Not really. We put a lot of thought into Tolkien's characters because he did.Alatar wrote:Has anyone ever wondered if we put more thought into Tolkien's characters than he ever did?
Book Éowyn and Movie Éowyn (and related issues)
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
I wonder sometimes. When you read HoME you realise that characters are often radically changed without any dialogue changes, even when the dialogue refers to a previous incarnation of the character. I honestly think Tolkien was in love with his world, his mythology and his languages. I don't think his characters garnered the same attention to detail.
The Vinyamars on Stage! This time at Bag End
It depends, I think. The hobbits (and Gollum) are all fully realized modern literary characters. Some of the men, elves, and dwarves are more like archetypal mythic/heroic characters. Book Théoden, for example, is very archetypal - it's only in his friendship with Merry that he seems like a real person to me.
Éowyn is one of the characters who falls somewhere in between.
Éowyn is one of the characters who falls somewhere in between.
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That's an interesting observation, Ax. And no doubt yet another reason why the parts of the book I most enjoy tend to have hobbits in them. Even the archetypes thaw a bit around a hobbit.
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
I've noticed that too, axordil - Book III is my least favorite of the six because the Hobbits are absent so much. I've noticed that when people say book Aragorn is wooden or arrogant, they usually cite events from Book III when he's not around the Hobbits.The archetypal characters are "humanized" (quotes only because they aren't all human) in direct proportion to their contact with the hobbits.
I think that the Rohan plot might have left a lot of people cold in the TTT movie if Théoden and Aragorn had been exactly like the book. This is one reason why I don't really have a problem with the movie version of Aragorn (besides the beheading and a few other things).
I've often wondered if we are allowed to see these characters through a Hobbit lens, as it were, when we are seeing them with Hobbits. Hobbits are very simple creatures, and therefore very hard to fool. They see these folks more as they are, I believe, as real "people" rather than mythical characters.
I love this board, btw.
I love this board, btw.
"What do you fear, lady?" Aragorn asked.
"A cage," Éowyn said. "To stay behind bars, until use and old age accept them, and all chance of doing great deeds is gone beyond recall or desire.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
"A cage," Éowyn said. "To stay behind bars, until use and old age accept them, and all chance of doing great deeds is gone beyond recall or desire.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
The book Éowyn is easily one of my favorite female characters in literature. But I have always been drawn to strong characters in general, especially warrior princess types. They don't exist in the real world, so I'll take what I can get with the few examples in literature, movies and TV.
But I agree that the movie character endears me to the book. I prefer the stronger, colder book version, but Miranda gave a little humanity and a lovely face to blend into my image of Éowyn.
The stew scene was weak, but I loved the sword scene and the scene when Éowyn tells Aragorn his men (and her) follow him out of love. But the song at Theodred's funeral tugged at my heart, and was my favorite addition to that EE version of Two Towers.
But I agree that the movie character endears me to the book. I prefer the stronger, colder book version, but Miranda gave a little humanity and a lovely face to blend into my image of Éowyn.
The stew scene was weak, but I loved the sword scene and the scene when Éowyn tells Aragorn his men (and her) follow him out of love. But the song at Theodred's funeral tugged at my heart, and was my favorite addition to that EE version of Two Towers.
"Ut Prosim"
"There are some things that it is better to begin than refuse, even though the end may be dark" Aragorn
"Those who commit honorable acts need no forgiveness"
http://killology.com/sheep_dog.htm
"There are some things that it is better to begin than refuse, even though the end may be dark" Aragorn
"Those who commit honorable acts need no forgiveness"
http://killology.com/sheep_dog.htm
The movie Éowyn just isn't the same character as the book Éowyn. She's an interesting character, and the whole cook-for-him-to-impress-him makes her an endearing one, I suppose, to those who like that scene (withholding my tomato missiles, here).
It just isn't HER. That amazing, strong, quiet, suffering, cold, tall daughter of queens. Tolkien paints her as a person apart from the average person, a person fated and painted for glory, who is tragically stuck in an inglorious position of helplessness and waiting. Duty as drudgery. Glory as gruntwork. Majesty as misery.
