[Fordim Hedgethistle]

It occurs to me that there's yet another way of thinking about this, in relation to the Shire itself.

Gandalf and Faramir love the Shire and work to protect it for the sake of that love. I realise that Faramir has never been to the Shire, but he is a Ranger (connected to those other Rangers who do protect the Shire) and he is connected with Ithilien, which is the most Shire-like land we see. He also comes to respect and admire the Hobbits, in particular Sam, and he seeks to learn about their land from them.

Saruman and Grima desire the Shire: they want its luxury goods, and then seek to consume it for their revenge.

In this respect, the Shire and Eowyn are themselves being connected to one another. Just as she is saved from the dangerous and consuming desire of Grima by the love of Faramir (thanks to the intercession of Aragorn), so too is the Shire saved from the dangerous and consuming desire of Saruman and Grima by the love of the Shirelings (thanks to the intercession of those Hobbits who have been caught up in Aragorn's story). In this way I think we can really see the Shire as the clearest example, even the most concrete, of the difference that exists between the desire that motivates Saruman (and his pupil) and the love that motivates Gandalf (and his pupil). The Shire as desired object becomes something to be owned by a single individual, and thus spoiled for all. The Shire as beloved object is owned and enjoyed by all, and is thus beautiful.

And this in turn brings me back to Eowyn: insfoar as she desires Aragorn she is following an essentially possessive and selfish desire -- she wants Aragorn for her self, so she can be free and happy, and have glory. Not bad desires, perhaps, but destructive. In the end, she moves past this desire (of and for the self) and toward a love with Faramir that allows her to think about and be part of a larger community, and to think of others: she will become the White Lady of Ithilien. . .which is, like I said, much like the Shire.