[Birdland]

When looked at objectively, I do believe that Tolkien did make a noble attempt to include some female characters in a story form that generally does exclude women. After all, the Quest Saga is usually a setting where the men will prevail. Men went out in the world, women sat home and waited. The few novels I have read where women had to attempt a quest, the first thing the character does in disguise herself as a man, for unfortunately obvious reasons.

But when the travelers do come out of the wilderness and meet woman on their home turf, so to speak, I believe Tolkien does an admirable job of portraying them as as well-rounded, interesting characters. I think he was aided in this by limiting the romantic entanglements in the novel. Since he chose not to portray most of the women in the book as objects of a male character's affections, this meant that he had to develop the character on a more cerebral level, as advisors, councilors, or even as antagonist, as in the case of the irritating, but ultimately spunky Lobelia Sackville-Baggins.

As for the individual characters, I see Eowyn as the most complex, "human" female character in book, and Tolkien does a good job of kindling sympathy for the restless, strong-willed girl, faced with the hopeless task of caring for a spell-entranced father figure, and the threat of a intolerable forced marriage to the evil Wormtongue. I believe Tolkien had a good handle on the dilemma that so many women through history have faced: choices dictated by the whims and wishes of the men around them, which are really not choices at all.

Galadriel I see in the same role as Elrond: an Elder Statesman who no longer rides to the field of battle, but takes on the much more burdensome task of Leadership, commanding from afar and making the ultimate decisions concerning the fate of their people. Galadriel never comes across as a "second-class citizen". She is the equal to the greatest men portrayed in the trilogy, and the reader is never in doubt of her status.

As for Goldberry: You're right Child, I think Frodo was half in love with her. She represents the best of Womankind, wise, beautiful, loving, protective, and comforting. And she has an approachablessness to her that the lofty Elves and Humans never demonstrate. The more light-hearted Goldberry would definitely appeal to a halfling's heart. Of course, Frodo is a true gentlehobbit, and would never make a move on a woman who was "taken".

Arwyn seems to fall into the catagory that most women wind up in these novels: she who stands by her man by keeping the home fires burning. Because she is the love interest to the Hero figure of Aragorn, her role is to weave banners, write supportive letters, build her trousseau, and generally wait around for everything to settle down, so that Aragorn can finally claim her in marriage. And of course, in the end, gracefully die rather than be deprived of her True Love. Not the most exciting role to play, but hey, women always give up something for love.

So all in all I have no problems with Tolkien's attempt at female characters. Oddly, the one place where the author seems dismissive of the female gender is in the Appendixes. I mean, come on, J.R.R; Aragorn has three daughters, and you can't even be bothered to give them names? [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Oh, and there is, of course, the infamous "Dead Mother" Syndrome, but hey, everybody does that.

[ June 29, 2002: Message edited by: Birdland ]