Discuss who is the strongest male/female character."
We have a lot of things to consider:
*What makes a character "strong"?
*Race: strengths, weaknesses, specific characteristics
*Gender dynamics.

1. What makes a character "strong"? Should they be strong physically, emotionally, spiritually? Should they be extraordinarily intelligent or wise?
The character's contributions.

2. Race. This would be very dicey territory in real life, but in the world of Tolkien, each race is given different strengths and tendencies. Some races are immortal, meaning that by virtue of living much longer than mortal races, they have had a chance to obtain more knowledge and wisdom about the ways of the world. Is it fair to compare an Elf to a Man in terms of how wise they are?

3. Gender dynamics. Are we looking for males and females that fit Western gender stereotypes and fulfill them well, or are looking for males and females that DON'T fulfill those stereotypes? Eowyn, for example.

4. The character's contributions. What has this character done that impressed us so much? Are great deeds necessarily, or simply small acts of kindness and understanding? How have they shown their mettle? I know that I personally consider a few Tolkien characters to be role models for my own life - I'd love to be as wise as Gandalf, as mentally strong as Galadriel, as brave as Eowyn, and as witty as Bilbo.

Hi all

The combined might of the Valar only subdued the Morgoth.

A song by the lady Luthien, toppled the mighty one.

Luthien every time for the girls...mind you..her parentage might of helped.

However Beren was a man and defied death itself...to return, for a while.

So that's it for me,,,,,Beren and Luthien.....not with armies or swords or rings...just love

It occurs to me that in order to pick a favorite strong character, either male or female, you have to seperate the races. As has been stated there are different strengths and weaknesses that are given to each race. What one race is considered strong for would be a totally foriegn behavior or personality for another.

Consider Eowyn and Galadriel, for instance. Galadriel's strength was in her wisdom and "magic" (we've had this discussion before) but Eowyn should not be thought less of because of her physical contribution to the war. They each gave what they had and were precious for it.

My point was more that while Celeborn's part in the story was not lauded or made a spectacular occurance, he was still a part of the story. There is no way that he was a wilting wall flower and united with the mighty Galadriel who was ambitious, not afraid of a sword and knew how to use one.

A point that rings true even in the story of Eowyn and Faramir. Eowyn was a warrior at heart, cold, ambitious and strong as spring steel. Her heart was finally unfrozen, defeated, by the gentlness of Faramir and the warmth that was who he was. That is not to say he was a pansy either. He commanded a great army and his soldiers and people loved him as a strong leader. He didn't take any crap and was shrewd and insightful.

Therefore, I'm a bit hesitant to pick a favorite right now and have not decided whether to pick a male and female from each race (though I'm a bit worried about the race of dwarves in this case ; ) ) or a favorite overall. It will be a hard decision to make if the later is forced.


As a side note:  Fili, I tend to favor the male of our "species".  I'd much rather hang out with a room full of guys than a room full of women.  No offense ladies.  It's just less stressfull.


-- Edited by lomoduin on Wednesday 12th of August 2009 01:51:06 AM

Hmm Galadriel is a good contender. It is stated many times that she was the 'Mightiest of Elven Women' and greatest of the Noldor, except Feanor.

So that would be my ideal pairing - Feanor and Galadriel, and they seemed to show a perculier dislike for eachother (or atleast Galadriel to Feanor) than seems common for the Firstborn. Can it be coincidence that the two greatest of the Noldor (and Feanor, as mentioned, being the greatest of all of Eru's Children) were also the two that seemed to have this strange dislike for eachother?

For the Second born, I would have to vote for Eowyn. Her father was failing under Wormtonge's lies. Her beloved brother would die and her cousin would be bannished while Wormtonge hoped to have her for himself. She was swordmaiden to her people and had to remain strong. Her strength would serve her and her people well on the field of battle and she would do the one thing that generations of Man, Elf, and Maia could not do, she fell the Witch King.

For the First Born it is hard to beat Galadriel. She was ambitious, rebelious.....yet in the end she over came all that. She kept constent tabs on Sauron's doings and resisted the One Ring's influence. It was her gifts to the Fellowship that would sustain them....especially Sam and Frodo.... to the very end of the Quest.

No doubt Tolkien was influenced by the strength his mother showed in her raising her two sons after the death of their father in Africa. He may have been more attuned to the contribuions of Edith as well. She had to put up a lot from him. She stuck by him and he mourned her deeply in her passing. He said in a letter that for him there could be no cries that Mandos would heed. No reuniting of two lovers parted by death.

lomoduin

Going for the groceries.......waiting in that traffic jam....watching another soap opera on TV.....the feeling of despair as you open that unexpected bill.....the pressures of work and family......never reaching that potential that you know is there..........inside

Even in a cloudy day......the sun shines, so brightly

You are never alone........

Deep breaths...........and think of the west !

Love is life, so love life !

When ever I find myself getting caught up in the mundan and losing touch with the calm and peace within, I step outside and look up. I walk down a wood road and let my finger tips brush the leaves and grasses around me. I chase sunsets and close my eyes and listen to the bird and insect songs around me.

Yip

That and beer

And we all love you, Bear. You inspire and instruct in such a way that I have never seen in any forum I have ever dealt with. You are also a friend. A true, dyed in the wool friend and make this forum and all of us the richer for knowing you. You have my adoration and respect. I would stand with you or between you and what ever hellfire mght arise.

Fili, no wonder you smell like marmite. lol I find rum to be more of a comfort than beer but I don't complain about either. Thank you for bringing life and passion to this forum and to each of our lives. I would stand with you too, sir.

If you wake every morning and lay down each night with the knowledge that you have done the best you could with what you have and are able to do so with a clear conscience then you are a true warrior, a soldier. To this I cling.