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Originally Posted by Child
I hesitate to blow my own horn--it's not usually my style--but I do think someone should also give more thought as to why Tolkien's treatment of women born in the First and Second Age (or even the days before) seems different than those characters depicted in Lord of the Rings. This is essentially a complementary query to what Lalwende is suggesting. I personally do not see the equivalent in LotR of Third Age characters like Andreth, Halath, Idril, Luthien, Galadriel, Erendis. Why is this so? You have a better background in Silm than I do, and I would appreciate your views on this (and anyone else who would like to chime in.) As to whether, such a discussion would be more appropriate on this thread or another, I could not say.
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Personally speaking I would welcome such discussions, as there are a great number of interesting questions waiting to be asked and addressed. Reading through the arguments I can see what Lush means that we all too often sweep aside such discussions by just claiming that they aren't relevant. Perhaps we are all a little frightened of addressing gender specific issues in Tolkien's work. Why? I couldn't say. But there is certainly plenty of room to do so in my opinion! So Tolkien's work is not about gender issues? So what. There are women in it, and as readers it is interesting to look at that.
Some topics that I'd like to address: Are the portrayals of women different in the Sil and LotR? Does Tolkien use female archetypes to create his female characters? Could any other female characters survive the text after being compared to the triple threat of the powerful Eowyn, Galadriel and Shelob? And do they represent maiden, mother, crone? Does Tolkien's work go beyond gender issues? Is Luthien 'all that'? Do you sympathise more with Erendis or Aldarion?
Maybe we are getting scared that to discuss such issues we are suddenly going to turn into literary critics and shout about Tolkien being sexist? I wouldn't say that is going to happen at all!
