List of women warriors in literature and popular culture

This list of women warriors in literature, and popular culture offers figures studied in fields such as gender studies, cultural studies, film studies, mass communication, sociology, psychology, and anthropology.

Definition and scholarship

According to the "Random House Dictionary", the term warrior has two meanings. The first literal use refers to "a person engaged or experienced in warfare." The second figurative use refers to "a person who shows or has shown great vigor, courage, or aggressiveness, as in politics or athletics."Citation
first =
last =
author-link =
first2 =
last2 =
author2-link =
editor-last =
editor-first =
editor2-last =
editor2-first =
contribution =
contribution-url =
title =Warrior
year =
pages =
place =
publisher =Random House Dictionary
url =http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/warrior
doi =
id =] Scholars explore both literal examples (such as in the text "") as well as figurative ones. Professor Sherrie Inness in " [http://www.upenn.edu/pennpress/book/945.html Tough Girls: Women Warriors and Wonder Women in Popular Culture] " and Frances Early and Kathleen Kennedy in " [http://www.syracuseuniversitypress.syr.edu/spring-2003-catalog/athenas-daughters.html Athena’s Daughters: Television’s New Women Warriors] ", for example, focus on figures such as Buffy Summers from the television series, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (who inspired the academic field, "Buffy Studies"). In the introduction to their text, Early and Kennedy discuss what they describe as a link between this "new" image of women warriors and "girl power". [ [http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.cgi?path=238391094059727 Book review] ]

Women warriors engaged in combat

Literature

* "Aeneid": Camilla
* "Beowulf": Grendel's mother. Grendel's mother was a female warrior, a Valkyrie, or a Norse goddess according to some scholars.
* "The Blue Sword": Angharad AKA Harry or Harimad-sol
* "The Chronicles of Narnia": Lucy and Susan Pevensie
* "Conan the Barbarian": Valeria and Red Sonja
* "His Dark Materials" trilogy: Lyra Belacqua or Lyra Silvertongue, and Marisa Coulter, Lyra's mother; Lady Salmakia, a Gallivespian spy; the witches, such as Serafina Pekkala and Ruta Skadi; the female angels, such as Xaphania
* "Dragonriders of Pern" series: Lessa and Moreta (Anne McCaffrey)
* Dune series: The Bene Gesserit and other all-female warrior societies including the Fish Speakers and the Honored Matres.
* "The Faerie Queene": Belphoebe and Britomart (Britomartis) (Edmund Spenser)
* "Harry Potter" series: multiple characters including Fleur Delacour, Hermione Granger, Bellatrix Lestrange, Luna Lovegood, Minerva McGonagall, Nymphadora Tonks, and Ginny and Molly Weasley
* "The Hero and the Crown": Aerin
*Honor Harrington, heroine of the series of the same name, is one of many women warriors in the series. (David Weber)
* "Jerusalem Delivered": Clorinda, Erminia (Torquato Tasso)
* Joan of Arc in literature
* "Lilith's Brood": Lilith Iyapo (Octavia Butler)
* "The Lord of the Rings": Éowyn, Arwen Evenstar (in the film version but not the original novel)
* "Maximum Ride" series: multiple characters such as Maximum Ride, Nudge, and Angel.
* "Neuromancer": Molly Millions who also appeared in "Johnny Mnemonic" (William Gibson) [ [http://project.cyberpunk.ru/idb/genre_and_gender_in_cyberpunk_fiction.html Razor girls: Genre and Gender in Cyberpunk Fiction] ]
* "Orlando innamorato": Bradamante (Matteo Maria Boiardo)
* "Orlando Furioso": Bradamante and Marfisa (Ludovico Ariosto)
* "Protector of the Small" quartet: Keladry of Mindelan
* "Shahnama" ("The Book of Kings" or "The Epic of Kings"): Gordafarid, (PerB|گردآفريد) (Ferdowsi)
* "Sharpe": Comandante Terasa Moreno
* "Song of the Lioness" quartet: Alanna of Trebond
* "The Three Musketeers": Milady de Winter
* "Water Margin": Hu San-Niang
* "": Hua Mulan appears in the second chapter ("White Tigers") as an imagined form of the narrator (Maxine Hong Kingston)
* "Vorkosigan Saga": Cordelia Naismith (Lois McMaster Bujold)

