Eowyn and feminism and Tolkien - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Alfirin · 08-25-2009, 04:41 PM

I for one, agree with the though that Eowyn's choice might have been considered serious deriliction of duty and indeed had she survived without wound she might have had a trial in her future (assuming Rohan uses the trial by jury system) In some ways this is another advantage to her marrying Faramir, it gets her out of Rohan while she is still seen as a big war heroine, before the ardor of the people cools and akward questions like the above get asked. Lucky for her nothing happened in her absense. Imagine the reception she would have gotten if in her absence Rohan really had been attacked (maybe by a large force of Dunlendings off to join Sauron at the battle who saw the King and co. departing and though this too good an opportunity to miss).

Since we are speculating a bit I had a though of my own. Does anyone else think its possible that this wasn't the first time Eowyn had played at being Durnhelm. No one in the muster seems to find it odd that a warrior called Durnhelm is riding with them a warrior who, if this was the first time, nobody would have ever seen before. More to the point, Theoden has no problem having Durnhelm as his standard bearer and right hand man in the battle itself. As I recall, Theoden (who as king presumably has the choice of anyone in the whole muster to ride with him in battle as standard bearer) specifically asks for Durnhelm which is a little odd for someone he would have never seen before (if you were picking someone to ride with you as your bearer woulnt you choose someone you knew was reliable in a pinch rather that a complete stranger?)

08-25-2009, 04:41 PM	#13
Alfirin Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 435	I for one, agree with the though that Eowyn's choice might have been considered serious deriliction of duty and indeed had she survived without wound she might have had a trial in her future (assuming Rohan uses the trial by jury system) In some ways this is another advantage to her marrying Faramir, it gets her out of Rohan while she is still seen as a big war heroine, before the ardor of the people cools and akward questions like the above get asked. Lucky for her nothing happened in her absense. Imagine the reception she would have gotten if in her absence Rohan really had been attacked (maybe by a large force of Dunlendings off to join Sauron at the battle who saw the King and co. departing and though this too good an opportunity to miss). Since we are speculating a bit I had a though of my own. Does anyone else think its possible that this wasn't the first time Eowyn had played at being Durnhelm. No one in the muster seems to find it odd that a warrior called Durnhelm is riding with them a warrior who, if this was the first time, nobody would have ever seen before. More to the point, Theoden has no problem having Durnhelm as his standard bearer and right hand man in the battle itself. As I recall, Theoden (who as king presumably has the choice of anyone in the whole muster to ride with him in battle as standard bearer) specifically asks for Durnhelm which is a little odd for someone he would have never seen before (if you were picking someone to ride with you as your bearer woulnt you choose someone you knew was reliable in a pinch rather that a complete stranger?)