Department of English

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Women as heroes in selected fantasy novels
(University of Fort Hare, 2014) Kopke, Diandra
In fantasy literature of the past, women were often left out of the heroic tale, and when they were included, they served domestic functions more than they embodied laudable character. They often endured a forced, loveless marriage or death, or were saved by a male rescuer. Although there were a small number of women performing heroic deeds, they were far outnumbered by male heroes performing great actions. In modern-day society, women are now performing in heroic actions that they would have never been able to perform in the past, because of the societal expectations of gender. In response to these changes in society, the role of female characters in modern fantasy novels has altered – female heroes are now equal in terms of responsibility and actions to the male heroes.