What do you call a boy damsel?

A damsel is typically seen as a young woman or girl in distress who requires rescuing. However, the term “damsel” can also apply to young men or boys who are in a similar position of requiring help or rescue. So when referring to a male damsel, appropriate terms could include “male damsel”, “boy damsel”, or simply “damsel” without any gender specification.

What is a damsel?

The word “damsel” traces back to the Old French “damoisele” meaning a young unmarried woman. Traditionally in literature and folklore, a damsel is a beautiful young woman who is placed in a dangerous situation and requires rescue by a hero or knight. Some well-known damsels in distress include princesses like Sleeping Beauty and Zelda from the Legendo of Zelda games.

The damsel in distress is considered an archetypal character that resonates through many myths, legends, folktales, and fairytales across different cultures. Though often portrayed as passive, weak, and helpless, damsels can also show courage, resilience, and wisdom in the face of adversity until they are rescued.

Characteristics of the damsel in distress

  • Young, beautiful, and innocent maiden
  • Vulnerable and helpless in the face of danger
  • Captured or held prisoner by villain/monster
  • In imminent danger and requires rescuing
  • Passive and awaiting rescue rather than self-rescuing
  • Not physically strong or lacks power/agency
  • Often privileged by birth e.g. princess
  • Reward for hero who rescues her

When can a boy be considered a damsel?

Traditionally, the role of the damsel in distress was reserved for female characters only. However, a boy or young man can also take on the role of a “male damsel” or “boy damsel” in situations where:

  • He is young, vulnerable and lacking power/agency like a traditional damsel
  • He is captured or placed in danger through no fault of his own
  • He requires outside rescue from the heroic protagonist
  • He is unable to extricate himself from the dangerous scenario
  • He may be physically weak compared to the villain/threat
  • He may show innocence, kindness and possess traditionally feminine virtues
  • He is oppressed, abused or discriminated against like women historically

Some examples where a boy could be considered a male damsel or boy damsel include:

  • A prince trapped in a tower by an evil witch/wizard
  • A peasant boy kidnapped by bandits or enemy army
  • A shipwrecked cabin boy stranded on an island
  • A young squire held for ransom by rogue knights
  • A clerk taken hostage during a bank robbery
  • A boy bullied at school and unable to defend himself

Why is the damsel role sometimes applied to boys?

There are a few key reasons why the damsel in distress role may be applied to male characters as well as female:

  • Subverting stereotypes – Casting a boy as a damsel turns gender stereotypes upside down. A boy damsel challenges preconceptions of masculinity, vulnerability and traditional gender roles.
  • Defying expectations – Having an unexpected character fill the damsel role creates an interesting plot twist. The surprise male damsel adds drama and novelty to the storyline.
  • Empowering women – Flipping the script can allow female protagonist(s) to take on heroic rescuer roles traditionally reserved for men.
  • Highlighting oppression – A boy damsel scenario can symbolize societies or situations where young men are disempowered too.
  • Relatability – Some readers may relate more to a male damsel character who faces challenges common to boys’ experiences.

Placing male characters in the damsel role casts them in a more vulnerable light and allows exploration of how boys may also encounter endangerment, exploitation or injustice in society.

What are some examples of a boy damsel in books/films?

Here are some notable examples of a “boy damsel” appearing in literature, myths, TV/film, and video games:

Literature

  • The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde – Utterson the lawyer tries to help the endangered young man named Hyde
  • A Game of Thrones – Sansa Stark’s young brother Bran is paralyzed from being pushed from a tower
  • The Count of Monte Cristo – Young Albert is captured and ransom demanded for his release

Myths/Fairytales

  • Andromeda myth – Princess Andromeda is chained to a rock as a sacrifice until rescued by Perseus
  • Little Red Riding Hood – The young boy in the red cap is tricked and nearly eaten by the Big Bad Wolf

TV/Film

  • Game of Thrones – Theon Greyjoy captured and tortured by Ramsay Bolton
  • BBC Merlin – Merlin repeatedly saves Prince Arthur with his magic
  • Stranger Things – Will Byers taken to the dangerous Upside Down dimension

Video Games

  • Legend of Zelda – Multiple games where young hero Link has to save Prince Zelda
  • Soulcalibur II – Siegfried is manipulated by an evil sword until freed by his friend Nightmare

In most of these cases, the boy damsel subverts the usual gender expectations. The hero rising to rescue them also underscores that males can be vulnerable victims too.