Film

* Yu Shu-lien and Yù Jiāolóng in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"
* Moon and Flying Snow in "Ying Xiong" a.k.a. "Hero"
* Ching/San/Invisible Girl in "The Heroic Trio"
* Charlene Ching and Katherine, among others, in "Chek law dak gung", a.k.a. "Naked Weapon"
* Inspector Jessica Yang in "Supercop" [http://www.salon.com/weekly/yeoh960722.html]
* Yim Wing-chun in "Wing Chun"
* Lulu Wong in "Silver Hawk"
* "Lady Snowblood"
* Beatrix Kiddo, Elle Driver, Vernita Green, O-Ren Ishii, and Gogo Yubari in Quentin Tarantino's, "Kill Bill, Vol. I" (2003)
* Queen Lillian, Princess Fiona and parodies of Snow White, Rapunzel, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty in "Shrek the Third" (with a satirical homage to "Kill Bill" [ [http://www.moviemusicuk.us/shrek3cd.htm "Shrek the Third"] ] )
* Joan of Arc in film
* Lt. Jordan O'Neil (Demi Moore) in "G.I. Jane"
* Selene in "Underworld"
* Calamity Jane in various productions
* Ellen aka "The Lady" (Sharon Stone) in "The Quick and the Dead"
* Hannie Caulder (Raquel Welch) from 1971 film of same name.
* Wende Wagner as an Apache in "Rio Conchos (film)"
* Morgan Adams in the film Cutthroat Island
* Éowyn in "The Lord of the Rings" film trilogy
* Guinevere as interpreted in the 2004 film "King Arthur" [http://www.cbc.ca/arts/features/kingarthur/]
* Fa Mulan in the Disney film "Mulan", an adaptation of the myth of Hua Mulan
* Alice, Jill Valentine, and Claire Redfield in the films "Resident Evil", ', and '
* Ellen Ripley and Private First Class Jenette Vasquez in the "Alien" film series
* Pris, a replicant in "Blade Runner"
* Padmé Amidala portrayed by Natalie Portman in "Star Wars" prequel trilogy (1999 - 2005)
* Leia Organa portrayed by Carrie Fisher in "Star Wars" original trilogy (1977 - 1983)
* Trinity, Niobe, and minor characters in the "Matrix" film trilogy
* Princess Fiona in "Shrek" (with a satirical homage to "The Matrix" [ [http://www-tech.mit.edu/V121/N26/Shrek_-_Annie.26a.html ‘Shrek,’ for All Ages] ] )
* Sarah Connor in "The Terminator", ', and in the television series '
* Elizabeth Swann and Tia Dalma in "Pirates of the Caribbean"
* Captain Carmen Ibanez, Captain Deladier and Private Dizzy Flores in "Starship Troopers"
* Mui in "Shaolin Soccer"
* Lieutenant Ellen Ripley of the "Alien" films

