History DamselInDistress / Literature

* Also by Wen Spencer, the cover to ''Literature/ABrothersPrice'' features a man carrying a limp woman. Said cover is [[CoversAlwaysLie misleading]]; that scene does happen, when Odelia passes out in a stream after being beaten by attackers and Jerin fishes her out, but the women of that universe, Odelia included, are anything but neutral, and that is really the only case in the book where a woman needs to be rescued.

* In PoulAnderson's "A World Called Maanerek", Sonna is captured with Torrek. While Torrek is turned back to Wanen by removing his new memories and restoring his old ones, the ship decides to use Sonna as a "tension release" by lobomotizing her and letting the men rape her. [[spoiler:Wanen, his memories not so gone as they thought, rescues her before his own escape.]]

* In LMMontgomery's ''Literature/TheBlueCastle'', Valancy foolishly goes to a dance where drunken men start to harrass her. Barney Snaith arrives in time. The main character in ''Literature/AnneOfGreenGables'' is saved by [[spoiler:her future husband]] from a catastrophe resulting from her attempt at impersonating Elaine the Lily of Astolat from Tennyson's poem. HilarityEnsues.

* Clary Fray from ''Literature/TheMortalInstruments''. So ''many'' times.

* In the first book of the Literature/TimeScout series, Margo ends up in a 16th century Portuguese prison. In the third, Birgitta is saved by Skeeter from a beating. In the fourth, Birgitta is saved from gang rape and murder. In the third and fourth, Ianira is in the hands of JackTheRipper.
* Lampshaded in SoonIWillBeInvincible, where it is noted the Corefire has the requisite "reporter girlfriend who always needed rescuing."

* In LMMontgomery's ''TheBlueCastle'', Valancy foolishly goes to a dance where drunken men start to harrass her. Barney Snaith arrives in time. The main character in ''Literature/AnneOfGreenGables'' is saved by [[spoiler:her future husband]] from a catastrophe resulting from her attempt at impersonating Elaine the Lily of Astolat from Tennyson's poem. HilarityEnsues.

* Amy Goodenough in the YoungBond novel ''Blood Fever''.

* ''Literature/AMagesPower'' Princess Kasile is kidnapped during a joust, but this does not (immediately) provoke a RescueArc. The main characters are mercenaries, and their leader insists that this event doesn't concern them unless they are hired to rescue her. Eric decides to go on his own time, along with his fellow mercenary, Culmus, who is also the princess' [[CourtlyLove secret boyfriend]].

* Mercilessly subverted way back in ''1495'' in Matteo Boiardo's epic ''Orlando innamorato''. Princess Angelica of Cathay (China) is distressed by the Muslim Tartars at the city of Albracca. Riding to her rescue are the French, the Indians, and several other Muslim armies including King [[ChewToy Sacripante]] of Circassia. She thinks all this isn't good enough and escapes to find the missing Christian champion Orlando before returning to be rescued.

* ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'': Played straight with Finduilas, killed by the orcs, Niënor Níniel (when Glaurung wipes her memories off). But very much subverted with Lúthien: when imprisoned by her father, she frees herself. Although she is then captured a second time and needs some help to escape, she then proceeds to almost single-handedly free her lover Beren (and a number of other prisoners) from Sauron -- yes, that [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Sauron]]. Another example from Tolkien is Celebrían, the wife of Elrond, captured and possibly raped by the orcs.

* In the ''{{Dragonlance}}'' series, Laurana becomes this after being captured by her ArchEnemy Kitiara and having her love interest Tanis Half-Elven try to rescue her. Partially subverted though in that [[spoiler: Laurana no longer trusts Tanis as he has been DatingCatwoman, refuses his help and ends up breaking free on her own. Though she does end up needing Tanis's help to complete her escape.]]

* Subverted most of the time by Jenna Heap in ''Literature/SeptimusHeap'', as she usually manages to get safe by herself.

* Deconstructed a few times in ASongOfIceAndFire. The war to save Lyanna Stark was won, but Lyanna died in the process so victory was hollow for the people who wanted to save her. Sansa Stark never got rescued by her family and was eventually forced to flee with an amoral man who then groomed and molested her. Lady Hornwood was already dead by the time her would-be rescuers arrived.
** Even more twisted in Lyanna's case, where there's hints that the "Damsel" was far less in distress than people who started the war thought.

* ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'': Played straight with Finduilas, killed by the orcs, Niënor Níniel (when Glaurung wipes her memories off). But very much subverted with Lúthien: when imprisoned by her father, she frees herself. Although she is then captured a second time and needs some help to escape, she then proceeds to almost single-handedly free her lover Beren (and a number of other prisoners) from Sauron -- yes, that [[TheLordOfTheRings Sauron]]. Another example from Tolkien is Celebrían, the wife of Elrond, captured and possibly raped by the orcs.

* ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'': Played straight with Finduilas, killed by the orcs, Niënor Níniel (when Glaurung wipes her memories off). But very much subverted with Lúthien: when imprisoned by her father, she frees herself. Although she is then captured a second time and needs some help to escape, she then proceeds to almost single-handedly free her lover Beren (and a number of other prisoners) from Sauron -- yes, that [[TheLordOfTheRings Sauron]]. Another example from Tolkien is Celebrían, the wife of Elrond, killed and possibly raped by the orcs.

* Creator/EdgarRiceBurroughs. To be just, he has a lot of DistressedDude as well, but:

* ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'': Played straight with Finduilas, killed by the orcs, Nienor Niniel (when Glaurung wipes her memories off). But very much subverted with Lúthien: when imprisoned by her father, she frees herself. Although she is then captured a second time and needs some help to escape, she then proceeds to almost single-handedly free her lover Beren (and a number of other prisoners) from Sauron -- yes, that [[TheLordOfTheRings Sauron]]. Another example from Tolkien is Celebrian, the wife of Elrond, killed and possibly raped by the orcs.

* Tenar to Ged in ''EarthseaTrilogy''. (It can be argued that Ged is also a DistressedDude to her.)

* Though reasonably competent, actor Lee Nicholas (in Tanya Huff's ''SmokeAndShadows'' series) seems to have an attraction for evil forces that want to possess his body, hold him hostage, and otherwise put him in peril--perhaps because the series protagonist has a crush on him. At one point, Lee [[LampshadeHanging actually says]] that he's "getting tired of being the designated damsel in distress".

** Dejah Thoris in several ''JohnCarterOfMars'' books, most notably from the beginning of the second to the end of the third.

** Dian in ''At the Earth's Core''

* Diana Mayo, heroine of ''TheSheik''. She's kidnapped by a rival Sheik, forcing the titular character to rescue her, during which he realizes he's fallen in love with her.

* In John Barnes's ''OneForTheMorningGlory'', Sylvie the goblin's prisoner.

* EstherFriesner loves to avert and parody this trope.

* Played straight in numerous medieval tales from all over Europe, with [[KingArthur Lyonesse, Guinevere]] and [[Literature/TristanAndIseult Iseult]] as model examples.

* Buttercup in ''Literature/ThePrincessBride'' spends almost the entire story waiting for her true love to come save her. She's in this mess because she gave herself up to save him -- and he ''did'' promise he'd always come for her. ''Literature/ThePrincessBride'' is a satire of this type of genre.