Oh noes

[huinare]

There has been quite the hubbub around
the original female character "Tauriel"
in the upcoming Hobbit films.  I have opinions, my main one being that there's not yet enough info to have a fixed opinion one way or another.  I also have other opinions.  I sense an essay coming on, someday when I have time.

Comments

[huinare.livejournal.com]

But then thinking about that a bit, I disagreed with myself violently
This is always instructive!

One thing I've heard said of Tolkien, and which I tend to agree with, is that he was rather ahead of his time in including *any* female fighters in his tales at all despite the now-noticeable male-centric world.

I'm trying to find the reference unsuccessfully so far, but apparently it was set down somewhere by the Professor that female elves could fight but that it was exceedingly rare. I can't recall if he meant all elves, or just Noldor. But to me, sylvan elves seem less concerned with propriety than the more "civilized" elves, so I'd almost think it more likely that there would be the occasional female elf fighter in Mirkwood.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

I think I've read that somewhere... could it be in 'Letters'? I agree with your reading of sylvan elf culture though - and of course Mirkwood is a very *late* culture as well, by Elf standards.