Television

* Lady Marian as interpreted in the BBC 2006 "Robin Hood" series.
* Xena, Gabrielle, Callisto, Eve and many others in ' and '
* Sara Pezzini in "Witchblade", a TNT television series based on the manga comic book of the same name by Top Cow Productions.
* Aeryn Sun, a Sebacean warrior, a member of the Peacekeepers in the series "Farscape", played by the actress Claudia Black
* Slayers (notably Buffy, Faith, Kendra, Kennedy , Rona , Vi , Cho-anne and Curidad) in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"
* In "Buffy" spin-off "Angel", Cordelia developed into something of a woman warrior.
* The four "Charmed Ones", Prue, Piper and Phoebe Halliwell and Paige Matthews; also Billie Jenkins from "Charmed".
* Max Guevara, a genetically enhanced transgenic super-soldier in "Dark Angel"
* Major/Colonel Kira Nerys and Lieutenant/Lieutenant Commander Jadzia Dax in ""
* Zoe Washburne and River Tam from "Firefly" and "Serenity"
* Kara Thrace, various forms of Caprica Six and Sharon Valerii from "Battlestar Galactica"
* Leela from "Doctor Who"
* Sarah Connor and Cameron Phillips in ""
* Æon Flux in the animated series of the same name
* Cleopatra, Sarge, Hel and Rhiana from "Cleopatra 2525"
* Sydney Fox in "Relic Hunter"
* Teyla Emmagan in "Stargate Atlantis"
* Kate Austen in "Lost"
* Captain/Major/Lt. Colonel/Colonel Samantha Carter in "Stargate SG-1" and "Stargate Atlantis"
* Captain Kathryn Janeway, B'Elanna Torres, and Seven of Nine in ""
* Joan Girardi in "Joan of Arcadia"
* Sydney Bristow in "Alias"

Comics

* Tank Girl, Jet Girl and Sub Girl - Tank Girl comic and movie

Anime and manga

* Haruko Haruhara of FLCL
* The Sailor Senshi in the manga and anime "Sailor Moon"
* Masane Amaha and the female Cloneblades in "Witchblade"
* Almost the entire cast of "Claymore"
* Rukia Kuchiki, Yoruichi Shihouin, Soifon, Rangiku Matsumoto, Momo Hinamori, Neliel Tu Oderschvank, and Cirucci Thunderwitch in "BLEACH"
* Revy, Balalaika, Shenhua, Eda, Roberta, Fabiola Iglesias, Yolanda, and Sawyer the Cleaner in "Black Lagoon"
* Major Kusanagi in "Ghost in The Shell" series
* Cutey Honey in the anime series of the same name.
* Kei in the manga and anime "Akira".
* Naomi Armitage in "Armitage III" and subsequent films.
* Irene "Rally" Vincent and "Minnie May" Hopkins in "Gunsmith Cats".
* Knight Sabers in "Bubblegum Crisis" series.
* Princess Alita Forland (Falis) in "Murder Princess"
* Casca in " Berserk"
* Saya Otonashi in the anime "Blood+"
* Shampoo and Cologne" from Ranma 1/2"
* Most of the female characters in "Naruto", like Sakura Haruno, Hinata Hyuga and Tsunade
* The EVA pilots Rei and Asuka and Misato Katsuragi in "Neon Genesis Evangelion"
* Faye Valentine in "Cowboy Bebop"
* Honoka in "The Third"
* Integra Hellsing, Seras Victoria, Zorin Blitz, Rip van Winkle, Heinkel Wolfe and Yumie Takagi in "Hellsing"
* Hikaru Shidou, Umi Ryuuzaki and Fuu Hououji in "Magic Knight Rayearth"
* Ran Moori from "Detective Conan"
* Nami, Nico Robin and Nefertari Vivi in "One Piece"
* Undead priestess Kikyo, Demon Slayer Sango and Kikyou's reincarnation Kagome from "InuYasha".
* Genkai in "Yu Yu Hakusho"
* Meryl Stryfe, Milly Thompson, Dominique the Cyclops and Elendira the Crimsonnail in "Trigun"
* Fujiko Mine in "Lupin III"
* Jo, Meg, Sei, Amy, Takane, and Maria in "Burst Angel"
* Princess Nausicaä and Princess Kushana in "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind"
*San in the anime "Princess Mononoke"
*Saber and Rider from "Fate/Stay Night"
* Julin, Kalin, Seilin, and others in "Shaolin Sisters"
* Vexille, and Maria in "Vexille"
* Deunan Knute in "Appleseed"
* Yoko Ritona, Darry Adai, Kiyoh Ritona, Kinon Bachika and Kiyal Bachika in "Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann"
*Rushuna Tendo, Mikan Kurenai, Setsuna Oomido, Kasumi, Touka Kurenai, Fuuka Shirato, and Yuzuriha "Kayaku" Shimon in "Grenadier"
* Maka in Soul Eater
* There are many famous female warriors in the Battletech universe, including Colonel (and later Khan) Natasha Kerensky, Star Colonel Evantha Fetladral, Former Chancellor Candace Allard-Liao of the St. Ives Compact, former Archon Katrina Steiner of the Lyran Commonwealth and Star Colonel Johanna of Clan Jade Falcon.

