Layann Basileh is an Arab-American writer based in Southern California, currently nursing an iced coffee addiction. The 'damsel in distress' trope is a common female character archetype, in which a ...

Once upon a time, a damsel sat hopeless in her tower. Suddenly, the door to her prison burst open, and a prince appeared. Before asking if she was fine or mentally stable after years of isolation, he ...

From Rapunzel trapped up in her tower to legions of scream queens hitting high decibels, the damsel in distress trope is long rooted in sweet, helpless characters incapable of staying out of trouble.

A medieval word with a highly specific (but often misused) meaning, “damsel” describes a young, unmarried lady-in-waiting. It’s also the broad title given many a helpless heroine in Hollywood movies — ...

All products featured here are independently selected by our editors and writers. If you buy something through links on our site, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission. Emily Bader as Lady Jane ...

Kristy Ambrose has been writing professionally since 2010. She dabbles in various genres, but her favorites are fantasy and science fiction. She creates everything from fanfiction to serialized novels ...