"A shadow & a thought" - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

davem · 06-01-2004, 04:01 AM

Why does Aragorn claim that what Eowyn loves in him is 'a shadow & a thought'? Why use that term - 'shadow'? Everywhere else 'shadow' is used to imply something evil, something that blocks out the Light, even something that has a kind of 'unlife' - 'In the Land of Mordor where the shadows lie', 'In mordor where the shadows are', etc

What is Aragorn actually saying about the way Eowyn sees him - what is the 'shadow' she sees in him, & why does it attract her? If she desired glory in battle before meeting him, is that what she sees him as offering? And is Aragorn condemning that desire as something evil? Or is he admitting that there is a 'shadow' to be seen in him? I can understand Tolkien's meaning in saying she loves a 'thought' - a fantasy about the heroic 'knight in shining armour' who will ride in & 'take her away from all this', but what does he mean when he has Aragorn say she loves a 'shadow'?

06-01-2004, 04:01 AM	#1
davem Illustrious Ulair Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: In the home of lost causes, and forsaken beliefs, and unpopular names,and impossible loyalties Posts: 4,240	"A shadow & a thought" Why does Aragorn claim that what Eowyn loves in him is 'a shadow & a thought'? Why use that term - 'shadow'? Everywhere else 'shadow' is used to imply something evil, something that blocks out the Light, even something that has a kind of 'unlife' - 'In the Land of Mordor where the shadows lie', 'In mordor where the shadows are', etc What is Aragorn actually saying about the way Eowyn sees him - what is the 'shadow' she sees in him, & why does it attract her? If she desired glory in battle before meeting him, is that what she sees him as offering? And is Aragorn condemning that desire as something evil? Or is he admitting that there is a 'shadow' to be seen in him? I can understand Tolkien's meaning in saying she loves a 'thought' - a fantasy about the heroic 'knight in shining armour' who will ride in & 'take her away from all this', but what does he mean when he has Aragorn say she loves a 'shadow'? __________________ “Everything was an object. If you killed a dwarf you could use it as a weapon – it was no different to other large heavy objects."