"Do You Hate Women?"

[Aaron]

Originally Posted by Andsigil

I would even ask, if one wants a strong female character, why does she have to be shown slaying warriors by the dozen?

Gladriel killed nobody in any of three films, and she radiates strength. But, this contemporary desire to highlight some form of blatant "girl power", or something, creates Tauriels all of the time, which are both cliche and almost obligatory.

Absolutely agree. A female character is not, by sheer virtue of her gender, a representation of all womankind, and I resent the weird PR speak which often suggests that this is the case. A strong female character is a character, first and last.

I am very glad you mentioned Galadriel, because she is a fine example. In a story about temptation and war, I have always found her an oddly mournful figure, who nonetheless makes the effort to do good. There is something funereal about her, which is appropriate given how the novel deals with the passing of an age, and the slow death of the fantastic. She absolutely fits the story.

But when we think of The Hobbit, how does Tauriel fit in?
True, it is a children's story, but the book is deceptively deep, and deals with more than one little Hobbit going on an adventure. In many ways, I have always felt that the Hobbit is about sin, and sin catching up with you, when you feel safest and surest. Smaug, Thorin and Gollum all feel secure, and above consequences for their actions, and are punished for their pride. Bilbo, for his humility, is allowed to survive - and be free of gold and war for the rest of his days.

When one considers this theme, or any other which could reasonably be taken from the text, how does Tauriel reflect it? She kills many enemies in pointless action scenes, she has a love affair with a dwarf, she cries.
The character does not fit the story. Well acted, for what it was, but it simply doesn't fit.
In truth, it's the result of the whole ethos of the movie. The actress isn't to blame. They wanted to make The Hobbit into an action trilogy, and she got shoehorned into the love interest role. It's quite a shame. She would have made a good Orc