Eowyn: was Golden Compass

[sistermagpie]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "kempermentor" 
<kempermentor at ...> wrote:
>
> > > Kemper earlier:
> >  
> > > After I hit send, I remembered Eowyn and replied to myself 
with her as
> > > the sole suggestion.  But no women were worthy of the 
Fellowship. 
> > > It's been a while since I read the books, but didn't she pine 
after
> > > Aragon?  I guess I see her warriorness as attempting to prove 
worth to
> > > him.  
> > > JMAO
> > 
> > Magpie:
> > I don't think she was a warrior to prove herself to Aragorn. 
> 
> 
> Kemper now:
> Why did she go to the battle at Minas Terith (sp?

Magpie:

I asked for Eowyn thoughts from somebody who knows that part of the 
book better than I do (I'm all about the hobbits, myself). I think 
Eowyn definitely goes into battle feeling self-pity and, to quote 
someone else, she is a bit of a glory hound. But that's not 
particularly female--in fact, I'd say it's sort of the opposite, 
since proving onesself in battle or going out with a bang is often 
celebrated in male characters. She's traveling with Merry, who has 
also been ordered to stay behind, and wants to prove himself.
 

For Tolkien, disobeying commands isn't a good thing, but he forgives 
it depending on the motive. Eowyn and Merry get sympathy for how 
they feel, but despite the good they do their decision to disobey 
Theoden's orders is simply a selfish thing so they can't be praised 
for it. By contrast, the decision to disobey an order of Denethor to 
save Faramir is a good thing in itself because the person was trying 
to do what was right and follow a higher morality.

Here's the discussion on the subject when I asked the question:

http://cressidarambles.livejournal.com/6029.html

-m