This is one of his most evocative characters, for me. Her coldness is never more evident, in the book, than when she decides to become Dernhelm and fight for her beleagured world. Movie Éowyn, at this point, is just an entirely different character.
One of the most jarring moments in the movie to me (other than the stew thing, which I promise I will leave alone, eventually) is when Miranda and Dom are on that horse, and beautiful, fragile, sweet Miranda tells Dom in her trembling voice, "We need to do this for our friends, Merry". Or some such sweetness.
It's so... wrong.
She's not a sweet little thing, our Éowyn. She's vulnerable inside, yes, which makes her character amazingly complex, for a seemingly minor character. But she's hardly sweet in the mail of Dernhelm. She is fair and terrible. And that is OKAY.
I think one of the things I like so much about her is that she is NOT the cookie cutter female character. Yes, she's attracted to Aragorn, but more as his equal, not as a let-me-flutter-and-flirt kinda girl. Not that there is anything WRONG with that, of course. It just isn't Éowyn.
Thank you for her, Prof. Tolkien. She is a gift.
It just isn't HER. That amazing, strong, quiet, suffering, cold, tall daughter of queens. Tolkien paints her as a person apart from the average person, a person fated and painted for glory, who is tragically stuck in an inglorious position of helplessness and waiting. Duty as drudgery. Glory as gruntwork. Majesty as misery.
This is one of his most evocative characters, for me. Her coldness is never more evident, in the book, than when she decides to become Dernhelm and fight for her beleagured world. Movie Éowyn, at this point, is just an entirely different character.
One of the most jarring moments in the movie to me (other than the stew thing, which I promise I will leave alone, eventually) is when Miranda and Dom are on that horse, and beautiful, fragile, sweet Miranda tells Dom in her trembling voice, "We need to do this for our friends, Merry". Or some such sweetness.
It's so... wrong.
She's not a sweet little thing, our Éowyn. She's vulnerable inside, yes, which makes her character amazingly complex, for a seemingly minor character. But she's hardly sweet in the mail of Dernhelm. She is fair and terrible. And that is OKAY.
I think one of the things I like so much about her is that she is NOT the cookie cutter female character. Yes, she's attracted to Aragorn, but more as his equal, not as a let-me-flutter-and-flirt kinda girl. Not that there is anything WRONG with that, of course. It just isn't Éowyn.
No blenching. No fluttering. Nothing but nobility and honor, sacrifice and courage, straightness and strength.But she did not blench: maiden of the Rohirrim, child of kings, slender but as a steel-blade, fair yet terrible. A swift stroke she dealt, skilled and deadly. The outstretched neck she clove asunder, and the hewn head fell like a stone. Backward she sprang as the huge shape crashed to ruin, vast wings outspread, crumpled on the earth; and with its fall the shadow passed away. A light fell about her, and her hair shone in the sunrise.
Thank you for her, Prof. Tolkien. She is a gift.
"What do you fear, lady?" Aragorn asked.
"A cage," Éowyn said. "To stay behind bars, until use and old age accept them, and all chance of doing great deeds is gone beyond recall or desire.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
"A cage," Éowyn said. "To stay behind bars, until use and old age accept them, and all chance of doing great deeds is gone beyond recall or desire.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
Beautifully said, Anthy, and I agree completely.
Movie Éowyn nailed "they follow thee because they love thee" scene. Then she mumbles, "I'm sorry." I facepalm every time I see it.
What is missing from the movie is the character who most of all wants renown, glory, won by strength and courage. And then matures enough to recognize that there are more important things in life. She doesn't settle down to be a wife and a healer because that's what the author thinks a woman should do. She rises up to Tolkien's ideal of healing (see Aragorn) and gardening (see Samwise) being the most worthy things in life, and swords being only important for that which they defend.
Movie Éowyn nailed "they follow thee because they love thee" scene. Then she mumbles, "I'm sorry." I facepalm every time I see it.
What is missing from the movie is the character who most of all wants renown, glory, won by strength and courage. And then matures enough to recognize that there are more important things in life. She doesn't settle down to be a wife and a healer because that's what the author thinks a woman should do. She rises up to Tolkien's ideal of healing (see Aragorn) and gardening (see Samwise) being the most worthy things in life, and swords being only important for that which they defend.