=Games=

* Ada Wong, Claire Redfield, Rebecca Chambers, Jill Valentine and Shiva from the "Resident Evil" series.
* The Sisters of Battle from Warhammer 40,000.
* Admiral Belleza, Aika, and Fina in Skies of Arcadia
* Agrias Oaks and Meliadoul Tingel of Final Fantasy Tactics
* Alexandra Rovias and Ellia in "Eternal Darkness"
* Alice in "American McGee's Alice"
* Alyx Vance in the Half-Life 2 series
* Amy in "Zanzarah": The Hidden Portal
* Anna Williams, Asuka Kazama, Lili Rochefort, Ling Xiaoyu, Nina Williams, and others from Tekken series
* Annah of ""
* April Ryan in "The Longest Journey" and "Dreamfall"
* Bastila in ""
* Eva and The Boss in ""
* Cammy, Chun Li, and Elena and others from the "Street Fighter" series
* Cate Archer of "No One Lives Forever"
* Celes Chere and Terra Branford of "Final Fantasy VI"
* Elaine Marley, Gobernor of the Tri-Island Area in Monkey Island series.
* Eva, Meryl, and The Beauty and the Beast unit in
* Da Qiao, Diao Chan, Sun Shang Xiang, Xiao Qiao, Xing Cai, Yue Ying, Zhen Ji, and Zhu Rong of the "Dynasty Warriors" series
* Fortune and Olga Gurlukovich in "".
* General Beatrix and Freya Crescent in "Final Fantasy IX"
* Jade in "Bryond Good & Evil"
* Jaheira of the "Baldur's Gate" series
* Jaina Proudmore, Tyrande Whisperwind and Sylvanas Windrunner in "Warcraft 3" ["Game Informer" provides information on who the character is, why the character is important, and what is next for the character in "Faces of "Warcraft": The Essential Introduction to Characters," "Game Informer" 183 (July 2008): 101.]
* Joanna Dark of "Perfect Dark"
* Joan of Arc in computer games
* Kaede Smith, Julia Kisugi, Ayame Blackburn, Handsomes Pink and Light Brown, and Linda Vermillion in Killer 7
* Karin of ""
* Kitana, Mileena, Sonya, and others from the "Mortal Kombat" series.
* KOS-MOS in the "Xenosaga" series
* Lady from the "Devil May Cry" series.
* Lara Croft in the "Tomb Raider" series.
* Lenneth, Silmeria and Hrist from the "Valkyrie Profile" series.
* Marle, Lucca, and Ayla from the Chrono Trigger" game.
* Meryl Silverburgh and Sniper Wolf in "Metal Gear Solid"
* Rikku and Yuna in "Final Fantasy X", along with Paine in "Final Fantasy X-2"
* Rinoa Heartilly, Quistis Trepe, and Selphie Tilmitt in "Final Fantasy VIII"
* Rayne of the BloodRayne video game and movie series
* Samus Aran of the "Metroid" series
* Sarah Kerrigan in "Starcraft"
* Sophitia Alexandra
* Tifa Lockhart, Aeris Gainsborough and Yuffie Kisaragi in "Final Fantasy VII"
* Rosso the Crimson in ""

ee also

*Girls with guns
*Girl Power
*Female action heroes
*History of women in the military
*History of women in sports

