JRR Tolkien might have been described as misogynistic by some critics for creating only a handful of female characters among the hundreds of males in his fantasy epic Lord of the Rings, but if ultra-conservative Tea Party candidate Christine O'Donnell is to be believed, the author actually "offers insight into what it means to be a woman" in the novel.
From "the gentle and hopeful Arwen in whose presence everything becomes peaceful" to Belladonna Baggins, who is "content, even utterly satisfied, in the role of a wife and mother", O'Donnell - who beat the Republican establishment favourite in Delaware in the US primaries yesterday - praised Tolkien's depiction of "the mysterious creature called the woman" in a 2003 essay.
His "portrayal of women in Lord of The Rings is bold and courageous. The bittersweet complexities of true womanhood are daringly depicted in each of the female characters," O'Donnell claimed, pointing to elf princess Arwen, elf queen Galadriel, Eowyn of Rohan and Frodo Baggins's ancestor, Belladonna Took.
"Tolkien critics have accused the creator of Middle Earth of being anti-woman, even archaic, when viewed through today's politically correct lens of gender roles," wrote O'Donnell. "Some critics claim that Tolkien's serene version of femininity is offensive to the modern female viewer. As a modern female viewer, I find the assumption itself offensive. Just because women can be warriors doesn't mean they have to be. Everything about Tolkien's Arwen is tranquil, serene, calming. These qualities are part of the charm of the womanhood she expresses. There are many types of women in the world. Arwen represents one of them. She represents a pillar of calm that is a source of strength for her man. Her great contribution to the war is the strength she provides to the future king."
But, continued O'Donnell, pointing to the "more down to earth" Eowyn, "this is not to say that Tolkien's ideal woman is necessarily pure and angelic". "Conflicted and free-spirited, one can easily imagine Eowyn with a wicked case of PMS, which is part of why we love her. Still, she remains feminine bearing a sense of pride and dignity," she wrote.
And although "budding feminists" have said that Eowyn had to disguise herself as a man to go and fight Sauron's forces, actually, says O'Donnell, "Tolkien elevates womanhood; it is specifically her gender that allows her to triumph" and beat the Witch-King. "Thou Fool. No living man may hinder me!" he tells her. Eowyn replies: "No living man am I," and kills him.
"When we first met Eowyn, she was conflicted about the fire inside of her. For her whole life she was expected to behave like Arwen, though she desired to take an active role in stopping the downward changes occurring in her country. When this wasn't permitted, the wild spirit in her was stifled and gave way to bitterness and despair. It is only when she reconciles her femininity with her warrior spirit that the torment is gone, and her true womanhood is discovered," said the pro-gun, anti-abortion candidate. "Perhaps Tolkien is showing us that all types of femininity are valid. Obliterating one in favour of the other is destructive to all. Each type of woman is crucial to the wellbeing of a healthy community."