girl power, Middle Earth-style

[martasfic]

It seemed that Dernhelm laughed, and the clear voice was like the ring of steel. "But no living man am I! You look upon a woman. Eowyn I am, Eomund's daughter. you stand between me and my lord and kin. Begone, if you be not deathless! For living or dark undeed, I will smite you, if you touch him."

I have my problems with Eowyn like most people do, and like I do with most characters. But this is easily one of the most rousing statements of girl power I've ever come across. Not just the deeds but the "clear voice like the ring of steel" and the way she taps into her heritage the way any son would. Betty Friedan ain't got nothing on her.

Comments

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

I find Eowyn the hardest of the characters I write regularly. I think Faramir is mighty brave to want to marry her!

[marta-bee.livejournal.com]

Oddly, as a fanfic writer she comes to me quite naturally, much easier than Faramir or Eowyn. I guess I can see a lot of myself in her. (And yes, pity Faramir if he forgets an anniversary or some such thing! I'm sure there's a fic in there...)

I actually started a story where Eowyn finds out about the "men of the twilight" comment from reading the Red Book and lays into it. It never saw the light of day because I couldn't quite get Faramir's character right, but this whole idea of Eowyn as a lot to handle and Faramir loving it has always been an attractive one, too.

[ellynn-ithilwen.livejournal.com]

I have my problems with many LotR characters too. But yes, I agree with you, this is the great moment. :)

[marta-bee.livejournal.com]

*nodnods* Love her or hate her, I think this scene speaks to a lot of people.

[dreamflower]

Eowyn is a hard character to get a handle on--but YES, that moment is a perfect moment! I love that it is her valiant stand that rouses Merry out of his stupor--her courage brings her the perfect aid that she will need.

And I too love how she shows no fear of this horrible thing--perhaps she felt it--but she showed none of it if she did! She stood against the one who threatened her kin with every bit as much bravado as her brother would have.

Tolkien did not write one-note characters (even his minor one-shot characters have character, LOL!); I can find problems with nearly every one of them (even my beloved hobbits) but it just gives the story greater depth.

[marta-bee.livejournal.com]

I love the things you love, and I love hearing that you loved them - this is a lot of fun for me. And you're so right about "minor" characters. They're all minor, which means none of them really are.

[forodwaith.livejournal.com]

Heh - in my semiannual re-reading of LOTR, I just came across that passage this morning. I think my favourite part is that Eowyn *laughs* at the Witch-King. Probably not something he was used to. :)

And though I have my own problems with the movies, this moment is every bit as good on film.

[marta-bee.livejournal.com]

How's that for serendipity? I love what Tolkien does with laughter, and yes I quite agree it would have been unexpected for old WiKi.

The movie version of this scene, I've never been crazy about the truncated speech. (I know why it was necessary but I always so loved that line. However, they made up for it with other aspects of the moment. I think this is one of those situations where Jackson got things right but in a very different way than Tolkien did.