Like the previous chapter, this is one that I felt like should be multiple chapters, and it divides into clear thirds. First is the arrival of the Dúnedain and Aragorn's decision to go to Dunharrow; next is his encounter with Éowyn there; and last are the Paths of the Dead.
The Dúnedain of Arnor are more pure of blood then the Dúnedain of Gondor, and in many ways are a throwback to the early days of Númenor before its fall from wisdom into darkness. When the Dúnedain first returned to the shores of Middle-earth in the Second Age, they came to help the Men there who were living for the most part under Sauron's dominion. They came as teachers and counsellors, for the most part. Later, when they began to lose their way, they came as conquerors demanding tribute. But the Rangers of the North have a purity to them; they serve and protect from the shadows, unasked, unnoticed, and unthanked.
It is with their coming, and the advice Elrond's boys bring from their father, that convince Aragorn to use the Orthanc stone. This is the moment, much more than his dealings with the Rohirrim, that really marks Aragorn's revealing of himself. He throws down with Sauron directly, and is able to stand up to him - barely. But enough.
Aragorn's challenge to him is critical. A point that Tolkien emphasizes, but often gets lost, is that Sauron wasn't ready for war. Dude has been biding his time for thousands of years, and he's not inclined to be hasty at the end. He'd been planning to wait to attack until his forces were truly overwhelming, as opposed to nigh overwhelming. But the knowledge that his enemies had the Ring, the reappearance of the heir of Elendil, and the knowledge that Aragorn was strong enough of will to challenge him made him choose to strike early. Thus clearing the path for Frodo as well as giving the West the opportunity to fight a battle when they still had a small chance of victory.
But Aragorn also sees that it won’t be enough, not with the Corsairs of Umbar attacking Gondor from the Sea. So he decides to take the Paths of the Dead.
On to Éowyn, who is not happy when she learns that Aragorn plans to take the Paths of the Dead. I understand those who complain about Tolkien’s lack of women, but if you’re going to criticize him for that, you also need to acknowledge Éowyn:
‘Shall I always be chosen?’ she said bitterly. ‘Shall I always be left behind when the Riders depart, to mind the house while they win renown, and find food and beds when they return?’ ‘A time may come soon,’ said he, ‘when none will return. Then there will be need of valour without renown, for none shall remember the deeds that are done in the last defence of your homes. Yet the deeds will not be less valiant because they are unpraised.’ And she answered: ‘All your words are but to say: you are a woman, and your part is in the house. But when the men have died in battle and honour, you have leave to be burned in the house, for the men will need it no more. But I am of the House of Eorl and not a serving-woman. I can ride and wield blade, and I do not fear either pain or death.’
Aragorn has a point about her having accepted the charge to rule over the people in Théoden’s stead, but beyond that, he’s not really making much of a case. “You can’t help us try to win, but you can die honorably if we lose” isn’t exactly comfort. And, further to be fair, he doesn’t question that she’s capable of acts of valor just because she’s a woman. But on the other hand, he refused to let her come with him without the permission of both Théoden and Éomer. Théoden, sure, he’s the King, but her brother? He’s not the boss of her!
We’ll get plenty more of Éowyn going forward, but I’m totally with her on this. Even if she’s not to ride with Aragorn, she absolutely should be able to ride with Théoden.
Moving on: the Paths of the Dead. Tolkien said at one point that “Legolas probably achieved least of the Nine Walkers,” and the trip through the Paths of the Dead is one of the reasons Gimli outranks him (overcoming his prejudices about Galadriel is another). If courage is what you do despite being afraid, Gimli following Aragorn is one of the bravest acts in the trilogy.
In general, the shades of the Oathbreakers here are rather similar to the Ringwraiths: their weapon is fear. They are incorporeal, and can’t strike at anyone directly, but they are so terrifying they don’t have to. Here’s yet another example where victory doesn’t depend on strength of arms: it depends on courage. It’s through Aragorn’s determination and will that he is able to raise a force capable of destroying the entire southern thrust of Sauron’s attack.
Next time, Tolkien’s philology is showing as we join the Muster of Rohan.