Posted: April 03, 2000 at 11:04:08: by Frode
I can appreciate certain necessary 'grips' that Jackson needs to make in order to 'make a movie out of a book'. I agree with exspanding Arwens part, but I worry about the nature of the expansion so to speak.
There are ways to give Arwen more screen-time and still not interfere with some key elements in LotR (and the mythos as a whole).
There is nothing to suggest that noldo women did not fight (in so far as Arwen can be called a noldo). On the contrary Tolkien confirmed that if necessary they do fight (Morgoths ring). Arwen fighting battles in LotR is however IMO not a very good idea. Tolkien strives throughout LotR to describe the 'fading' of the elves. In many instances his choice of words echoes the 'doom of Mandos' and it's content masterfully. The high-elves of LotR are distant beings out of a mythic past (the description of Gildors party is famous and likewise the last riding from Minas Tirith). Arwen is a very important character to Tolkien (like Luthien and inspired by her), but whereas Luthien is the 'star' of the heydays of the noldor, Arwen is their evenstar. She is like Luthien an 'imbodiment' of elvishness and reflects her people. A fighting Arwen at Helms Deep at the end of the third age is wrong. Tolkien described the elves at this point of time as "past the point of effective concern". Of course Arwen will remain in Middle-Earth, but that is because of her love for a man. She never raises a sword in LotR however. Her brothers are another story altogether, but like many have pointed out over the years; Elladan and Elrohir does not represent 'fairy' (indeed they seem almost like Dunedain), Arwen does.
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