| Eowyn Shieldmaiden White Lady of Rohan The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien |
| Eowyn was the sister-daughter of Theoden Ednew, King of Rohan and Lord of the Mark. Following the death of her parents, Theodwyn and Eomund, she and her brother Eomer were taken into his house and raised as his own. She was therefore there to see the darkness fall on the king and his halls, and lament it, until Gandalf the Gray came and denounced Grima Wormtongue, freeing Theoden from his influence. At this time, she met Aragorn, son of Arathorn, rightful king of Gondor, and she for a time thought herself in love with him, but finding that he looked on her with naught but pity and understanding, she wished nothing, unless to find glory and death in battle. To this end she disguised herself as Dernhelm, a Rider of the Mark, and rode with the king, bringing as well Meriadoc Brandybuck the hobbit, who would also have been left behind. In the Battle of Pelennor Fields, Theoden was struck down by the Lord of the Nazgul, and while others fled or lay dying, Eowyn, as Dernhelm, stood alone in defense of her lord, and Eowyn is known in the Mark as the Lady of the Shield-arm, for it was broken by the mace of the Witch-king, of whom it was said that he would not fall by the hand of man. Eowyn fell then into a dark sleep from which she was woken by Aragorn, for �the hands of a king are the hands of a healer� and for some time later she dwelt in the Houses of Healing. There she became known to Faramir, son of Denethor, last of the Stewards of Gondor, who saw in her what she could not, and offered her not pity but love. This love she returned, and laid aside her shield, that she might dwell in Ithilien with her lord and love. Descriptions: �Behind his [King Theoden�s] chair stood a woman clad in white.� �Grave and thoughtful was her glance, as she looked on the king with cool pity in her eyes. Very fair was her face, and her long hair was like a river of gold. Slender and tall she was in her white robe girt with silver; but strong she seemed and stern as steel, a daughter of kings. Thus Aragorn for the first time in the full light of day beheld Eowyn, lady of Rohan, and thought her fair, fair and cold, like a morning of pale spring that is not yet come to womanhood.� �Alone Eowyn stood before the doors of the house at the stair�s head; the sword was set upright before her, and her hands were laid upon the hilt. She was clad now in mail and shone like silver in the sun.� -The Two Towers, Chapter 6, The King of the Golden Hall �And she answered: �All your words are but to say: you are a woman, and your part is in the house. But when the men have died in battle and honour, you have leave to be burned in the house, for men will need it no more. But I am of the House of Eorl and not a serving-woman. I can ride and wield blade, and I do not fear either pain or death.� �What do you fear, lady?� he asked. �A cage,� she 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.�� �His [Aragorn�s] company was all mounted, and he was about to leap into the saddle, when the Lady Eowyn came to bid them farewell. She was clad as a Rider and girt with a sword.� -The Return of the King, Chapter 2, The Passing of the Grey Company �As they drew near Merry saw that the rider was a woman with long braided hair gleaming in the twilight, yet she wore a helm and was clad to the waist like a warrior and girded with a sword.� �A young man, Merry thought as he returned the glance, less in height and girth than most. He caught the glint of clear grey eyes; and then he shivered, for it came suddenly to him that it was the face of one without hope who goes in search of death.� -The Return of the King, Chapter 3, The Muster of Rohan ��Hinder me? Thou fool. No living man may hinder me!� [the Nazgul Lord] Then Merry heard of all sounds in that hour the strangest. It seemed that Dernhelm laughed, and the clear voice was like the ring of steel. �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.� The winged creature screamed at her, but the Ringwraith made no answer, and was silent, as if in sudden doubt. Very amazement for a moment conquered Merry�s fear. He opened his eyes and the blackness was lifted from them. There some paces from him sat the great beast, and all seemed dark about it, and above it loom the Nazgul Lord like a shadow of despair. A little to the left facing them stood she whom he had called Dernhelm. But the helm of her secrecy had fallen from her, and her bright hair, released from its bonds, gleamed in pale gold upon her shoulders. Her eyes grey as the sea were hard and fell, and yet tears were on her cheek. A sword was in her hand, and she raised her shield against the horror of her enemy�s eyes. Eowyn it was, and Dernhelm also. For into Merry�s mind flashed the memory of the face that he saw at the riding from Dunharrow: the face of one that goes seeking death, having no hope.� ... �Still she did not blench: maiden of the Rohirrim, child of kings, slender but as a steel-blade, fair yet terrible.� -The Return of the King, Chapter 6, The Battle of the Pelennor Fields �But Aragorn came to Eowyn, and he said...�For she is a fair maiden, fairest lady of a house of queens. And yet I know not how I should speak of her. When I first looked on her and perceived her unhappiness, it seemed to me that I saw a white flower standing straight and proud, shapely as a lily, and yet knew that it was hard, as if wrought by elf-wrights out of steel.�� �The Aragorn stooped and looked in her face, and it was indeed white as a lily, cold as frost, and hard as graven stone.� -The Return of the King, Chapter 8, The Houses of Healing �The Warden looked at her. Tall she stood there, her eyes bright in her white face, her hand clenched as she turned and gazed out of his window that opened to the East.� �At a sign from Faramir, the Warden bowed and departed. �What would you have me do, lady?� said Faramir. �I also am a prisoner of the healers.� He looked at her, and being a man whom pity deeply stirred, it seemed to him that her loveliness amid her grief would pierce his heart. And she looked at him and saw the grave tenderness in his eyes, and yet knew, for she was bred among men of war, that here was one whom no Rider of the Mark would outmatch in battle. �What do you wish?� he said again. �If it lies in my power, I will do it.� �I would have you command this Warden, and bid him let me go,� she said; but though her words were till proud, her heart faltered, and fro the first time she doubted herself. She guessed that this tall man, both stern and gentle, might think her merely wayward, like a child that has not the firmness of mind to go on with a dull task to the end. �I myself am in the Warden�s keeping,� answered Faramir. �Nor have I yet taken up my authority in the City. But had I done so, I should still listen to his counsel, and should not cross his will in matters of his craft, unless in some great need.� �But I do not desire healing,� she said. �I wish to ride to war like my brother Eomer, or better like Theoden the king, for he died and has both honour and peace.� �It is too late, lady, to follow the Captains, even if you had the strength,� said Faramir. �But death in battle may come to us all yet, willing or unwilling. You will be better prepared to face it in your own manner, if while there is still time you do as the Healer commanded. You and I, we must endure with patience the hours of waiting.� She did not answer, but he looked at her it seemed to him that something in her softened, as though a bitter frost were yielding at the first faint presage of Spring. A tear sprang in her eye and fell down her cheek, like a glistening rain-drop. Her proud head drooped a little. Then quietly, more as if speaking to herself than to him; �But the healers would have me lie abed seven days yet,� she said. �And my window does not look eastward.� Her voice was now that of a maiden young and sad.� ��Alas, not me, lord!� she said. �Shadow lies on me still. Look not to me for healing! I am a shieldmaiden and my hand is ungentle.�� -The Return of the King, Bk. 6, Chapter 5, The Steward and the King |