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
The line is “Courage Merry, courage for our friends!” That is a nice saying, and only appears in the movie (least ways as spoken by Éowyn afaik) -- I do not see it as being overly sweet, if sweet at all, imho.anthriel wrote: One of the most jarring moments in the movie to me (other than the stew thing, which I promise I will leave alone, eventually) is when Miranda and Dom are on that horse, and beautiful, fragile, sweet Miranda tells Dom in her trembling voice, "We need to do this for our friends, Merry". Or some such sweetness.
It's so... wrong.
Of course in the book Merry didn't know Dernhelm was Éowyn until the encounter with the Witch King and his steed. And before he recognized her there, he saw her standing and weeping over her fallen lord Théoden.
Anyway, it was jarring for me that Merry knew Éowyn bore him from the moment she grabbed him at Dunharrow; not so much that she had healthy emotions. I will say that the film completely ignored what book Merry recognized in Éowyn's face: "the face of one who goes seeking death, having no hope." That state of mind is different than courage.
Again I feel compelled to defend Movie Éowyn, simply because Miranda's performance made me love Book Éowyn more. I always admired Book Éowyn, I admired her deeply, but I simply didn't LOVE her the way I do now - thanks to Miranda, who humanised Éowyn for me. I always realised what Tolkien was doing with Éowyn's character in the story, and I had huge respect for that ... But I don't naturally warm to 'cold' characters, however much I may understand their reasons for that apparent coldness.
On my first reading, I loved the hobbits way more than the human characters. The exception being Faramir: my Lordy, did I ever adore Faramir, from the get-go. I liked and admired the other human characters: Aragorn, Éomer, Éowyn, etc. But my deepest emotions were reserved for the hobbits. I still adore them and I still identify with them the most - the hobbits have a powerful 'Everyman' function in the tale.
I simply didn't have the same emotional reaction to the humans, who seemed more remote and archetypal ... wonderfully written archetypes, to be sure, and vivid creations in their own right. (As I say, my exception was Faramir ... and that's because I fell in love with him, heh.). I could also appreciate that in Éowyn Tolkien was deliberately subverting an archetype. LotR would be a poorer story without her!
But I didn't learn to love her, really love her, until I saw the films. Yes, Movie Éowyn is painted in broader brush-strokes than Tolkien's more complex Éowyn. That is undeniable. But the text remains the text, with all of Tolkien's nuances of light and shade ... perhaps no film-maker could really do that justice. All the same ... at long last I am able to respond to Éowyn's story on an emotional level. She came alive for me.
On my first reading, I loved the hobbits way more than the human characters. The exception being Faramir: my Lordy, did I ever adore Faramir, from the get-go. I liked and admired the other human characters: Aragorn, Éomer, Éowyn, etc. But my deepest emotions were reserved for the hobbits. I still adore them and I still identify with them the most - the hobbits have a powerful 'Everyman' function in the tale.
I simply didn't have the same emotional reaction to the humans, who seemed more remote and archetypal ... wonderfully written archetypes, to be sure, and vivid creations in their own right. (As I say, my exception was Faramir ... and that's because I fell in love with him, heh.). I could also appreciate that in Éowyn Tolkien was deliberately subverting an archetype. LotR would be a poorer story without her!
But I didn't learn to love her, really love her, until I saw the films. Yes, Movie Éowyn is painted in broader brush-strokes than Tolkien's more complex Éowyn. That is undeniable. But the text remains the text, with all of Tolkien's nuances of light and shade ... perhaps no film-maker could really do that justice. All the same ... at long last I am able to respond to Éowyn's story on an emotional level. She came alive for me.
"Frodo undertook his quest out of love - to save the world he knew from disaster at his own expense, if he could ... "
Letter no. 246, The Collected Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
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Letter no. 246, The Collected Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
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Frelga wrote: What is missing from the movie is the character who most of all wants renown, glory, won by strength and courage. And then matures enough to recognize that there are more important things in life. She doesn't settle down to be a wife and a healer because that's what the author thinks a woman should do. She rises up to Tolkien's ideal of healing (see Aragorn) and gardening (see Samwise) being the most worthy things in life, and swords being only important for that which they defend.
