Shield Maiden of Rohan: Lady Eowyn

In my introduction, “The Journey Begins,”  I declared I’d be highlighting a woman of adventure (fictional or historical) in each post.  I’d like to narrow that theme to focus on women who have taken some form of heroic or epic journey.  They may not have intended to be heroic upon setting out, but somehow made a difference in the world.

I wouldn’t be true to myself if my first entry on this theme wasn’t from my favorite books, “The Lord of the Rings.”  And who better to review than Lady Eowyn, slayer of the witch-king?  It is true that Arwen, daughter of the elf-lord Elrond, was the leading lady of the movie version.  In the books, however, Eowyn is definitely the most accomplished heroine.

Eowyn was raised in the fortress of Edoras by her uncle, King Theoden of Rohan.  She was tall, graceful, and had long, golden hair.  Her brother, Eomer, was a great warrior and leader of the Riddermark.  Rohan was a country torn by war with the orcs (Tolkien’s goblins).  Eowyn knew how to use a sword and was called a shield-maiden of Rohan.

When Gandalf the wizard, Gimli the dwarf, Legolas the elf, and Aragorn, the future king of Gondor, came to Rohan to help defend it from Saruman’s orc armies, Eowyn quickly fell in love with Aragorn.  His heart stayed true to Arwen, though.  This drove Eowyn to despair.

Hoping to sacrifice her life for her country, she disguised herself as a man named Dernhelm and rode with Rohan’s armies to battle in Gondor.  The journey was long, more than a hundred miles.  Eowyn allowed Merry the hobbit to ride with her as well, since no man’s horse could bear the extra burden.  They rode into willow thickets by the river Snowbourn, along the river Entwash, through Firien Wood, and between marshes and hills where they heard rumors of war nearby with orcs (similar to goblins).  They rode alongside the mountains separating the kingdoms of Rohan and Gondor.  They were helped through the Druadan Forest by the Wild Men of the Woods.  At last they reached Gondor, but not without having to fight orcs first.

There, with Merry’s help, she defeated the Lord of the Nazgul, Angmar the Witch-King after he mortally wounded her uncle.  Her defiant response to the Nazgul’s taunt of “Thou fool.  No living man may hinder me!” was “But no living man am I!  You look upon a woman.  Eowyn I am, Eomund’s daughter.  You stand between me and my lord and kin.  Begone, if you be not deathless!  For living or dark undead, I will smite you, if you touch him.”  (Taken from the book, not the movie.)  Before she killed him, she was gravely injured by the ringwraith.  Thus her body matched her heart in brokenness.

Aragorn, whom she had loved, tended to her in the Houses of Healing.  He also healed another.  Faramir, Captain of Gondor, was also nearly mortally wounded.  While Aragorn led the remaining armies of Gondor against the orcs at the Black Gate, Faramir and Eowyn recovered in the gardens of Minas Tirith.  Faramir loved her first, but at last Eowyn discovered her true feelings.  Her heart and body were both finally healed.

After the War of the Ring, Faramir and Eowyn married and became the Lord and Lady of Ithilien.

Eowyn journeyed from the fortress of Edoras in Rohan to the battle in the fields of Gondor.  Her heart journeyed through love, heartbreak, courage, hope, and finally joy.  Her story encourages women everywhere.

Where there is courage, there is hope.

References taken from The Two Towers and The Return of the King.