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The Return Of The King Gender Roles

503 Words3 Pages

Kyler Judd
Mrs. Miller
English 12
22 february 2023
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is the final book of J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy. The book has many different lenses throught but the one lens that sticks out the most id the feminist lens. This paper will analyze the book using feminist lenses and its portrayal of gender roles, female representation, and the relationship between power and gender.
The portrayal of gender roles in The Return of the King is complex. The book is set in a world where men dominate the political and social ladder. The main characters are male, and female characters are just seen as to supporting roles for the men. For example, Aragorn, is the rightful king of Gondor, the main female characters, Eowyn and …show more content…

Eowyn, disguises herself as a man to fight in the Battle of Pelennor Fields, which defies gender expectations. She also rejects Aragorn, showing that she doesn't need a big strong man. Additionally, Galadriel's power and wisdom challenge the notion that women are weak or lacking in leadership abilities.
The representation of female characters in The Return of the King are not very upfront, but they are definitely there.. The female characters are few and far between, but they are showed as strong and capable. Eowyn is a skilled fighter, and Galadriel is a wise and powerful queen. However, the limited number of female characters reinforces the idea that men are the primary actors in the world of this book.
The relationship between power and gender in The Return of the King is also worth noting. The book shows power as primarily masculine. The characters who have power, such as Aragorn, Gandalf, and the leaders of the various armies, are all male. This strengthens the idea that power is a masculine trait, and that women are not meant to lead. However, the book also challenges this notion through the character of Galadriel, who possesses great power and is respected by the male

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