The Character Development of Arwen

[Sparrow]

The female characters in his legendarium simply didn't need to be as fully developed as the male ones. It wasn't essential to the story. In some cases, especially in The Silmarillion, a lot of character development was included for Galadriel and Aredhel.

I disagree. I saw no real evidence of character development in either character, aside from basic conflics (Aredhel wanting to assert her independence, only to long once again for the place she had lived before).

While female development was certainly not necessary to the works of Tolkien as we know them, it certainly would not have hurt too much, especially from the P.O.V. of female readers. I would like to have seen a female go as a member of the Fellowship, for example.

~Sparrow