MovieChat Forums > The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) Discussion > Was Eowyn selfish?

Was Eowyn selfish?

posted 9 years ago by MasterOfDeath7
13 replies | jump to latest

I just finished watching this movie for the billionth time and it seemed that Eowyn was being selfish in going back on her word to Theoden about going back to Edoras and ruling in his stead. What would have happened had the battle went ill at mInas Tirith? The people of Rohan would be without a leader. Of course it all works out perfectly anyway but Theoden actually didn't need her to fight with them at Pelennor Fields, he needed her to rule in his stead while he was away and take up the defense of Edoras should the battle in Gondor go ill...

What do you think?

[–] dijomaja-382-516639 9 years ago

Actually, in the book Tolkien has a conversation between Eowyn and Aragorn on the subject of "duty". Eowyn's is the more "modern" attitude: "May I not do what I want with my life?" Aragorn's reply? "Few may do so with honor", meaning that we have obligations to others as well.

Tolkien doesn't give us an easy answer (for all the criticism of LotR as being simplistic and "black & white"). Eowyn's duty to her people (and the uncle who raised her like a father) is clear but she seems to play an essential role in the slaying of the Witch-king. It's a bit clearer in the book but a prophecy had been made that "Not by the hand of Man shall he be slain". The movie comes down on the side of one interpretation: "No Man shall slay me!" right before he's laid low by a woman and a Hobbit - a bit of ironic "read the fine print on your prophecy". But Tolkien scholars point out that it may just have been a prediction, not a requirement, that the W-k would be killed by someone other than a male human. So we really don't know if Eowyn was wrong to refuse her duty; we just know that it worked out alright.

[–] Beren44 9 years ago

Sadly, a LARGE part of the story/history of Rohan and Gondor got left out of the movies. Faramir and Eowyn's marriage, for just the most obvious example, was barely even acknowledged. Yet the whole race of the Rohirrim descended from one of the three original lines of men, the house of Hador. There is much left unsaid. If you have not read The Silmarillion, go do so immediately!

~~~We're gonna explode? I don't wanna explode! ~~~ (Jayne Cobb, from 'Serenity')

[–] Harold_of_Whoa 9 years ago

I think she is selfish. End.

It's really not even that she thinks her help will be needed more on the battlefield than back at Edoras, she just wants glory and renown.

It works out well in the end, obviously, but not because Eowyn understands she has an important destiny to fulfill.

[–] dijomaja-382-516639 9 years ago

Well, I think Tolkien gives her a little more complex motivation. Book-Eowyn tells Aragorn that his "friends" are going "because they love thee and would not be parted from thee". I don't think she was just talking about Legolas and Gimli and I think movie-Eowyn implies something similar. When The Three Hunters realize that all they may be able to do is find their friends in time to lay down and die beside them they decide that it would be "enough". Also, as is said, "The immature (man) wants to die nobly for a cause; the mature (man) wants to live humbly for one". Eowyn gets to do a lot of maturing in a short time.

[–] Dejay 8 years ago

Well if the battle had gone ill then Eowyn wouldn't really have made a difference in Edoras. Sauron would have won. They would have all died anyways.

So from the predictable consequences the correct ethical decision was to make sure the battle did not go ill. So she wasn't selfish.

[–] WeirdRaptor 8 years ago

Selfish or not, they wouldn't have been able to kill The Witch King without her there. So it's kind of a moot point.

"All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you." -Gandalf

[–] 8 years ago

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[–] dijomaja-382-516639 8 years ago

Whether she simply wanted glory and renown or wanted to be with Aragorn her motivation appears selfish. But she also wanted to fight for her people alongside her brother and her friends which is the noble if not mature choice under the circumstances. For all the criticism of Tolkien creating simple "black and white" characters Eowyn comes to life as a complex human being.

As for the "prophecy" Prof. Tom Shippey goes into the complicated question of "destiny vs. Free Will" in his two fine books on Tolkien.

[–] indy_go_blue44 8 years ago

Maybe immature is a better word than selfish.

[–] lilactime2014 8 years ago

Is it a question that would even be asked if Eowyn was a man? Would not the decision be seen as heroic and selfless rather than selfish

Given that she played a key part in the victory, I am surprised that an answer is needed.... to a question that wasn't warranted.

'tler

[–] 8 years ago

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