SCOD: “Westu Aragorn hál!”

FaramirAndEowynMorningStar

FaramirAndEowynMorningStar

Rohan
Mae Govannen, my friends, to another Screencap Of The Day.
Here is the image;

Resized_AK6_Y6.jpg

This picture is when Éowyn gives Aragorn the chalice of wine in Edoras.

You can find the full-sized image here.
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As always, feel free to answer any, some, or all the questions.

1) What do you think of the overall layout of this image?

2) Do you think the film makers are trying to convey the idea of a union between Rohan and Gondor? How well do you think they achieved this?

3) Éowyn is obviously in love with Aragorn, and I think in this scene, when he walks away from her, it is in the back of his mind that he has yet to tell her he loves Arwen.
a] Why do you think that Aragorn has not told her anything except when she asked him about the Evenstar [in The Two Towers]?
b] Do you think Aragorn is considering the possibility of Éowyn instead of Arwen, since he [and the audience] know Arwen is making her way to the Havens?

4) Do you think they would make a nice couple?

5) Any other thoughts/comments?

Bonus Question: For those who have seen The Two Towers Extended Edition version, we have seen Éowyn offer Aragorn the stew she made (which he did not like, but told her it tasted alright so that he was not hurting her feelings).
Every time I see her approach Aragorn with the goblet of wine, I keep wondering whether in the back of his mind Aragorn was thinking “Oh no, what has she got this time? Whatever it is, I hope it doesn’t taste like that stew she made!”
Can you relate these two scenes to each other?
 
1) What do you think of the overall layout of this image?

“Groom right, bride left.” Subtle this ain’t.


2) Do you think the film makers are trying to convey the idea of a union between Rohan and Gondor?

Theoden certainly was.


How well do you think they achieved this?

I suppose Shore might have snuck the Bridal Chorus from Wagner's Lohengrin into the soundtrack.


3) Éowyn is obviously in love with Aragorn, and I think in this scene, when he walks away from her, it is in the back of his mind that he has yet to tell her he loves Arwen.
a] Why do you think that Aragorn has not told her anything except when she asked him about the Evenstar [in The Two Towers]?

As far as he’s concerned, it’s over.


b] Do you think Aragorn is considering the possibility of Éowyn instead of Arwen, since he [and the audience] know Arwen is making her way to the Havens?

In the first draft Tolkien was:

Very fair and slender she seemed. Her face was filled with gentle pity, and her eyes shone with unshed tears. So Aragorn saw her for the first time in the light of day, and after she was gone he stood still, looking at the dark doors and taking little heed of other things.

Aragorn was silent, but his eyes followed Éowyn

Long she looked upon Aragorn, and long he looked upon her
-The King of the Golden Hall, HoME VII

‘If I live, I will come, Lady Éowyn, and then maybe we will ride together.’ Then Éowyn ‘smiled and bent her head gravely.’
-ibid


4) Do you think they would make a nice couple?

Eventually Tolkien didn’t.

Cut out the love story of Aragorn and Éowyn. Aragorn is too old and lordly and grim.
-ibid

However, I always thought he was an idiot for turning down Eowyn until Liv Tyler, then I went “Oh! So that’s what a real Elf is!”, so now I at least understand Aragorn even though I’d still choose Miranda Otto any day of the week.


5) Any other thoughts/comments?

This is part of the Anglo-Saxon ritual called a Symbel, or Drinking Game. The game starts with the hostess passing The Chief’s Cup around the gathering. During this rite she will often say a little verse for each participant. (The verse should not be joking or demeaning.) Then she fills each participant’s individual cup. (Her attendants will then keep those cups filled.) Now the Memory Cup is passed around to pay respect to those who have passed on. Then there will be an exchange of gifts. Now the game begins in earnest, with the Bragging Cup being passed around. Each participant will state his lineage, boast of a past great deed, and/or make an oath to do a future great deed. The oaths are binding. (Especially so in Middle-earth! See Prince Baldor!) After the Bragging Cup makes a round, the host or hostess will make a speech (often in verse) then the Bragging Cup goes around again. Eventually when the hosts decide it’s time, the Parting Cup is passed around to end the game.

