I've had quite a few of my more intelligent friends (Yes, teenagers can be intelligent) ask me if I think Tolkien was sexist. And my answer is usually two words: Luthien Tinuviel. She's a woman who saves the DUDE from the dark tower. She's the one who goes into the "underworld" and saves the DUDE again. That's almost unheard of in fairy tales.
I agree, that this empowerment given women nowadays can be sexist. The reason being that the tough chick is always this sex kitten. And the lead dude always bangs her in the end. So the woman is STILL degraded to a sex object. And she STILL gets saved by the dude. I saw Van Helsing hoping that Kate Beckinsale's character would kick butt and hold onto her dignity, but she uses her sabre once, and that is to cut rope.
In Eowyn, I see a wonderfully complex person. She's strong, and she's fearless, but she's also confused and feels really inferior. She makes some brash decisions that end up saving the day, and instead of getting her dream guy, she gets a guy who will be HEALTHY for her.
That's my favourite thing about Tolkien's writing. Everything feels... healthy. The pain makes you stronger. The laughter makes you sweeter. The sorrow makes you wiser. And the women rock my socks. I'm waiting for my Luthien to save me!
