Eowyn and Faramir

[Elnimara]

Thank you Telpeath! I often wondered if they did. I'm having issues seeing Éowyn as a mother/housewife type person But I seem to remember something being mentioned in the book about how Éowyn gave up her dreams to be a soldier. Maybe I'm just mad though. I just remember feeling kinda sad that she was giving herself up to that life. But as long as she was happy...

[Anwyn]

There was a time where I felt strongly against Eowyn ending up with Faramir, I felt that it was thrown together, that Tolkien, with as much respect as I have for him, felt that it would tie up loose strings perhaps. I have read that in the original verion, the very early drafts that Eowyn did ultimately end up with Aragorn, but it was changed becuase Tolkien could not see his wild shieldmaiden ending up as the docile queen of Gondor, though that is mostly speculation.

Though recently I have began to apprechiate the relationship that she shared, for I understood Eowyn fighting against it for she had convinced herself that she was in love with Aragorn. I myself have made the same mistake of convincing myself that I was truely in love with someone, despite myself and the fact I knew it wasn't true, I wanted to believe it so bad that I ignored advice from friends and family that I should get away from him, becuase he was dragging me down. It was something I had to come to on my own, no amount of ANYONE telling me ANYTHING was going to change my mind. There was a great line, that explains it so perfectly

"At last Eowyns heart change, or at least she understood it"

It is proably one of my favorite lines in the book. Eowyn saw a chance of adventure in Aragorn, the chance to ride to great things and that being with him, somehow she would surpass everything that she was. While Eowyn was a strong character, there was still a great amount of longing in her, it really comes across well I feel. At last when Faramir gets to her, and tells her that he did not believe that any darkness should linger, he gave her hope, something that she had been missing for so long since the war of the ring and the possession of Theoden, she had lost everything dear to her.

In him she found happiness and comfort, becuase she was finally able to admit to herself that Aragorn is not what she really wanted, only the thought of him.

[Eyalan]

Wow! Thanks for the eye-opener, Anwyn! I think I finally get it now. Faramir wasn't just Aragorn-replacement, but he gave her back herself, right? Something that Aragorn could never have done. I guess that's what true love is all about.