Éowyn. Shieldmaiden of Rohan

Éowyn is the figure of the classic woman warrior. She a shieldmaiden of Rohan, daughter of Éomund and Theodwyn, younger sister of Éomer and niece of King Théoden. When she is first introduced in the movies, she is presented in a position of caretaker, in a passive role. During the War of the Ring, she was forced to stay back in Meduseld to attend to her uncle, whose health had been declining because of Saruman’s influence. After Gandalf restored King Théoden’s he prepared to defend against Isengard alongside Aragorn, Éowyn was forced to stay back again, and be the leader of the people of Edoras. However, her reluctance to stay behind and let men do the fighting was soon to change. 

Éowyn, in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields

Théoden and Aragorn return victorious from the Battle of Hornburg, and she receives them. It is at this time that she confeses her love to Aragorn, although she is rejected. Here, Éowyn is perceived as a “war bride-left-behind” (Smith 2007). Her fleeting and fast-growing feelings for Aragorn arise due to the uncertain circumstances of a war in which men are losing their lives, and women are forced to stay back. Again, this notion of Éowyn in a passive role would not remain true for long.

When Théoden’s aid is called against the forces of Mordor, Éowyn begs to ride into battle besides Aragorn, but he refuses her requests and asks her to stay behind. Herein lies the role change of the Shieldmaiden of Rohan. Éowyn disguises herself as a man and rides her horse to the battlefield.  She takes Merry along because, like her, he was left behind as well and he wished to aid his friends in battle. She has an active role during the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, fighting in King Théoden’s escort. When the King is mortally wounded by the Witch-king of Angmar, she faces him, instead of fleeing like the other riders. The Lord of the Nazgûl boasts proudly that no man can kill him, to which she replies “No living man am I! You look upon a woman!”. She cuts off the head of his Fell Beast, and with the help of Merry, who hinders him with a Barrow-blade, Éowyn cleaves her sword throught the Witch-king’s head, killing him.

Although victorious, she is left with a broken arm and other injuries which, together with her loneliness and despair after the death of her uncle and rejection of her feelings, she succumbs to a case of the Black Dead and is taken to the Houses of healing. There, she meets Faramir and falls in love with him, leaving behind her dreams of glory in battle and going back to a domestic role (Harrison 2013) and dedicate her life to peace and her marriage.

Éowyn’s great contribution to the war effort and the victory against Sauron by killing the Witch-king seems to be rendered as unimportant, as her role cycles back to being a passive female figure who leaves the battlefield to care of her family.