Capstone Poster

Destroying the Damsel: Exploring the Relationship of Feminist Values
and Heterosexual Romance in Studio Ghibli Films

Leah Bayley-Hay – ENG 403 Literary Research Capstone – Stevenson University
The Female Ultimatum Female Autonomy & Romance

In the early days of film, female characters did Ø By looking at these films through a feminist critical lens, I’m analyzing them under the
not serve much purpose beyond being damsels assumption that we exist in a patriarchal world/society and thus, most media is a product of
in distress, waiting to be rescued by her “prince a patriarchal value system – either adhering to or diverting from those norms
charming” and fall in love. As feminism has
Ø Sophie, the female MC in Howl’s, falls
progressed, so have female representations in
into the trope of being Howl’s “Angel in
film – one of those character archetypes being
the House.” Throughout the film she is the
the strong heroine. The fearless, the bold, the
traditional pure and self-sacrificing
strong, but normally lacking a love interest. The
woman that helps save the male MC
strong binary that the heroine and the damsel
(Howl). She abandons every aspect of her
create leaves us with, what I call, the ‘Female
life prior to meeting Howl and devotedly
Ultimatum,’ in which it seems female characters
follows him, proclaiming her love for him
either get to give up some, if not all, of their
by the end of the film. The sweet romance
self-autonomy for love or maintain it
does negate the fact that Sophie loses her integrity in pursuit of love.
completely outside of a romantic relationship.
Deviations from this are not unreal, but rare, Ø On the opposite end, San (Princess Mononoke), is a character that walks her own path in
especially in animated films. life, has a strong set of morals/values, and an even stronger sense of self
Ø Throughout her respective film, she is constantly fighting for her home, her family, and
Ghibli films, Princess Mononoke (1997) and Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) are what she believes in (the protection of nature against humans). For the first portion of the
examples of a well-done deviation and what it looks like to fall victim to the female film, she even fights her own love interest, Ashitaka, to defend her home. When Ashitaka
ultimatum. My project also challenges the meaning of love/relationships (which in their joins the battle to help her bring peace to her forest, they form a bond and fall in love
nature are self-sacrificial), and questions if love allows for full self-maintenance By Ø Despite their romance, San never fully conforms to what Ashitaka, or other characters wish
breaking down these representations through a feminist critical lens, I seek to for her. She continues to make decisions based on her own values while maintaining
understand the balance of female autonomy and love. romantic feelings towards Ashitaka. In the end, she states her love but does not physically
stay with him since to her, home is still in the forest with the wolves and not among
Heroine vs Damsel humans. This representation is a successful balance of love and maintenance of self.
“San’s role as a warrior and her cool emotional control deviates from anime’s
standard dewy-eyed female character. Although she is typical in her youth and Theoretical Terms
beauty, San manages to possess several unsterotypical traits, notably her self- Patriarchy – social norms, structures, values, and practices, in which men are are the
awareness, strength and fearlessness.” – Karen Olowu (Deconstructed Gender governing force and women are oppressed and exploited
Norms in Princess Mononoke, p. 4) Feminist Criticism – a critical lens that observes literature’s reflection of adherence to, or
deviation from, patriarchal attitudes.
“Traditional gender roles cast men as rational, strong, protective, and decisive; they Gender Roles – culturally defined behavioral attitudes, patterns, and characteristics that are
cast women as emotional (irrational), weak, nurturing, and submissive.” – Lois perceived as either “masculine” or “feminine”
Tyson ( Critical Theory Today, p. 81)
“…the sense of freedom and autonomy in the relationship is important in true References
love, as well as the acceptance of different tastes and preferences of the partner, Julita Czernecka. “The Social Definition of Love and Its Role in Maintaining and Intimate Relationship Typology of Attitudes Towards
own time, and space for each partner’s individual activities.” – Julita Czernecka Love.” Acta Universitatis Lodziensis. Folia Sociologica : Zdrowie - Choroba - Życie Codzienne, vol. 14, no. 79, Jan. 2021, pp. 121–
32. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.18778/0208-600X.79.07.
(The Social Definition of Love and its Role in Maintaining and Intimate Olowu, Karen '14, "Deconstructed Gender Norms in Princess Mononoke" (2013). 2013 Fall Semester. Paper 5.
http://digitalcommons.imsa.edu/fall2013/5
Relationship Typology of Attitudes Towards Love, p. 124-125) Tyson, Lois, and Lois Tyson. “Feminist Criticism.” Critical Theory Today: A User-Friendly Guide, Third ed., Routledge, Milton Park, Abingdon,
Oxon, NY, 2015, p. 81.

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Destroying the Damsel: Exploring the Relationship of Feminist Values

and Heterosexual Romance in Studio Ghibli Films

The Female Ultimatum Female Autonomy & Romance

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