an area normally reserved for neri. I suppose Tolkien is saying that men and women (of the Noldor) generally had different comparative advantages, to borrow a term from economic theory.

However, Tolkien is very clear that these divisions were not set in stone, and that women might indeed be great warriors and men healers without there being anything wrong with that. He writes:

Originally Posted by HoME X (Laws and customs...)

...all these things, and other matters of labour and play, or of deeper knowledge concerning being and the life of the World, may at times be pursued by any among the Noldor, be they neri or nissi.

The thing is, I get the feeling that Tolkien, being a gentle sort of conservative, indeed though that a women's place is rather at home, healing, nursing and preserving. However, there is no sign (in his ME books) that he thinks less of women than of men because of this (or any other reason) or that he disapproves of strong women who step out of their traditional gender roles when this is necessary, like Eowyn. On the contrary, the sentiment I get is one of great admiration. But when the necessity is gone, and Eowyn is returning to more, well, "feminine pursuits" this is not regressing to a lesser state in any way. She does is freely without diminishing herself or bending her will to Faramir.

Rumil is spot on really:

I think on Eowyn, Tolkien's take on Boromir and Faramir is relevant. Both were warriors, Boromir the more renowned, but solely concerned with war and politics, whereas Faramir was more interested in lore and culture, though stil an effective leader.

JRRT evidently liked Faramir a lot more, and thought him the better man for being a warrior when needed, but being a man of peace by preference. The same seems to go for Eowyn.

And as Nogrod says, Tolkien is certainly not showing contempt for "feminism". That particular term is completely irrelevant in relation to these stories.

Originally Posted by Lindale

I don't think Tolkien had contempt for feminism like, say, August Strindberg

Ha! I'm glad Strindberg is off topic so I don't have to go there.