Response to Max B.
Laura J.

1. Whoever wanted Arwen to be a "teary maiden at home?" Arwen patienly waited at home, doing what she could to encourage Aragorn and assert her hope in him. The banner that she made, which everyone seems to demean as "women's work" (as in: Arwen sat home and knitted) was exactly the thing that Aragorn needed on his journey through the paths of the dead, reminding him that there was light at the end of the tunnel. The banner was "wrought in secret" according to Halbarad. Secret from whom? Elrond, obviously. And it was wrought of Mithril, gold and gems. I think Arwen sacrificed a lot to make it. She also watched over Aragorn in thought, something that I think has more meaning than we usually ascribe. If I could give an analogy, I would say that it was something like praying for him. The one who prays often has more effect than the one who acts.

2. Tolkien did not write the LOTR in an early 20th century mindset. True, that was his time, but he write the LOTR in an old epic style. There are no women in Beowulf, either. Not with any significant role. It does not suffer from that.

3. There already is a strong female character: Eowyn. To make Arwen a warrior would be to lose the effect and pathos of Eowyn's story. My two cents.