Eowyn

Eowyn is a fictional character in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.

Storyline

Niece of King Théoden of Rohan, she chafed at the restrictions placed on women in her society, striving to be a shieldmaiden of reknown, just as her brother Éomer was a doughty warrior.

Éowyn became the nursemaid of her uncle, Théoden, and while serving Théoden, she meets Aragorn, the future King, and falls in love with him, unaware that he is betrothed to Arwen.

During the flight to the refuge of Helm's Deep, she is relegated to caring for the women and children, despite her desire to guard the group against attack as do the men.

After Aragorn and his companions took The Way of the Dead at Dunharrow, she was told to go back to the women while the men rode off to the aid of Gondor. She rebelled against this stricture and disguised herself as a man, Dernhelm, riding off with the troops. In the movie, she isn't disguised but somehow escapes the notice of her Uncle and brother.

In battle with the forces of Sauron, she slays the Witch King (a Nazgûl), fulfilling Glorfindel's prophecy that the Witch King would never die by the hand of man. She is gravely wounded in the fight, and is at death's door when Aragorn heals her in both mind and spirit with an infusion of athelas, kingsfoil, although she is still too weak to travel when Aragorn rides off with the Host of Gondor to the final battle with the forces of Sauron.

She rests in the Houses of Healing with Faramir, Steward of Gondor, also recuperating from grievous wounds, and her eyes are opened. She realizes that she loves this gentle man and declares to him, "I will be a shieldmaiden no longer, nor vie with the great Riders, nor take joy only in the songs of slaying. I will be a healer, and love all things that grow and are not barren. No longer do I desire to be a queen."

Éowyn is an ambiguous figure, as are many of Tolkien's women, on the one hand courageous and noble, yet willing in the end to give up all her ambitions in order to become a wife and mother.

Eowyn in the movies

Éowyn is played by actress Miranda Otto in the recent movie adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. This adaptation resulted in certain changes to her character.

Among the more amusing conclusions to be drawn by the ellipses forced by the movie's limits in transferring such a huge book to the screen, it can be inferred that Éowyn will become queen of Rohan at the end, because her brother's claims to the throne were omitted from the storyline, and her uncle, King Theoden, left the succession to her before departing for battle:

"I have left instruction. The people are to follow your rule in my stead. Take up my seat in the Golden Hall. Long may you defend Edoras if the battle goes ill."

Sources

• Transcript of Return of the King