Ayashi Tetsuko

All that being said, book!Faramir is not waiting around to be noticed by his dad. Denethor even tells us this: "Or do you ask for my judgement on all your deeds? Your bearing is lowly in my presence, yet it is long since you turned from your own way at my counsel," he tells Faramir. In other words, "why are you feigning deference to me now? You always do what you want anyways!" In this way, Faramir consistently pushes back on his father, and Denethor knows it. Faramir has gone his own way for a long time, because he lives life according to his internal standards, not to impress Denethor, or anyone else. None of these are particularly fluffy qualities; on the contrary, all of these qualities show him to be someone who is diligent, deliberate, and strong-minded. Personally, I think that makes him all the more interesting of a character, and all the better match for Éowyn, too.

“Joy to see you; but pain, because now the fear and doubt of this evil time are grown dark indeed. Éowyn, I would not have this world end now, or lose so soon what I have found.” “Lose what you have found, lord?” she answered; but she looked at him gravely and her eyes were kind. “I know not what in these days you have found that you could lose.”

Eowyn goes to war because she refuses to be left behind to be burned inside the house when the battle is done, as is often the fate of women.

Faramir actually is nearly burned alive at the hands of the patriarch of his family when said patriarch believes the battle is over and hope is lost. While Eowyn is out on the battlefield, fighting, Faramir is stuck inside the home, burning.

Between the two, Eowyn is the one we see go on more of an inner journey. She changes more over the narrative, and has to deal more with her own flaws and personal demons, as well as the injustices inflicted upon her. The climax of her story comes with a great moment of heroism and courage in battle. She is rescued by a hobbit, but as an ally in battle, not as a damsel in distress.

Faramir in the books doesn't feel tempted by the ring, and is almost a paragon of virtue. About as much as a Man in Middle Earth can be. He's closer to Arwen and Galadriel than Eowyn is, in his near perfection, in how he inspires and guides others. He is also rescued by a hobbit, but in that moment he is helpless, a damsel in distress. He is rescued because others love him for his virtue and goodness.

So often it's the other way round. Not only is the woman usually the one trapped inside, in need of rescue, while the man is out there fighting, the woman's heroism traditionally comes from the list of virtues she possesses, while the man's heroism comes from his deeds and the things he accomplishes. The man fights, the woman inspires.

But during the Battle of Pelennor fields, it is Eowyn who fights, and while she does inspire Merry, she inspires him not as a paragorn, but as an example of courage that Merry finds himself compelled to live up to. He is inspired to fight by her side, instead of fighting for her.

Faramir is sick and unconscious. His agency is denied him by his father, who decides on his behalf there's nothing left for him to live for. And it is a rush for the heroes; Pippin and Beregond, to save Faramir, and it is explicitly stated that Beregond only broke the law because he was inspired to do so out of his great love for Faramir, which is shared by all. In that moment, Faramir's role is closer to the traditional fairy tale princess, whose goodness inspires the heroes into fighting for her during her peril.

And afterwards, it is Eowyn who has to fight to find meaning in life again, to choose joy and hope over despair, which Faramir, with his loving kindness, wisdom, and gentleness, inspires her to do.

I love that, and love thinking on how that affected their relationship going forward.

Eowyn must have liked that with Faramir, she's not being married to someone who will require her to take on every aspect of the so called "woman's role" (necessary, but limiting) which has been inflicted on her at her own expense by the men in her life, so they can be free to partake in the "man's role". Perhaps in turn, Eowyn's predisposition for more martial pursuits; even if she has embraced healing and gardening and no longer lives for battle, would also mean she can take on some of the certain necessary duties that Faramir finds taxing.

The Kiss, by Fatharani Yasmin on ArtStation

When Aragorn uses athelas to awaken Faramir, the text notes that "a living freshness filled the room, as if the air itself awoke and tingled, sparkling with joy." And for the observers in the room, "the fragrance that came to each was like a memory of dewy mornings of unshadowed sun in some land which the fair world in spring is itself but a fleeting memory." (ROTK 865).

