If you've never heard of Middle-earth, then you must have been living under a rock since 1937. J.R.R. Tolkien first published "The Hobbit" in that year, then followed up with his famous trilogy, "The Lord of the Rings," in 1954. Each book from the trilogy and the prequel were adapted into films directed by Peter Jackson. While these stories are undoubtedly male-oriented, Tolkien didn't shy away from creating female characters -- and heroic ones at that. Here are a few reasons why Tolkien women are superior role models in fiction, and why we need more like them.
They're not some regular, basic damsels in distress.
In Tolkien's realm, he created many wars and killed many men; however, his women endured. Simply because the race of men in Middle-earth was a tad sexist. Eowyn, from the original trilogy, was taught how to bear arms, but was restrained from fighting alongside her uncle in the war that takes place in "The Return of the King." It can be argued that she was told to stay away from the war because she was chosen to rule the kingdom of Rohan while her uncle was away, but some theorists argue that she was told to stay away from the war due to her gender. Either way, she disobeys, masquerades as a man and fights alongside the soldiers. Eowyn proves her skills in battle and comes to her uncle's side after he's mortally wounded -- realizing before death that she was more than he perceived. She even slays the Witch-king of Angmar after revealing herself. But before her unveiling, the Witch-king says that no mortal man can kill him. Her next words to the Witch-king are some of the more feminist and legendary words from "LOTR."
They can defend themselves.
In case you've not read, or seen, Tolkien's works, then you may not be aware of all the fighting that goes on. I mean, there's a lot of fighting. More fighting than "Olympus Has Fallen" and "Taken" put together, times 100. Yeah, a lot, and these Middle-earth women are exceptional fighters. Although she was created solely for the "Hobbit" films, she-elf Tauriel can definitely hold her own amongst the characters actually written by Tolkien. In addition to being skillful with a sword, blade and bow, Tauriel is the Captain of the Guard and has wowed the heart of her commander, Legolas (who, by the way, is the prince of the Mirkwood elves so it's a big deal that he loves her). Besides that, Tauriel has plenty of action in the films and never once called for aid. She even saved Kili, a male dwarf, on numerous occasions. She's often seen fighting orcs or giant spiders, and arriving at the right moment to save the day.
They're terrifying when tried.
These women are not to be messed with, and can get pretty terrifying when angry. Lady Galadriel, one of the most powerful beings in Middle-earth, is no exception. When we see her most times, she is very calm and speaks very little. (Mainly because she speaks telepathically with other characters, but that's besides the point.) She's a peaceful character, so when she transforms into an emerald-colored, raging elf, we're honestly afraid. Galadriel can channel her strengths to become a powerful being that puts her male comrades to shame. She's also aware of her weaknesses. In the "Fellowship of the Ring," the hobbit Frodo offers her the one ring so she could destroy it, but she declines --knowing that she would be too weak and would be taken over by the power of the ring. Most Middle-earth characters would be been like, "Oh my gosh! Yes, let me have it!" On top of being humble and terrifying, Galadriel is pretty intense.
They're not afraid to risk their own lives.
In a world like Middle-earth, there are plenty of villains waiting to cause some problems. In the "LOTR," the hobbit, Frodo, is given the task of destroying the one ring -- which is essentially what the entire trilogy is about -- and is pursued by nine entities known as the Nazgûl. They're pretty terrifying and will do anything to get the ring. Arwen risks her own life to get Frodo and the ring to safety from the Nazgûl, resulting in an epic horse race that ends with Arwen cornered. She ends up getting away, but the fact that she faced off with the Nazgûl in the first place, for the life of someone else, is amazing. Her selfless act saved Frodo and turned her into an amazing heroine.
And lastly, they're just so beautiful it hurts.
Tauriel is a chestnut, ginger goddess.
Galadriel is the moon personified into a person.
Arwen is a wide-eyed doe ready for action.
And Eowyn is a blonde, fiery babe.
Plenty of heroines in modern fiction can't hold a candle to these Tolkien women. Characters like Bella from "Twilight" or Cho Chang from "Harry Potter" are not the best for girls to look up to. While Tolkien made many male characters who are great within their own rights, he made strong female characters who are worthy enough to call role models.
