You forgot two women (one of whom I think is important), Fordim. Shame on you.
Goldberry, the River Daughter and the Faerie of Woman
I think the subheading of Goldberry is more than enough to tell you what I think of her. She is the epitome of human grace, and together she and Tom Bombadil illustrate the perfect marriage.
The reason that I list Goldberry is the fact that she is Tom's wife...and therefore, significant. Don't ask me why -- it is a gut feeling. Just like Tom Bombadil was significant I suppose in his own small way...
I think the role of women in Tolkien share two roles:
1. Hope/ strength
2. Faithfulness
Galadriel is the Lady of Light. She comforted Gimli, gave gifts to the Fellowship. Strengthened them, in a way.
Arwen was faithful to Aragorn. She sewed him the Gondorian banner, even when it seemed it was hopeless.
Goldberry -- it was Goldberry who last said farewell to Frodo and told him to
Quote:
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Speed well, fair guests!" she said. "And hold to your purpose! North with the wind in your left eye and a blessing on your footsteps! Make haste while the sun shines!"
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She sounds so cheerful -- so hopeful. Even the way she is described, her beauty, her grace, makes one hopeful, I think. She is like a sunlit flower...She, like Tom Bombadil, are not bowed down with the pain of this earth. In a way, it's almost as if those two are stuck in Neverland...
Eowyn is faithful to good. She will not be cowed but will continue to fight even though she has no hope.
As for Shelob -- well...I think you hit it on the head.
Rosie and Faithfulness
She waited for Sam she did. She didn't go off with another cute hobbit lad.
In a way, they have the same role as men. They each fight in their own particular way. Arwen fought quietly by not giving up hope. Eowyn went out and fought like a man. Galadriel kept the Golden Wood pure and fought against the orcs that attacked them. Rosie supported the attack against the Southern men in the Shire. Shelob fought against Frodo and Co.
We all do the same things it seems. It doesn't matter whether we be male or female. It's the choices we make. And there are three choices to be made: to sit back and let evil win, to fight it, or to join it. And both men and women did that. The only thing that differed was how they did it.