How is a male damsel portrayed differently than a female one?

There are some key differences in how a young male damsel character is generally portrayed compared to the classic female damsel in distress:

  • The boy damsel is more likely to show defiance, stubbornness, recklessness and some efforts to self-rescue before having to ultimately depend on the hero
  • He is not bound by being gentle, polite or patient but may insult his captor and make escape attempts
  • His virtue focuses on courage, honor and loyalty more than innocence or chastity
  • His youth and beauty are downplayed in favor of portraying his good heart, morals and intelligence
  • His rescue may be more mutual, with the damsel assisting the hero in some way
  • Rather than a romantic reward, the boy’s gratitude takes the form of a brotherly bond or oath of loyalty

However, some vulnerable, delicate boys are portrayed in very similar ways to the classic princess damsel. Overall, the writers have more freedom to go against stereotypes when they are not limited by the historical gender constraints.

What terms describe a male damsel?

Here are some common terms used for a young male in the ‘damsel in distress’ role:

  • Male damsel
  • Boy damsel
  • Damsel
  • Distressed dude
  • Dude in distress
  • Dudesel in distress
  • Gentleman in distress
  • Prince Charming

“Male damsel” and “boy damsel” are the most frequently used gender-specific terms. However, some works use “damsel” on its own and rely on context to convey that the damsel is male in that scenario.

Similar terms

Some other terms that relate to but don’t always fully overlap with the ‘boy damsel’ concept:

  • Innocent – evokes virtue, purity
  • Victim – evokes exploitation, oppression
  • Prisoner – evokes captivity
  • Hostage – evokes coercion
  • Prey – dehumanizing term
  • Bait – evokes luring enemy
  • VIP – evokes status

However, these terms lack the specific nuance of being young, vulnerable and in need of rescue from external hero that “boy damsel” carries.

What are some examples of how to use “boy damsel” in a sentence?

Here are some sentence examples using “boy damsel” or related terms:

  • The knight rushed to rescue the boy damsel trapped in the dragon’s tower.
  • Mike was portrayed as a damsel in distress when the bullies at school constantly stole his lunch money.
  • In a reversal of typical roles, the princess had to go and rescue the male damsel who was kidnapped from the palace.
  • The old wizard hoped to lure the heroic knight by capturing a golden-haired boy damsel.
  • The distressed dude waited anxiously in the witch’s clutches for someone to come and save him.

These examples demonstrate how the term “boy damsel” can be flexibly applied to a young male character in a perilous scenario requiring rescue by a hero or heroine.

Story examples

To illustrate the boy damsel concept further, here are some brief story examples:

Ex 1
Prince Leo paced anxiously in the tower room where the evil Duke had locked him. Though the resourceful prince had tried every escape plan he could think of, the tower was too well-guarded. As the Duke’s ransom deadline approached, Leo hoped the kingdom’s bravest knight would hear of the boy damsel’s plight and come to his rescue.

Ex 2

Jimmy walked home from school, keeping his head down. Some bullies had ambushed him yesterday for his lunch money and the distressed dude had no desire to repeat the experience. Suddenly, a black sedan screeched to a halt on the road beside him. Two men jumped out and grabbed the boy damsel. Jimmy cried for help but no one came to his aid as the men bundled him into the car.

Conclusion

The damsel in distress is an archetypal character that has traditionally been portrayed as female but can also take the form of a young male or “boy damsel”. Any young man or boy who is vulnerable, in peril for reasons beyond their control and requires rescuing by a heroic protagonist can fill this role. Though male damsels are depicted with some different nuances of character, they ultimately serve similar purposes in storytelling traditions across time and cultures. The boy damsel endures as an intriguing figure who subverts stereotypes and defies expectations.

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