A usually beautiful, virginal, virtuous, and hopelessly passive young woman constantly in need of rescue by the dashing hero. She is portrayed as rather asexual and usually a foil for the assertive but dangerously seductive femme fatale.
While the damsel in distress makes appearances in many folk stories dating back to Antiquity and features in a few fairy tales, this passive heroine does not seem to make regular appearances until the Victorian era; the Middle Ages were idealized as a time of pre-industrial innocence and the Victorians projected their ideals of men and women onto their Medieval ancestors; the Industrial Revolution was in full swing and women, displaced from farms and entering the middle class, lost some autonomy over their lives and became more ornamental, more dependent on their husbands.
Damsels in distress are often shown tied to railroad tracks, to sawmill conveyor belts, or offered as sacrifice to a dragon (or King Kong) until her knight in shining armor arrives to save her in the nick of time.
While the damsel in distress makes appearances in many folk stories dating back to Antiquity and features in a few fairy tales, this passive heroine does not seem to make regular appearances until the Victorian era; the Middle Ages were idealized as a time of pre-industrial innocence and the Victorians projected their ideals of men and women onto their Medieval ancestors; the Industrial Revolution was in full swing and women, displaced from farms and entering the middle class, lost some autonomy over their lives and became more ornamental, more dependent on their husbands.
Damsels in distress are often shown tied to railroad tracks, to sawmill conveyor belts, or offered as sacrifice to a dragon (or King Kong) until her knight in shining armor arrives to save her in the nick of time.
A damsel in distress would not have fared well in Medieval Europe. Generally, European women in the Middle Ages were not expected to be these timid shrinking violets; Christina of Markyate (who resisted a forced marriage and followed her dream of becoming a holy woman), Marjorie of Carrick, Christine de Pisan (a proto-feminist of sorts), Margery Kempe (another mystic), and Nicola de la Haye (led her castle against a siege in her 60s) are just a few of examples of women who took the reins in their own lives.
Women of that time and place were in danger of abduction, especially if they were wealthy... but it was preferable to a loveless marriage. The average "knight in shining armor" was a mix of professional assassin and local rapist, so the damsel often arranged to be kidnapped by her preferred suitor or even do the abducting herself:
Marjorie of Carrick (c. 1253-1292) was a countess in her own right, but was married young to an older husband who died in the Crusades in 1271; she was informed of this by her husband's handsome young companion, Robert de Brus. Marjorie, out hunting at the time and far from upset by the news, was so taken by his beauty that she took him back to her castle and held him captive until he agreed to marry her; she must have done something right, because they were married within days. The second of their eleven children was Robert the Bruce himself.
Women of that time and place were in danger of abduction, especially if they were wealthy... but it was preferable to a loveless marriage. The average "knight in shining armor" was a mix of professional assassin and local rapist, so the damsel often arranged to be kidnapped by her preferred suitor or even do the abducting herself:
Marjorie of Carrick (c. 1253-1292) was a countess in her own right, but was married young to an older husband who died in the Crusades in 1271; she was informed of this by her husband's handsome young companion, Robert de Brus. Marjorie, out hunting at the time and far from upset by the news, was so taken by his beauty that she took him back to her castle and held him captive until he agreed to marry her; she must have done something right, because they were married within days. The second of their eleven children was Robert the Bruce himself.
by Lorelili October 10, 2011
Get the damsel in distress mug.Daisee is an awesome and amazing girl who deserves everything. She is very chill and loves adventures. She is strong mentally and physically. She will not show emotion often but she does have them. She will not trust you in at first but if you try hard enough she will eventually give in. She is a fighter who will not quit, ever.
by Snuggle76838 January 22, 2017
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"Hey kids, be good for your grandma, we're going on an ice cream date."
"I had a lot of fun on our 'ice cream' date last night. Your chocolate mixed nicely with my strawberry."
"I had a lot of fun on our 'ice cream' date last night. Your chocolate mixed nicely with my strawberry."
by TheFilthyGypsy September 26, 2019
Get the Ice Cream Date mug.a "reality" dating show, that has even worse acting and one-liners than all the other shitty MTV dating shows. The object of the show is someone dating the candidates mother, one of which is hotter than their daughter, and one team of girls are insanely fat.
1. MTVeenager- LyKe OmGz Dat mI mOM WuZ S00000000 GooD L4sTN1GhT!11!!11!! LOLERZ
me- *dies*
2. Date My Mom has worse acting than internet hardcore.
me- *dies*
2. Date My Mom has worse acting than internet hardcore.
by ThroatSlit May 17, 2006
Get the date my mom mug.A time when a couple can take time for themselves away from children and responsibilities. While often occurring at night, a Date Night can happen during day hours as well. Not to be confused with a Date, as that is between unmarried couples solely.
by acpisme October 31, 2015
Get the date night mug.A fraternity or sorority event in which the members usually aren't notified of the even until close to when it will happen, so they must "dash" to get a date. Most fraternity ones are just drinking with your date in matching, themed t-shirts.
Suzie: I just got invited to a Sigma Pi fraternity date dash.
Jenny: Are you gonna go?
Suzie: Of course! Free alcohol and a free shirt.
Jenny: Are you gonna go?
Suzie: Of course! Free alcohol and a free shirt.
by EmTem December 25, 2011
Get the date dash mug.a furtive, yet unplanned meeting between two persons in late hours of the night, where topics of no relevant importance are discussed. The aim is to spend as much time as possible with your "date" and figure wher can you find him/her later on.
by Dina R. November 6, 2006
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