Damsel in Distress/Sandbox

The Damsel in Distress is a classic archetype of a woman in fiction--she is a passive figure who exists in the plot for only one purpose, and that is to be rescued by a hero. She is unable to help herself and is dependent on her hero, even when common sense rules that she can.

History & Origins
(Here, we discuss the transformation of the archetype throughout the history of fiction, with examples, and how changes in the culture effected change in the Damsel's portrayal.)

(We also discuss historical criticism of the archetype.)

In Ancient Myth and Fairytales

In the Chivalric Romances

In the Renaissance

After the Renaissance

Today
(Here, we discuss the state of the archetype as it is today, with examples from contemporary fiction in a variety of media, and contemporary criticism of the archetype.)

Disney and the Damsel in Distress

Combatting this archetype
(How to avert this trope, and why it should be averted.)