There is a balance and difference within the world, sometimes subtle, sometimes extremely apparent. For instance, the sun and moon – both needed to light up the sky and illuminate creation, but seen at opposite ends of the day and with temperature changes. Rain and snow – they both can possess a gentleness but fierceness as well, and both can hydrate the land but destroy it if there’s an overabundance. There are two sides to most everything in the world, including woman. Woman can embody many attitudes, feelings, and ideals. Her moods can change like the ocean: one minute beautiful and captivating, the next intimidating and perilous. She can love and begrudge, forgive and demand. Woman fights, endures, believes, and amidst her struggles, rests in her femininity. J.R.R Tolkien captures the essence of womanhood within his main female protagonists, Arwen and Eowyn, in his series, The Lord of the Rings.
Arwen, the half-elven maiden who falls in love with Aragorn, is one side of the female coin. She is a gentle, quiet soul who reminds readers and viewers of what a medieval introvert would be like, to put it in modern terms. She exudes beauty and grace with her luscious raven hair, innocent eyes, and milky complexion. Arwen is a devoted daughter and loves her father with unselfishness and sincerity. She takes pride in her elfin nature, and is subsequently torn for her love for Aragorn. She chooses love over everything, including immortality, which she possessed until deciding to be with Aragorn. To give up a deathless life in order to be with the man she loves is a sign of what is most important in life: to be with the person who fills the hole in your heart and matches the other half of your soul. Arwen symbolizes the purity found in the innermost being of a woman – to be selfless and a reflection of God’s love for humanity. All of Arwen’s traits, as modest and tender as they are, are every bit as needed in the nature of woman as her fighting side.
Eowyn, shield-maiden of Rohan, makes up the other side of the woman’s coin. Eowyn hides like many women – not in the physical sense, but in the emotional sense. She despises when others see her vulnerability and weaknesses. Should light catch hold of them, Eowyn pulls them back into herself and bolts the door on her heart. Her understanding is that in order to remain strong and courageous, her fears must be hidden. Only very carefully does Eowyn open herself up to those she trusts unwaveringly. She desires to prove herself and fight for what she believes in, and will not back down easily. As devoted to her uncle as Arwen is to her father, Eowyn joins King Theoden in battle at Minas Tirith, disguised as a man. While not striving or seeking the adulation of men, Eowyn simply wishes to fight for her people and homeland. When her uncle’s life is forfeit, Eowyn bravely faces the Witch-king of Angmar despite the impossibility of her victory. As the Witch-king boasts that no living man can kill him, Eowyn whips off her helmet, revealing her glorious, long blond hair. “I am no man!” she declares, killing the Witch-king with one blow. She revels in her femininity, proclaiming it to the world.
While some readers and viewers might be tempted to say Arwen was a weak character and Eowyn was the stronger and more important, that is far from true. Not every woman can be an Arwen, and not every woman can be an Eowyn. In reality, each woman has a combination of the two. One personality might be more conspicuous than the other, but Tolkien purposefully created two distinct characters to embody the nature of woman. Arwen fought for her people by inspiring Aragorn to aid in leading the Fellowship and remain strong in the fight for his crown, to pursue goodness, truth, and beauty despite a world darkened by evil. Arwen is the delicate balance to the roughness of men, a soothing reminder of hope and love. Eowyn, however, calls us to be battle ready and prepare to meet the darkness of the world head-on. We can be vulnerable (as she learns to be), because that is how we trust. If we are to have any peace, we need to trust one another. Woman’s identity goes soul deep and her femininity is an inspiration, comfort, and hope for the world, just as Arwen and Eowyn were beacons of hope for Middle Earth.