[Wneighbor]

Yet, in the film, Peter Jackson causes Arwen to perform the heroic tasks of Elrond and Glorfindal, making her appear more a stereotypical warrior princess like those popular with today’s audience. It is as though he is introducing her character as a warrior so viewers won’t notice that she becomes a passive heroine later in the story. It’s as if Jackson is justifying her later passive portrayal that is true to Tolkien’s Arwen.

You know. I really like this article. But this one paragraph that I have copied bothers me. I identify more with Arwen than Eowyn - but people often tell me I remind them of Eowyn. In that vein, I think it's a true mark of womanhood that we can be both. We can be the passive and serene woman and yet, when the time is needful become the warrior princess. This is one time when I disagree with a criticism of PJ's adaptation. I don't see that he messed up Arwen at all. I think she is just more fully developed.

I still miss Glorfindel though. He is my favorite male elf!

[GretchenEE]

Hey, they be talkin' bout chu all over this thread -- references to "warrior princess"!

[Restorer]

Why do you think PJ's Arwen is all active and warlike in the beginning and then just sits out the whole war? Frankly, I was expecting to have her fill Halbarad's role as well as Glorfindel's. I thought she would be the one to bring Auduril to him in Rohan and ride with him on the Paths of the Dead.

[sweetliberty]

"We can be the passive and serene woman and yet, when the time is needful become the warrior princess."

I agree with you. I too identify more with Arwen, but I like the way you put it. We are not one-dimensional, but multi-dimensional, and highly adaptive to the need of the moment. I like the way PJ brought Arwen into the rescue of Frodo. I didn't even see her so much as the warrior princess there as the healer/protector whose equestrian skill I greatly admired and which served the role well without dimishing her femininity in the least. It gave a beautiful supernatural quality to her femininity.