The only developed female character in the novel, and one of the more complex. In Eowyn, Tolkien shows that he could write about women, he just chose not to.

She is a complex, conflicted figure, torn in many directions and struggling with the maturity to deal with the stresses upon her.

Eowyn was a contrast to Arwen. Eowyn was a young woman, Arwen was a 500 year old elf queen. Arwen was described as Tinuviel coming back to life. That's like saying, "She looks like Eve!" Eowyn was described as a young maiden, hair like a river of gold, and not yet in full bloom (small breasted). Arwen loved and felt compassion for Aragon, especially concerning human mortality. Eowyn's love seemed colder and more sympathetic for Faramir, especially concerning his wounds and depression. Arwen married downward (according to Elf standards) and Eowyn married someone of equal status in a neighboring country.

Arwen's involvement with Mordor was political; she didn't get personally involved. When Aragorn was in trouble, she sends a sword for glory, a gem for recognition, and some people to fight with him. Eowyn got personally involved and slew Sauron's right hand man, with Merry's help. I especially liked what each woman did with their swords; Arwen sent Narsil (the sword) to Aragon through her father while Eowyn hid hers under her saddle blanket. It indicated their diverse personalities. If you upset Arwen, she'd send someone to kill you. If you upset Eowyn, she'd kill you herself!

Eowyn's character carries her through the story. Eowyn was a typical tomboy and trained swordswoman. Her uncle and only remaining guardian seemed to fall ill (due to Wormtongue's influence). The country wasn't as well-run, her uncle wasn't recovering, and her cousin and her brother ran off to battle. The boys coped by running away to fight orcs. Eowyn, being a woman, couldn't run away to do battle. Eowyn suffered in silence, watching her once proud, tall, and strong uncle dwindle into a withering, stunted tree.

She lost her confidence. Wormtongue, her supposed counselor, made her feel worse. Her cousin's death was devastating: she might lose the kingdom and her uncle. Eowyn, however, had nerves of steel beneath her. She hid a sword beneath her saddle blanket to go to war to steel her nerves, but she still didn't have enough confidence. Eowyn hung on to Aragorn, who had the confidence, strength, and honor as king that she had lost as a princess. He didn't like her fiesty response in an argument or hiding her sword under a saddle blanket (symbol of hiding her strength under a blanket of deception), so he stuck with Arwen.

Eowyn went into battle to confront her fear: that the enemy was unstoppable and her uncle would die. Her fear came true; her uncle died. The enemy, Sauron's right hand man, told her "No man can kill me," then Merry stabbed his sore spot behind the knee, and the enemy screamed his head off. This told her, "If he can feel pain, if he's made of flesh like you, he's stoppable." With her confidence back, she was proud to be a swordswoman and sticks her hidden sword right through Sauron's servant's head!

"You are a Shield Maiden of the house of Kings!"

The real heroine of both the books and films. Eowyn totally rules!

One of my very favorite characters. She was in the book much more than Arwen, yet in the moive she got a much smaller role, one of the reasons I like the book better.

i think she is a great character in the story and the part is well done by miranda otto also. she is brave and she fights like a real viking woman in the story. she is complicated like every woman and she is so intelligent and she does good things

I think Eowyn, both in the film and the book is the series most realistic character. she is complex, both passionate and yet cold. In the movie I feel her love for aragorn is not so much about him. It is about her worth and about connection. She wants someone to understand her so badly she even is slightly drawn to wormtounge's perception of her. I also liked that the didn't focus to much on her relationship with farimir. they are both wounded and wonderful characters but I like that her moment with Theoden was the focal point. It was his aproval and her own she was seeking. In this moment she gets that and then is able to move on. It is a fantastic charter arch.

Eowyn is pretty and smart and brave. She's your typical tomboy/girly. She's a little of both. She's a good character.

She is a great character and Miranda Otto was a right choice to play Éowyn. She is just awsome in the third movie, as she is in the books.

Too bad Eowyn doesn't have a bigger role! She wasn't even going to exist in the book (neither was Faramir), but Tolkien wrote her in at the behest of his teenage daughter... he was gonna kill her off at the Battle of Pelennor Fields but also for his daughter kept her alive and gave her Faramir. Knowing Peter Jackson they'll beef her up like there's no tomorrow, but I got a feeling it won't grate my nerves too much - Otto can probably carry the character anyway and keep her interesting.

Eowyn is a role model for all the tough little girls out there who want to fight honorably like the boys and still fall in love. She provides LOTR with a needed realistic female character. I both admire her and understand her unlike Arwen at times.

You know most people are inclined to think of her as a rebellious tomboy as I did at first. But all women of Rohan were tough and war-trained. Though she did defect from the orders she'd been given, when I read it again, especially Gandalf and Aragorn's words concerning her in the third book, I realized there was a bunch of good old-fashioned feminine longing under her brave shell. Still I'm glad Tolkien wrote her in, though, and I think Miranda Otto blew Liv Tyler outta the water with those skillz.

She fine, very good with swords, very brave too, but it`s just ovious that she wants Aragorn...