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Thread: Eowyn/Aragorn


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Vee
has made 2834 posts and is an Elf from Lothlorien and is not online.
Posted Tuesday 17th February 2004 (01:36pm)
There was some discussion on Sunday night (15.2.04) about whether Eowyn really loved Aragorn and if so, why did she 'settle' for Faramir. I am of the opinion that she didn't love Aragorn in the male/female way, that it was more of a crush because he was everything she admired and maybe a way of escape from her life as it was.

I've managed to find the passage that suggests that to me....

Quote:
But Aragorn said: 'I saw also what you say, Eomer. Few other griefs amid the ill chances of this world have more bitterness and shame for a man's heart than to behold the love of a lady so fair and brave that cannot be returned. Sorrow and pity have followed me ever since I left her desperate in Dunharrow and rode to the Paths of the Dead; and no fear upon that way was so present as the fear for what might befall her. And yet, Eomer, I say to you that she loves you more truly than me; for you she loves and knows; but in me she loves only a shadow and a thought: a hope of glory and great deeds. and lands far from the fields of Rohan.'


TROTK - The Houses of Healing

and later Faramir says to Eowyn

Quote:
You desired to have the love of the Lord Aragorn. Because he was high and puissant, and you wished to have renown and glory and to be lifted far above the mean things that crawl on the earth. And as a great captain may to a young soldier he seemed to you admirable. For so he is, a lord among men, the greatest that now is. But when he gave you only understanding and pity, then you desired to have nothing, unless a brave death in battle.'


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Virumor
has made 3563 posts and is a Rohirrim from Edoras and is not online.
Posted Tuesday 17th February 2004 (03:47pm)
I think Eowyn only loved a vision, she found interest in him (understatement?) because she rightly felt that he was a great man, the greatest man of his time, so she wanted him because he could get her out of her cage she felt she was living in. It wasn't really love, it was mistaken love.

After she met Faramir, her heart changed, which means that she realized that her love for Aragorn was only chimerical, only a product of her utmost desire to do great deeds and experience glory. That's why she said 'i don't long to be a queen anymore'.

So looks like i totally agree with Vee in her previous post, i only put it differently.
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Bugyfeanor
has made 668 posts and is an Elf from Rivendell and is not online.
Posted Wednesday 18th February 2004 (12:11am)
Not to mention that, after slaying the Witch-King of Angmar, Sauron's greatest servant, she probably realised she doesn't need anyone to look after her or free her from imaginary cages! She was her own mistress... no one could subdue her will.
Just MHO on this!

Namarie!
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Vee
has made 2834 posts and is an Elf from Lothlorien and is not online.
Posted Wednesday 18th February 2004 (01:37am)
I hadn't thought of that but you could be right even though it took her some time to realise it. It was after the ring was destroyed and the dark cloud lifted that she saw things clearly.

Yeah, good point.
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Virumor
has made 3563 posts and is a Rohirrim from Edoras and is not online.
Posted Wednesday 18th February 2004 (12:04pm)
Quote:
Wel number one she didn't just "settle" for Faramir ....... Aragorn made her believe that she was in love with Faramir not him. And yes he could do it because he lived with elves half or over half of his long life! And the elves are very wise in tose kind of things. he didn't really trick her just helped her see things in a different light thats all.

No one here said that Aragorn tricked her. And Aragorn didn't make her believe she was in love with Faramir. This sounds indeed like Aragorn would have tricked her...
She realized it herself, without the help of anyone. Aragorn only cured her at the Houses of Healing, but still it was her own choice to come back. And right after she came back, she was still desperate and still sought death in battle until she met Faramir.

Aragorn lived with elves half of over half of his life? No way, only 18 years. He left Rivendell when he was 20.

Aragorn saw when he left Dunharrow to take the Paths of the Dead, that she was unhappy and desperate, and he felt bad about this, and most likely he knew that she loved him, but he didn't do anything to prevent her doing stupid things (killing the Witch-King of Angmar was very stupid, indeed). He didn't try to make her feel different towards him. I suspect Aragorn's mind was set more on the coming quest/battle than anything else. So he's forgiven.

Quote:
Not to mention that, after slaying the Witch-King of Angmar, Sauron's greatest servant, she probably realised she doesn't need anyone to look after her or free her from imaginary cages! She was her own mistress... no one could subdue her will.
Just MHO on this!

Dunno, she killed the Witch-King allright but it was with a whole dose of luck due to predestiny (Eru expresses himself in mysterious ways). I think a lot of her unhappiness and sturm und drang, her longing to escape a cage, was due to the fact that she grew up in Edoras, where she slowly saw how Theoden fell for Grima Wormtongue's poison and how the House of Rohan slowly drifted towards the abyss.
Then she had to look after (nurture, if you will) Theoden and this she saw as a humiliation : after all, Eomer was equally unhappy about things that happened in Rohan, but he had his horses and Orcs to hunt and his legions to lead, but Eowyn didn't have anything of this.