Yes. This. THIS is what I see in the book Éowyn, such a... different character than most of fiction hands us. She is not particularly likeable, when I think about it, and that doesn't matter, because she is so Éowyn. She is fair. And terrible.
Gosh, Frelga, I just keep re-reading what you wrote. YES. Yes, you see it too, that dissonance between book and movie. What is missing is HER. That which makes her so unique.
And she is not a warrior princess, in the most literal cartoon sense, either. She doesn't love the sword itself. She DOES feel like "swords are only important for that which they defend".
I feel so much better now. <sigh>
Di, I am glad you found such richness in movie Éowyn, and Miranda's "humanization" helped you love book Éowyn more. I didn't dislike movie Éowyn. I was just disappointed in how much more she could have been. And perhaps no film-maker could really do her justice. That has occurred to me.
We are just completely out of step on this one, and that's okay.
I feel like that is the very definition of courage. Courage is not about doing something hard because it will guarantee a good outcome. Courage is about doing what you MUST do, even if the outcome is guaranteed to be bleak and hard and empty. True courage is doing what is right, doing what you can, and doing it with all your might, going into that dark night knowing you are not coming out. Pulling your sword and facing the Witch King to protect the one you love, when you know that unholy being to be unbeatable. No man can defeat him.SirDennis wrote: I will say that the film completely ignored what book Merry recognized in Éowyn's face: "the face of one who goes seeking death, having no hope." That state of mind is different than courage.
Éowyn would never have uttered the trembling, I'm-such-a scared-girl "courage for our friends" line. She knew she had to reach down to an even colder place, and use that strength to do what she could. To ride off to her fate. Whatever that was. To use the sword because it was all that was left to her, to defend her people, to try to do what she could to save her doomed world.
Cold. And terrible. And utterly, UTTERLY human. There is no need to "humanize" book Éowyn for me. She rings out as the most human character that Tolkien brought to life for me.
"What do you fear, lady?" Aragorn asked.
"A cage," Éowyn said. "To stay behind bars, until use and old age accept them, and all chance of doing great deeds is gone beyond recall or desire.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
"A cage," Éowyn said. "To stay behind bars, until use and old age accept them, and all chance of doing great deeds is gone beyond recall or desire.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
Book Éowyn didn't care if she lived or died. That put her beyond the reach of fear. But courage is not so much the absence of fear as the mastery of it. So I'm not sure Book Éowyn's fearless stand against the Witch King was courageous. It was a little too reckless for that. Remember, she was supposed to be in Rohan, preparing to command a last stand should Gondor fall.
That said, Movie Éowyn's open display of fear in her fight with the Witch King galled me. Yeah, she still fought and won, and arguably showed more genuine courage in doing so, but that's not how Éowyn's story was supposed to go.
That said, Movie Éowyn's open display of fear in her fight with the Witch King galled me. Yeah, she still fought and won, and arguably showed more genuine courage in doing so, but that's not how Éowyn's story was supposed to go.
When you can do nothing what can you do?
I don't know if Éowyn really didn't care if she lived. Possibly it's more that she had no hope, and given the choice of two ways to die she chose the more glorious.
I don't read the Witch King bit as a suicidal mission. Here, she is the epitome of a loyal Nordic warrior. "You stand between me and my lord and kin. Begone, if you be not deathless!"
She is prepared to fall in battle, sure, but in the same way as her brother is in what he thinks would be his last stand. Who, incidentally, is also motivated by the desire to "do deeds of song."
They are not suicidal, those Rohirrim, they are prepared to die. Big difference.
I don't read the Witch King bit as a suicidal mission. Here, she is the epitome of a loyal Nordic warrior. "You stand between me and my lord and kin. Begone, if you be not deathless!"
She is prepared to fall in battle, sure, but in the same way as her brother is in what he thinks would be his last stand. Who, incidentally, is also motivated by the desire to "do deeds of song."