There are other variants to the Drinking Game, but this is pretty basic

Note that portions of a Symbel are seen several times in the book. Here’s a couple

Now Galadriel rose from the grass, and taking a cup from one of her maidens she filled it with white mead and gave it to Celeborn.
'Now it is time to drink the cup of farewell,' she said. `Drink, Lord of the Galadhrim! And let not your heart be sad though night must follow noon, and already our evening draweth nigh.'
Then she brought the cup to each of the Company, and bade them drink and farewell. But when they had drunk she commanded them to sit again on the grass, and chairs were set for her and for Celeborn. Her maidens stood silent about her, and a while she looked upon her guests. At last she spoke again.
'We have drunk the cup of parting,' she said, `and the shadows fall between us. But before you go, I have brought in my ship gifts which the Lord and Lady of the Galadhrim now offer you in memory of Lothlórien.'
-Farewell to Lórien

When the burial was over and the weeping of women was stilled, and Théoden was left at last alone in his barrow, then folk gathered to the Golden Hall for the great feast and put away sorrow; for Théoden had lived to full years and ended in honour no less than the greatest of his sires. And when the time came that in the custom of the Mark they should drink to the memory of the kings, Éowyn Lady of Rohan came forth, golden as the sun and white as snow, and she bore a filled cup to Éomer.
-Many Partings


Bonus Question: For those who have seen The Two Towers Extended Edition version, we have seen Éowyn offer Aragorn the stew she made (which he did not like, but told her it tasted alright so that he was not hurting her feelings).
Every time I see her approach Aragorn with the goblet of wine, I keep wondering whether in the back of his mind Aragorn was thinking “Oh no, what has she got this time? Whatever it is, I hope it doesn’t taste like that stew she made!”
Can you relate these two scenes to each other?

If you thought her home-made stew was disgusting wait’ll you hear about her home-brewed mead!

In Anglo-Saxon culture, it was the women who brewed the mead. So the royal mead being served during the symbel/drinking game was brewed and served by Eowyn and her female attendants.

To ferment grain into mead you need the enzyme ptyalin.

(***Warning: Do NOT highlight the following if you have a weak stomach!***)

Thus, to make the mead that Aragorn and all the other men are drinking, Eowyn and her female attendants would chew the grain to introduce the salivary enzyme ptyalin into the mixture, then spit the chewed mass into a vat.

The fermentation process now begins and you’ll soon have delicious mead!

So now which seems more appetizing: Eowyn’s stew or Eowyn’s mead?
 
1) What do you think of the overall layout of this image?

Where's the eye contact? Moments of hopefulness and thoughtfulness amid the (sort of ) celebration.

2) Do you think the film makers are trying to convey the idea of a union between Rohan and Gondor? How well do you think they achieved this?

Not really. Aragorn, imo, stands for more than Gondor.

3) Éowyn is obviously in love with Aragorn, and I think in this scene, when he walks away from her, it is in the back of his mind that he has yet to tell her he loves Arwen.
a] Why do you think that Aragorn has not told her anything except when she asked him about the Evenstar [in The Two Towers]?
b] Do you think Aragorn is considering the possibility of Éowyn instead of Arwen, since he [and the audience] know Arwen is making her way to the Havens?

Hmm...well. I suffer from film/book confusion when it comes to this storyline. Focusing on what the film showed us...Aragorn seems to be conflicted (?) In TTT, I was totally buying into an Eowyn/Aragorn union. The two seemed to have several *moments* when it seemed to be a realistic possibility.

4) Do you think they would make a nice couple?
I think they'd have done alright as a couple.

5) Any other thoughts/comments?
At this point in time, I have a hard time recalling where I was in the reading when RotK was released! I certainly was buying an Eowyn/Aragorn romance while watching TTT so...I am going to assume that I had not yet finished RotK at that point. Whatever the case, this scene certainly conveyed to me that any consideration Aragorn had had with regards to Eowyn, he was now focused on something else. He seems so distant and the lack of eye contact....he is elsewhere in his mind. Maybe (filmwise) he's lost hope in living a life with his true love, briefly entertained the thought of love with another, but has now become determined to see through the task at hand.
 
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