Anyway, to go back to the Witch-King, even after she killed that foul fiend she was still unhappy, she still wanted to join her brother at the Dagorlad and possible, die there. I think she already knew from early childhood that no one should look after all, which contributed even more to the fact that she was shattered by Rohan's downfall. Like Gandalf said, her courage was equal to that of Eomer.
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Valedhelgwath
has made 4239 posts and is an Elf from Rivendell and is not online.
Posted Wednesday 18th February 2004 (08:10pm)
Firstly, let me say I agree with the bulk of the observations made above before I add one of my own. I say this because I don't want anyone to think I am dismissing the above points by what I'm about to say.

In my opinion, I see Eowyn's love for Aragorn being a crush derived from desparation to escape the cage she is caught within. The reason she falls for Aragorn, however, and not some Rohan lord, is the charisma within Aragorn. Almost everyone he meets becomes enarmoured of him. Men will willingly follow him to their deaths because of the brotherly love and trust they have for him. As we have mentioned in another thread, LotR has very few female characters. It is not surprising then, that those we do see meeting him, are also swept off their feet by him (it must take something for an elf to give up her immortality for someone).

Eowyn's world has just hit rock bottom with no apparent escape, when this hugely charismatic person rides over the hill. Of couse she falls for him. He isn't necessarily above her station either. She is the First Lady of Rohan. But it is still just a crush. It is the dream of escape from her predicament, and of course the salvation of Rohan that she is seeing in him. When he does not return that love, that bright light of hope is extinguished.... Death rather than a cage.

When she finally meets Faramir, she is able to find true love. Rohan is saved, Grima is gone, and the dawn of a new age is approaching. Notice she does not have an immediate crush on Faramir. Their love is something that develops over a period of time, hence it is a mental bonding rather than a physical attraction which draws them together. Something totally different to what she saw in Aragorn.
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Vee
has made 2834 posts and is an Elf from Lothlorien and is not online.
Posted Thursday 19th February 2004 (12:30pm)
That's a good positive attitude.

Although I've read the books quite a few times I still discover something new or a different perspective each time I read them.

It is a good thing.
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Crystle caves
has made 485 posts and is an Elf from Rivendell and is not online.
Posted Wednesday 25th February 2004 (08:45pm)
I'll talk to you, but I don't like this thread.
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Nilgaerien
has made 624 posts and is an Elf from Rivendell and is not online.
Posted Thursday 26th February 2004 (07:42pm)
Probably so...I have nothing to add to this intellectual conversation because my thoughts o nthe sunject have already been expressed, quite eloquently, I might add. My only purpose to this post is to enliven Erbalwen. Wink Smilie Smoke Smilie

Nilgaerien Pixie Smilie
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Naira
has made 385 posts and is a Dunedain from Osgiliath and is not online.
Posted Sunday 29th February 2004 (09:05am)
Anyone who had read the book will know that Eowyn didn't just "settle" for Faramir, she actually did fall in love with him. But in the movies, because so much time has been allocated for Eowyn and Aragorn's so-called relationship, it looked as if she was settling for less with Faramir in the end. Quite an injustice to a strong female character in the book.
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Amarië
has made 2775 posts and is an Elf from Rivendell and is not online.
Posted Sunday 29th February 2004 (10:41am)
I have only seen the movie once, but as I remember it, it looks like she is settling for nothing. There is a shot of Eowyn and Faramir together, but that just looks like "oh look audience, the two of us are here too, we save PJ some work by being in the same frame, we are not dead or jealous or anything, we are smiling and are SO incredibly happy for our friend! Yeey!". Elf Rolling Eyes Smilie
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Vee
has made 2834 posts and is an Elf from Lothlorien and is not online.
Posted Monday 1st March 2004 (05:16pm)
I agree with you both. Maybe the EEDVD will add a bit more detail.

What a shame PJ et al missed out on such a great character.
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Morfinwen
has made 6 posts and is a Dunedain from Osgiliath and is not online.
Posted Wednesday 24th March 2004 (01:30pm)
I think Eowyn did realise that she it was only an crush she had on Aragorn during the houses of healing, only that she did not show it(as that was her character) but choose to close her emotions and feelings in.
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Loni
has made 1491 posts and is an Elf from Lothlorien and is not online.
Posted Sunday 28th March 2004 (04:05am)
Well, well, that's different to what I have always heard. no, I think she just got over him and I'm just saying exactly the same thing as what you just said, so please ignore this post. You know, some girls get over males for one reason - they're taken. Then again, did she know he was taken by then? Some brainybox will answer this question. Val? Grondy?
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LadyFeawen
has made 1683 posts and is an Elf from Lothlorien and is not online.
Posted Sunday 28th March 2004 (04:37am)
I believe Eowyn got love mixed up with admiration when it came to Aragorn and he not only knew so but his heart was with Arwen ( and hey, can only have true love for one pretty chick at a time,right? Elf Winking Smilie ) Sadly, in the movies it didn't clarify that ( the people who havn't read the books would probaly have no idea that Eowyn and Faramir "hitched up" in the end,too.. ).
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