Middle-Earth Tours

Tour 1: The People of Middle-Earth

Arwen

detail of Arwen, by Michael Kaluta		 The braids of her dark hair were touched by no frost; her white arms and clear face were flawless and smooth, and the light of stars was in her bright eyes, grey as a cloudless night; yet queenly she looked, and thought and knowledge were in her glance, as of one who has known many things that the years bring. Above her brow her head was covered with a cap of silver lace netted with small gems, glittering white; but her soft grey raiment had no ornament save a girdle of leaves wrought in silver." --description of Arwen from FotR, "Many Meetings"
Arwen, by Daniel Govar
For some reason, there are almost no good artist renditions of Arwen online. Please don't talk to me about the brothers Hildebrandt.

Liv Tyler as Arwen, image
courtesy of theonering.net.
(That's Frodo in front of her)

 In a move sure to horrify Tolkien purists everywhere, the movie Arwen does more than just sit home at Rivendell embroidering flags. For instance, as the pic at left demonstrates, she ferries Frodo across the Ford of Bruinen. However, everyone connected with the movies swears that most of the additions to her plot line come straight from RotK Appendix A, which tells the love story of Arwen and Aragorn.
image from theonering.net

Luthien, by Alan Lee		 The next day at the hour of sunset Aragorn walked alone in the woods, and his heart was high within him; and he sang, for he was full of hope and the world was fair. And suddenly even as he sang he saw a maiden walking on a greensward among the white stems of the birches; and he halted amazed, thinking that he had strayed into a dream, or else that he had received the gift of Elf-minstrels, who can make the things of which they sing appear before the eyes of those that listen.
    For Aragorn had been singing a part of the Lay of Lúthien which tells of the meeting of Lúthien and Beren in the forest of Neldoreth. And behold! there Lúthien walked before his eyes in Rivendell, clad in a mantle of silver and blue, fair as the twilight in Elven-home; her dark hair strayed in a sudden wind, and her brows were bound with gems like stars.
    For a moment Aragorn gazed in silence, but fearing that she would pass away and never be seen again, he called to her crying, Tinúviel, Tinúviel! even as Beren had done in the Elder Days long ago.
    Then the maiden turned to him and smiled, and she said: 'Who are you? And why do you call me by that name?' --RotK, Appendix A, part V: "The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen"

Below, left to right: 1) a photo from the Cannes film book on the official movie site; 2) pic from the October 2000 Vanity Fair via ringbearer.org; and 3) an image from theonering.net.

image from a "For Your Consideration" ad via theonering.net		 But Arwen went forth from the House, and the light of her eyes was quenched, and it seemed to her people that she had become cold and grey as nightfall in winter that comes without a star. Then she said farewell to Eldarion, and to her daughters, and to all whom she had loved; and she went out from the city of Minas Tirith and passed away to the land of Lórien, and dwelt there alone under the fading trees until winter came.
     There at last when the mallorn-leaves were falling, but spring had not yet come, she laid herself to rest upon Cerin Amroth; and there is her green grave, until the world is changed, and all the days of her life are utterly forgotten by men that come after, and elanor and niphredil bloom no more east of the Sea.--RotK, Appendix A, part V: "The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen"
Full-size versions of these pictures are on display at Rolozo Tolkien, the official LotR movie site, There and Back Again, and theonering.net.