Yet, when Aragorn next uses the herb to rouse Éowyn, the observers note something different: "it seemed to those who stood by that a keen wind blew through the window, and it bore no scent, but was an air wholly fresh and clean and young, as if it had not before been breathed by any living thing and came new-made from snowy mountains high beneath a dome of stars, or from shores of silver far away washed by seas of foam." (ROTK 868).

And finally, when Aragorn awakens Merry, the athelas smells "like the scent of orchards, and of heather in the sunshine full of bees" (ROTK 869).

What I think is interesting here is that for each person, the scent is different, and could be seen to evoke a landscape that is dear to them: for Merry, the description of orchards, heather, sunshine, and bees seems quite clearly linked to the Shire. And for Faramir, the "living freshness" and "dewy mornings" might describe the vales of Ithilien.

What's interesting to me is the description Tolkien chose to give Éowyn's version of the athelas, because it doesn't seem immediately connected to any landscape with which we can associate her. An alternative explanation is that Éowyn is consistently paired with winter and ice imagery, so the idea of "new-made, from snowy mountains" could simply be an echo of that same imagery; in a similar vein, the "shores of silver far off" could just be a vague allusion to the blessed lands of Valinor, and not really specific to Éowyn at all. Moreover, either of these images could simply be a poetic way to convey a sense of renewal and cleanliness; i.e. Éowyn being washed clean of the Black Shadow.

However, my pet headcanon is that perhaps the description of Éowyn's athelas is meant to suggest that she has a special emotional connection to at least one of these landscapes. In my mind, this is most likely the mountains; after all, the White Mountains are not far from Edoras and it is conceivable that she either visited there at times, or at least admired them from the valleys below. Perhaps the sight of the high, snowy peaks were a source of comfort and inspiration to her as she struggled against the confines of her life in Edoras. Along those lines, I suppose it's also conceivable that Éowyn visited the sea at some point; or at least that she dreamed of it, and that to her the sea represented an escape from her intolerable situation.

something small for @boromir-week day 1, Brother of Faramir !

Today's headcanon: When the Steward's family appears at functions, Finduilas always held her sons' hands, first to guide them as they toddled beside her, and later to encourage her eldest in his burgeoning leadership role. In the final days before her death, however, Boromir can't help noticing the gesture no longer seems to be a motherly habit, but a physical support she actually needs. He gets the sudden impression that the hot, bright sunlight in the Citadel plaza doesn't seem to touch her anymore, like she's already halfway out of the mortal world.

But! I hate leaving Finduilas suffering, so here she is wearing a concept of Boromir's recognizable travel outfit. I've always wanted to make a ren faire gown version of his movie costume like this. See his shield, horn, and cloak clasps?

All he does is affirm that Éowyn has accomplished her dream of achieving valor and renown, and he does not pity her for it; he ADMIRES her for it, and he'll love her no matter what, whether she's sad or happy (in sickness and in health, basically), then asks if she feels the same way about him.

It's Éowyn and only Éowyn who decides to be a healer and love all things that grow.

And his response to this is "well then if you want things that grow, I'll give you a whole garden!" Making good on his earlier vow and supporting her new dream.

Boromir: You literally threw a goblin off a cliff last week.

Faramir: With compassion.

Boromir: What compassion?

It's gonna be a week of headcanons! Starting with this one: Faramir's love of books was stoked by Finduilas reading to him all the time---Boromir was a more rough-and-tumble child with a shorter attention span. After Finduilas dies, Boromir takes it upon himself to keep reading to his younger brother. But reading doesn't come easily to him, riffing off one of the first headcanons I ever posted. Faramir is too little to understand how to tell his older brother that it's okay, he can just read the books himself---and something tells him Boromir needs to struggle through this act of protective normalcy as much for himself as for Faramir.

“That will depend on the manner of your return.”