They are not suicidal, those Rohirrim, they are prepared to die. Big difference.
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
My favourite characters tend to be the ones I relate to most. (Although I do have favourite villains. 
.). Frodo is, for me, the most human character (Sam is too sunny, on the whole, for me).
But there are also favourite characters who represent a favourite ideal or virtue. Frodo, again. And Faramir. Éowyn is also in this category, as Middle-earth's Most Awesome Woman (alongside Galadriel).
I don't think I ever saw her as an invincible and impenetrable ice-queen: I think the text reveals that she is very vulnerable, in her hopeless yearning for Aragorn. Not there is anything remotely soppy or silly in her feelings for Aragorn - not a bit of it, Éowyn is a highly intelligent and noble woman, and Tolkien's portrayal of her is keenly intelligent.
She and Faramir make the best match. (I far prefer these two to Aragorn and Arwen! )
.). Frodo is, for me, the most human character (Sam is too sunny, on the whole, for me).But there are also favourite characters who represent a favourite ideal or virtue. Frodo, again. And Faramir. Éowyn is also in this category, as Middle-earth's Most Awesome Woman (alongside Galadriel).
I don't think I ever saw her as an invincible and impenetrable ice-queen: I think the text reveals that she is very vulnerable, in her hopeless yearning for Aragorn. Not there is anything remotely soppy or silly in her feelings for Aragorn - not a bit of it, Éowyn is a highly intelligent and noble woman, and Tolkien's portrayal of her is keenly intelligent.
She and Faramir make the best match.
(I far prefer these two to Aragorn and Arwen! )"Frodo undertook his quest out of love - to save the world he knew from disaster at his own expense, if he could ... "
Letter no. 246, The Collected Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
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Letter no. 246, The Collected Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
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It really seems like we are getting somewhere... great discussion. My sense is courage relies on hope more than being a response to hopelessness.
Now there was that moment where Otto affected emptiness, when she asks Théoden, "what other duty would you have me do my lord?"
And I'll cave to Di's urging towards Osgilliation and say I always preferred the men and elves of Tolkien's world over the hobbits. Including Éowyn, the men and elves remind me of characters who populate Arthur legends.
Now there was that moment where Otto affected emptiness, when she asks Théoden, "what other duty would you have me do my lord?"
And I'll cave to Di's urging towards Osgilliation and say I always preferred the men and elves of Tolkien's world over the hobbits. Including Éowyn, the men and elves remind me of characters who populate Arthur legends.
I'm not sure if this is quite it. I agree with Frelga... I think Éowyn had no hope of victory. But she sure didn't want to die while cowering in a hidey hole somewhere. She wanted to meet her fate, bleak as it was, ride out to it, the maiden of the Rohirrim, child of kings, slender but as a steel-blade, fair yet terrible.River wrote:Book Éowyn didn't care if she lived or died.
That put her beyond the reach of fear.
I think she tapped into all that coldness to parry her fear.
I agree that courage is not the absence of fear; I'm not sure what you mean with courage being the "mastery" of fear. I think courage is feeling every bit of that fear, and choosing to face it, to go on, anyway. I'm not sure "mastery" is quite right, because it is hardly mastered; it can be more intense than ever, as you face it. It is a defiance of fear, maybe. A choice to do what is counter-intuitive. To choose to fight when the fight is already lost.But courage is not so much the absence of fear as the mastery of it.
(We had some great discussions about the nature of fear-- and courage-- when Prim was going in for her cancer surgery. I think about those discussions a lot. I learn so much from you all...)
That is interesting. I must relate to Éowyn on some level, or her story would not resonate with me as it does. I recognize what she is feeling, somehow. But her life is so much harder than mine, and VERY few people would characterize me as cold.Di wrote:My favourite characters tend to be the ones I relate to most. (Although I do have favourite villains. .).
So... I'm not sure why she stands out from the pages for me. I was thinking about Tolkien's female characters, and really only came up with these two, as you did, who were somewhat more than one dimensional. Perhaps there are more?Éowyn is also in this category, as Middle-earth's Most Awesome Woman (alongside Galadriel).
