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<blockquote data-quote="Zander" data-source="post: 1287061" data-attributes="member: 1364">My point is (and was) that in the book Eowyn's belief that she could hinder the Witch King because she was a woman (and not a man) was false:&quot;With a cry of hatred that stung the ears like venom [the Witch King] let fall his mace. [Eowyn's] shield was shivered in many pieces, and her arm was broken; she stumbled to her knees. He bent over her like a cloud, and his eyes glittered; he raised his mace to kill. &nbsp; But suddenly he too stumbled forward with a cry of bitter pain, and his stroke went wide, driving into the ground. Merry's sword had stabbed him from behind...&quot;Clearly, the fact that Eowyn was a woman was not what made her success possible. It was Merry who hindered the Nazgul.Still not convinced? Try this: re-read the encounter between Eowyn and the Witch King but imagine that Merry isn't there. What happens? The Witch King proclaims &quot;No living man may hinder me!&quot;. Eowyn counters &quot;But no living man am I! You look upon a woman&quot; which seems very PC except that when they fight, the Witch King kills her without much difficulty and moves onto Theoden. Hardly a ringing endorsement of PC by Tolkien.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Zander, post: 1287061, member: 1364"] My point is (and was) that in the book Eowyn's belief that she could hinder the Witch King because she was a woman (and not a man) was false: "With a cry of hatred that stung the ears like venom [the Witch King] let fall his mace. [Eowyn's] shield was shivered in many pieces, and her arm was broken; she stumbled to her knees. He bent over her like a cloud, and his eyes glittered; he raised his mace to kill. But suddenly he too stumbled forward with a cry of bitter pain, and his stroke went wide, driving into the ground. Merry's sword had stabbed him from behind..." Clearly, the fact that Eowyn was a woman was not what made her success possible. It was Merry who hindered the Nazgul. Still not convinced? Try this: re-read the encounter between Eowyn and the Witch King but imagine that Merry isn't there. What happens? The Witch King proclaims "No living man may hinder me!". Eowyn counters "But no living man am I! You look upon a woman" which seems very PC except that when they fight, the Witch King kills her without much difficulty and moves onto Theoden. Hardly a ringing endorsement of PC by Tolkien. [/QUOTE]

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