Few characters have captured the imaginations of readers quite like Éowyn, the White Lady of Rohan. When she initially appears as the devoted yet dissatisfied niece of King Théoden, Éowyn seems to be a cold and almost bitter individual. While it takes desperate circumstances to draw her out of this protective shell, once she is free, she is able to achieve all that she desires.
Her dream of fighting on the battlefield is not solely about glory, however. Her primary desire is to protect the people and the land that she so dearly loves. The harsh reality of losing her parents as a young child and witnessing her cousin Théodred’s death by Orc invaders has deeply affected her. She longs to do her part to combat the evils of the world and lead the righteous to victory.
She is inspiring not so much as a leader, but as someone who can relate to the plight of the people. She takes Merry under her wing to bring him into battle, knowing that his desire to fight mirrors her own. As a team of equals, they are able to defeat the Witch-king, a foe that “no man” was able to kill. It is qualities like these that have resulted in our determination that Éowyn, the White Lady of Rohan, is an Assertive Adventurer (ISFP-A).
Personality Analysis
This shieldmaiden of Rohan is a complex character who goes through a tremendous process of growth and evolution throughout J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings series. Her courage, passion, and independence strongly suggest that she is an Assertive Adventurer, and we provide further reasoning for our belief below.
Introvert
“But who knows what she spoke to the darkness, alone, in the bitter watches of the night, when all her life seemed shrinking, and the walls of her bower closing in about her, a hutch to trammel some wild thing in.”
Her confident manner and battle-readiness may seem incompatible with traditional views of an Introverted personality. Éowyn, however, is an Adventurer, and this personality type exhibits many of the same traits as other Explorers, such as a passion for freedom and risk-taking behaviors.
This Lady of Rohan is also fiercely independent and relies on no one to meet her needs or provide her with a sense of self. As deeply loyal as she is to her family and her people, Éowyn does not depend on her interactions with them for direction. She is content to follow her own passions and desires without input from anyone else.
Observant
Few individuals in The Lord of the Rings novels are more interested in the “here and now” than Éowyn. She is focused on the present issues and what role she can play in protecting the land and people that she loves. This trait can prevent her from seeing the future results of her present actions, however, and does result in some impulsive and risky (yet heroic) actions.
“I do not wish to play at riddles. Speak plainer!”
Rohan’s White Lady also has little patience for any form of prose or riddles when she is communicating with others. She speaks bluntly and without pretense, and expects others to do the same. Even in love, she prefers to get to the point and doesn’t seek to romanticize her expectations or intentions. While her Feeling trait motivates her, Éowyn’s Observant trait keeps her grounded and focused on achieving her goals.
Feeling
“I will be a healer, and love all things that grow and are not barren.”
There is no doubt that Éowyn is one of the most passionate characters – both in terms of her drive and her feelings. Her compassion is obvious when she takes care of her injured cousin, Théodred, and when she protects her uncle, King Théoden, when Saruman attempts to control him. She is a loyal caretaker and a loving sister, cousin, and niece who is also well-loved by the people of Rohan.
The influence that her Feeling personality trait has is even more apparent in her relationship with Aragorn. She first falls in love with him when witnessing his kind acts for others, from hobbits to horses, and his courage in the face of evil. They bond over their passion for the people of Middle-earth and their desire to protect them from the darkness spreading from Mordor and Sauron. While her love for him is not reciprocated as she had hoped it would be, it does motivate her to continue fighting for what she believes.
“They fight beside you because they would not be parted from you. Because they love you.”
Prospecting
Fear is not in Éowyn’s vocabulary when she is on the battlefield or when she is speaking her mind to others. Her only true fear is being prevented from living the life she so deeply desires. Being told how to live and behave is a soul-crushing prospect for this free-spirited, Prospecting warrior.
“‘What do you fear, lady?’ he asked. ‘A cage,’ she said.”
While she is more than capable of running a kingdom effectively, her dreams lie far beyond those inflexible barriers. Éowyn yearns to be free – of expectations and restrictions. She wants nothing more than to live her life on her own terms and follow her heart wherever it may lead. Once she is able to break free of the shackles that had bound her, she is finally able to pursue her dream of protecting the people she loves.
Assertive
“No living man am I! You look upon a woman! Éowyn I am, Éomund’s daughter… Begone if you be not deathless. For living or dark undead, I will smite you, if you touch him!”
Courage is perhaps one of Éowyn’s greatest strengths, but so is her Assertiveness. While she may doubt that she will have the opportunity to fight for her country, she never doubts her ability to do so. Once the opportunity arises, she takes it and, by pretending to be a man, is able to enter the battlefield and defeat the Witch-king because she is a woman.
Conclusions
“And then her heart changed, or at least she understood it; and the winter passed, and the sun shone upon her.”
Here at 16Personalities, we strive to determine personality types as objectively and accurately as possible. That said, our analyses are also based on our personal opinions about fictional characters. They’re likely to differ from other opinions that may be available from other sources.
Éowyn is a complex character who has captivated and inspired readers for generations. Hopefully, this brief inquiry into her personality type has provided you, the reader, some food for thought (and maybe some inspiration to pick up the books or watch the movies again).
We would love to hear your opinions as well. What thoughts do you have about Éowyn’s personality type? Leave your comments below!
Further Reading
Aragorn: A Kingly Servant (The Lord of the Rings Personality Series)
Personality Theory in Fiction Writing I: Making Characters Personal