Eowyn

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 Eomer 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 nobel, yet willing in the end to give up all her ambitions in order to to become a simple wife and mother.