The Evolution Of The Damsel In Distress

In the early 20th century, as the film industry began its triumph, the role of the female took a step in the wrong direction. In a time when women in America were finally getting the right to vote in 1920, women were also being painted as objects on the big screen. When films were first introduced, the woman was frequently portrayed as “the damsel in distress”. They didn't possess any real characteristics that women acquire in real life. They were tied to train tracks, rescued by the hero at the last second and then rewarded with a marriage in the end. Moving from silent films to movies with a soundtrack, the damsel still remained (mention snow white), but finally, the intelligent and confident woman arose and began to appear more apparent, such as characters played by .

By the time the 1970s rolled around, the “damsel in distress” obtained a whole new meaning. In an article from Reap Magazine, Carrie Fisher said about her Star Wars character Princess Leia that, “I was not a damsel in distress. I was a distressing damsel.” The idea of destructing the the damsel in distress gained popularity and still to this day has slowly become less observed, and today the view of the damsel in distress has evolved into a distressed damsel doing the dirty work. This evolution brings me to my next point: displaying a women that is constantly needing to be saved is just not sensible in any way. It’s okay for women to defend themselves and be their own kind of wonder