I never saw here as an ice queen, either. I saw her vulnerability as well. Although for me it has less to do with her interests in Aragorn, and more to do with her deep desire to matter. To matter as a person, as a daughter of kings. To not be caged and die a slow and dusty death, closed up and forgotten. To be able to stand up and be counted when the last crossed swords rang out in battle.I don't think I ever saw her as an invincible and impenetrable ice-queen: I think the text reveals that she is very vulnerable, in her hopeless yearning for Aragorn.
She is so still and cold, in her silent despair. But the fact that she feels that overwhelming despair makes her anything but cold. Complicated little maiden, isn't she?
I quite agree.SirDennis wrote:It really seems like we are getting somewhere... great discussion.
"What do you fear, lady?" Aragorn asked.
"A cage," Éowyn said. "To stay behind bars, until use and old age accept them, and all chance of doing great deeds is gone beyond recall or desire.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
"A cage," Éowyn said. "To stay behind bars, until use and old age accept them, and all chance of doing great deeds is gone beyond recall or desire.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
This is a fabulous discussion.
I think Éowyn is a very passionate woman, underneath her coldness - no wonder she and Faramir strike sparks together, at last.. I like what you say, Anthy, about her tapping into her coldness in order to parry her fear - now that is something I can definitely relate to (especially as I'm a big wimp about physical pain). I also love what you say about her deep desire to matter and not to die a caged, dusty death - *shudder* - yes, that is actually worse than dying with honour on the battlefield.
Tolkien's awesome women - there are plenty of them, in The Silmarillion. Two of the most compelling Valar are Elbereth, the great Star-Queen revered by the Elves, and Yavanna, Tolkien's great earth-mother figure. Then there's Nerdanel - who had to be a pretty awesome Elf-lady to survive marriage to Fëanor.. And Melian - so much superior to her husband Thingol! (Man, did that guy ever mess up. And he had everything! -what a dolt). Erendis, in the Númenor era, is not very likable but she is fascinating and you understand her motives even if you can't condone them. And of course there is Lúthien, Tolkien's ultra Elf-woman, who (again) is superior to her human lover Beren.
In LotR, the two stand-out awesome women are Éowyn and Galadriel. And we should not forget Lobelia!
. Seriously. . Feisty hobbit-woman who stands up to Sharkey, go Lobelia!
I think Éowyn is a very passionate woman, underneath her coldness - no wonder she and Faramir strike sparks together, at last.
. I like what you say, Anthy, about her tapping into her coldness in order to parry her fear - now that is something I can definitely relate to (especially as I'm a big wimp about physical pain). I also love what you say about her deep desire to matter and not to die a caged, dusty death - *shudder* - yes, that is actually worse than dying with honour on the battlefield.Tolkien's awesome women - there are plenty of them, in The Silmarillion. Two of the most compelling Valar are Elbereth, the great Star-Queen revered by the Elves, and Yavanna, Tolkien's great earth-mother figure. Then there's Nerdanel - who had to be a pretty awesome Elf-lady to survive marriage to Fëanor.
. And Melian - so much superior to her husband Thingol! (Man, did that guy ever mess up. And he had everything! -what a dolt). Erendis, in the Númenor era, is not very likable but she is fascinating and you understand her motives even if you can't condone them. And of course there is Lúthien, Tolkien's ultra Elf-woman, who (again) is superior to her human lover Beren. In LotR, the two stand-out awesome women are Éowyn and Galadriel. And we should not forget Lobelia!
. Seriously. . Feisty hobbit-woman who stands up to Sharkey, go Lobelia!"Frodo undertook his quest out of love - to save the world he knew from disaster at his own expense, if he could ... "
Letter no. 246, The Collected Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
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Letter no. 246, The Collected Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
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Túrin's aunt Aerin is also a rather interesting character from the brief glimpses we get at her. She shows a lot of resourcefulness and courage when put in a difficult situation (being forced to marry Brodda the Easterling) and uses her position to help people however she possibly can. When her meatheaded nephew shows up at Dor-lómin, he tells her she's too weak and creates a bloodbath. Knowing the vengeance Brodda will take, her final act is to burn his hall down.