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Old 02-12-2014, 03:38 AM   #1
Alcuin
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Arwen and Aragorn's romance nearly didn't happen

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An unpublished letter from JRR Tolkien to his publisher shows the difficulties the author faced while writing The Return of the King
An article from today’s London Telegraph. Apparently poet WH Auden didn’t like Arwen.
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Old 02-13-2014, 10:10 PM   #2
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Really interesting article (despite the surprising spelling mistakes). I think this 'saga' was too close to home for Tolkien to remove it so casually and I'm glad he stayed true to his original impulse
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Old 02-14-2014, 11:36 AM   #3
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Yes - perhaps after reading, Auden was an "Eowyn-guy". Who isn't - after reading the story and not having the Appendix material!?!?!?
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Old 02-15-2014, 06:01 AM   #4
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I think Tolkien’s original intention was to have Aragorn marry Éowyn, and that Arwen was a late addition to the story. Does anyone recall when in the development of LotR Arwen entered the storyline?
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Old 02-15-2014, 03:47 PM   #5
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But... the Eowyn / Faramir story is so nice! I doubt it was an afterthought.
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Old 02-15-2014, 06:32 PM   #6
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I would speculate that Auden would have been more of a slash fanfic type of guy.
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Old 02-16-2014, 08:52 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alcuin View Post
I think Tolkien’s original intention was to have Aragorn marry Éowyn, and that Arwen was a late addition to the story. Does anyone recall when in the development of LotR Arwen entered the storyline?
I'm not familiar with that. Is it in HoME material? I just own two volumes - really need to pick up the rest.
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Old 02-16-2014, 03:29 PM   #8
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I read it in HoME somewhere - I guess it would be in book 7 or 8.
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Old 02-16-2014, 06:39 PM   #9
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A Google search shows that Arwen was indeed a late addition to the tale, and first appeared with the name Finduilas, the same name as the ill-fated daughter of Orodreth in the Tale of the Children of Húrin.

The appearance of Finduilas > Arwen into the tale is recounted in History of Middle-Earth volume 8, War of the Ring, so Varnafindë’s memory is spot on, but I can’t find my copy this afternoon. (You can, however, read Michael Drout’s entry on Arwen here.)

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Old 05-29-2015, 12:52 PM   #10
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Indeed I have read that JRRT intended for Aragorn to marry Eowyn. It is in the HoME, I think in Sauron Defeated.
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Old 05-31-2015, 03:57 PM   #11
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Tolkien did indeed originally intend that Aragorn and Éowyn should wed. I don’t recall when Arwen entered the story as it was written, nor do I immediately recall in which volume of HoME CJRT reported it, but it entailed some re-writing.

I rather like it as it is: the tension between Éowyn and Aragorn makes the story more realistic, explains many of Éowyn’s subsequent actions (she’s one of my favorite characters, changing and developing more than anyone else except Sam), and creates the scene in which Éowyn must renounce her ambitions to return Faramir’s love. (In which Faramir becomes are chaste version of Lancelot.) It also explains the tautness and tension of Aragorn, who is seeking not only his lost kingdom, but the hand of his love; and creates a tension between Elrond – who loves Aragorn as his foster-son, and Aragorn, who loves Elrond as his father. (It is Elrond who confronts Boromir at the Council and tells him that Aragorn is his rightful king: Boromir can’t object because he sought Elrond’s advice!) All of these things arise from introducing Arwen late in the writing of the tale.
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Old 05-31-2015, 11:06 PM   #12
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Thatall makes good sense and is very insightful/

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