Eowyn and feminism and Tolkien

[Mithalwen]

Originally Posted by Aiwendil

There is sexism in Rohan, as there is everywhere, and Eowyn is right to call it out. Indeed, it is in part the male-centric nature of Rohirric society that fuels her hopelessness in the first place. .

I would not disagree with any of this post other that to qualify the everywhere probably does not include Lorien... but it does make me wonder if the fact that the rulers of Gondor and Rohan and their heirs are all "Men without women" intensifies the effect. Obviously Rohan is a male centric culture but even the domestic environment is overwhelmingly male. There are no doubt women around but not perhaps ones Eowyn can truly confide in - no mother, no sister (in-law), no aunt, no female cousin or cousin's wife. It may have made no difference if Rohan had still had a queen but many queens consort in our own history have managed to wield a great deal of power indirectly. Eowyn has no positive female role models. She is often decribed in very similar terms to Galadriel who does have power - though also limited.

I think it reinforces the atmosphere of futility and despair that neither Theodred or Boromir at forty had done their duty by posterity and ensured the succession.
I remember something that in latter days the lords of Gondor thought more of their ancestors than their sons (a trend bucked by Imrahil given four children and a grandson as a good example to the others perhaps ).

[CSteefel]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

... but it does make me wonder if the fact that the rulers of Gondor and Rohan and their heirs are all "Men without women" intensifies the effect. Obviously Rohan is a male centric culture but even the domestic environment is overwhelmingly male. There are no doubt women around but not perhaps ones Eowyn can truly confide in - no mother, no sister (in-law), no aunt, no female cousin or cousin's wife. It may have made no difference if Rohan had still had a queen but many queens consort in our own history have managed to wield a great deal of power indirectly. Eowyn has no positive female role models. She is often decribed in very similar terms to Galadriel who does have power - though also limited.

I agree with all of this, except perhaps about Galadriel. Galadriel seems to be an example of an empowered woman, beyond almost anybody else (she certainly shows up her husband by showing both better knowledge of what was going on when the Fellowship arrived, and also a more noble sympathy for the people involved, for example, Gimli)...

The situation in Rohan at the time of the story is probably an extreme case, both because Rohan seems to be a very male-dominated, military oriented culture, but also because there are no female role models around. While Eowyn failed to fulfill her obligations as ruler of Rohan in the absence of Theoden and Eomer (and as some have pointed out, this is a significant job, especially if the battle at Gondor had been lost), I cannot help feeling that she had some kind of premonition that she had a role to play in the battle. In other words, it wasn't just a matter of wanting to be there in the thick of the battle. The role of course is the defeat of the Witch King, which is a pivotal part of the battle that she was in some way destined to play a part. Merry also fulfills a destiny here as well, if somewhat more reluctantly.

While Eowyn's change of heart later might(?) be viewed as just coming around to the view that it might not be so bad to be somebody's wife, I also cannot help feeling that she also realized that she had played the historic role (defeating the WK) that she was destined for. I suspect that she had no regrets about her decision to join the battle before the Gates of Minas Tirith...

[Mithalwen]

Ah I knew I should have qualified the Galadriel comment - the limitation I refer to is not due to her gender specifically but at the time of the War of the rings (the point when the time of the elves is ending) perhaps to her Elvishness. She has her power in her small realm, and can withstand as long as the Dark lord himself does not go there. Hers is a passive strength - able to resist the growing darkness but not challenge openly. She dare not take the one ring. In this she is no different to the male leaders of her people ..Elrond, Cirdan. Individual elves have awesome power but they are few and against the overwhelming forces of Sauron they are not enough "Even if you chose for us an elf lord such as Glorfindel..." . So mighty though Galadriel be (and she and Eowyn and Idril are my favourite female characters - Tolkien may have deified the brunettes but it is the blondes who have spirit, leadership qualities and initiative!) I do wonder if Lorien became a hutch as much as Eowyn's bower.