Fairytaled Reality

When Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy was put on the big screen, fandom erupted across the world. The epic tale speaks to the hearts of millions upon millions of people, and the special effects aren't too shabby, either.

In the midst of the frenzied rush for capes and elven decor, fansites exploded across the internet. It's amazing what you can do with a little bit of time and photoshop; especially when the root material is good to begin with. People take this stuff seriously. There are stories and chatrooms and icons and all sorts of things that make me wonder if the person on the other side of the internet realizes that reality exists. But there is another part of me that wishes I had the ability to express my heart like that.....

Ever since I was first acquainted with Eowyn's character in LotR, I have felt a sort of...connected understanding, for lack of a better term...to/for her.

Eowyn literally means "horse joy." But before I knew that, I loved the fact that there was a female character in a movie that wasn't lambasted or stupidly glorified for her desire to fight beside her brother. The whole response to the "what do you fear" question gave me goosebumps the first time I heard it, and it does to this day.
"A cage. To live behind bars until use and old age accept them, and all chance of valor has gone beyond recall or desire."

My friends who have held a conversation of any length about what moves my heart in its deepest part probably see why that rings true to me. But it goes beyond that, to the fact that Eowyn loved a man she could not have. She was not meant to have him, and even when I watched the movies, I found myself wishing that she could. In some ways, I still think that she and Aragorn make a better pair than Aragorn and Arwen. When I did some research on the whole relationship, I found that Tolkien originally meant for Eowyn and Aragorn to be married. Unfortunately, that would have ruined the whole Arwen aspect. Tolkien thought of killing Eowyn in the great battle, but [fortunately] decided against it. The resulting "houses of healing" section is another part that gives a glimpse into Eowyn's character that I totally relate to:

Gandalf: Great gladness it is to see you wake again to health and hope, so valiant a lady!
Eowyn: To health? It may be so. At least while there is an empty saddle of some fallen Rider that I can fill, and there are deeds to do. But to hope? I do not know.

And there are things like the fact that her left arm was injured, and her horse was gray, and her hair is blonde....

And then there's Theoden. While he's not Eowyn's biological father, he plays the role of father in her life, and she sees him when the enemy has talons so deeply entrenched that Theoden is quite out of his mind. Yet, even when things are darkest for her, personally, she loves and is faithful. (the fact that Theoden is so weakened is one reason she is so strongly attracted to Aragorn...) When Theoden is released from the darkness, the love that he has for Eowyn is made very evident and he tells her that he "would see [her] smile again....no more despair" When he falls on the field of battle and dies in Eowyn's arms, he has no regrets.

I am failing miserably at expressing everything right now, but I thought it would be worth getting out of my head so I can possibly refine it later. . . . . .