Brigham Young University Masthead Logo BYU ScholarsArchive All Theses and Dissertations 2018-03-01 Why Can't Zelda Save Herself? How the Damsel in Distress Trope Affects Video Game Players Jared Capener Hansen Brigham Young University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Hansen, Jared Capener, "Why Can't Zelda Save Herself? How the Damsel in Distress Trope Affects Video Game Players" (2018). All Theses and Dissertations. 7304. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/7304 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact
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[email protected]. Why Can’t Zelda Save Herself? How the Damsel in Distress Trope Affects Video Game Players Jared Capener Hansen A thesis submitted to the faculty of Brigham Young University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Kevin Kimball John, Chair Pamela Jo Brubaker Loy Clark Callahan School of Communications Brigham Young University Copyright © 2018 Jared Capener Hansen All Rights Reserved ABSTRACT Why Can’t Zelda Save Herself? How the Damsel in Distress Trope Affects Video Game Players Jared Capener Hansen School of Communications, BYU Master of Arts Research has unearthed an abundance of objectification and hypersexualization of female characters within video games. However, the recurring element of the damsel in distress trope is also harmful to the medium. This cliché of a helpless princess in need of a man to save her is a recurring element of The Legend of Zelda series.