Notes

Further reading

*Alvarez, Maria. "Feminist icon in a catsuit (female lead character Emma Peel in defunct 1960s UK TV series "The Avengers")", "New Statesman", 14 August 1998.
*Au, Wagner James. " [http://www.salon.com/weekly/yeoh960722.html Supercop as Woman Warrior] ." "Salon.com".
*Barr, Marleen S. "Future Females, the Next Generation : New Voices and Velocities in Feminist Science Fiction Criticism." Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield, 2000.
* Deuber-Mankowsky, Astrid and Dominic J. Bonfiglio (Translator). "Lara Croft: Cyber Heroine". Minneapolis: University Of Minnesota Press, 2005.
*Early, Frances and Kathleen Kennedy, "Athena's Daughters: Television's New Women Warriors", Syracuse University Press, 2003.
*Garner, Jack. " [http://www.rochestergoesout.com/mov/l/laracrsid.html Strong women can be heroes, too] ." "Democrat and Chronicle". 15 June 2001.
*Heinecken, Dawn. "Warrior Women of Television: A Feminist Cultural Analysis of the New Female Body in Popular Media", New York: P. Lang, 2003.
*Hopkins, Susan, "", Pluto Press Australia, 2002.
*Inness, Sherrie A. (ed.) "Action Chicks: New Images of Tough Women in Popular Culture", Palgrave Macmillan, 2004.
*———. "Tough Girls : Women Warriors and Wonder Women in Popular Culture". Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1999.
* Karlyn, Kathleen Rowe. " [http://www.genders.org/g38/g38_rowe_karlyn.html Scream, Popular Culture, and Feminism's Third Wave: 'I'm Not My Mother'] . "Genders: Presenting Innovative Work in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences" No. 38 (2003).
*Karras, Irene. " [http://www.thirdspace.ca/articles/karras.htm The Third Wave's Final Girl: Buffy the Vampire Slayer] ." "thirdspace" 1:2 (March 2002).
*Kennedy, Helen W. " [http://www.gamestudies.org/0202/kennedy/ Lara Croft: Feminist Icon or Cyberbimbo?: On the Limits of Textual Analysis] ". "Game Studies: The International Journal of Computer Game Research." 2:2 (December, 2002).
*Kim, L. S. " [http://www.ejumpcut.org/archive/jc48.2006/womenWarriors/index.html Making women warriors: a transnational reading of Asian female action heroes in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.] " " [http://www.ejumpcut.org/home.html Jump Cut: A Review of Contemporary Media] ." No. 48, Winter, 2006.
*Kingston, Maxine Hong. "". New York: Vintage, 1975.
*Magoulick, Mary. " [http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/action/showFullText?submitFullText=Full+Text+HTML&doi=10.1111%2Fj.1540-5931.2006.00326.x Frustrating Female Heroism: Mixed Messages in Xena, Nikita, and Buffy] ." "The Journal of Popular Culture", Volume 39 Issue 5 (October 2006).
*Mainon, Dominique. "The Modern Amazons: Warrior Women on Screen". Pompton Plains, N.J. : Limelight Editions, 2006.
*Osgerby, Bill, Anna Gough-Yates, and Marianne Wells. "Action TV : Tough-Guys, Smooth Operators and Foxy Chicks." London: Routledge, 2001.
*Rowland, Robin. " [http://www.cbc.ca/arts/features/kingarthur/ Warrior queens and blind critics] ." "Canadian Broadcasting Corporation." 31 July 2004.
*Spicuzza, Mary. " [http://www.alternet.org/story/10630 Butt-Kicking Babes] ." "AlterNet." 27 March 2001.
*Tasker, Yvonne. "Action and Adventure Cinema." New York: Routledge, 2004.
*———."Working Girls: Gender and Sexuality in Popular Culture". London: Routledge 1998
*———."Spectacular Bodies : Gender, Genre, and the Action Cinema". London and New York: Routledge, 1993.
*Trickey, Helyn. " [http://www.tnt.tv/title/?oid=342634-3761 Girls with Gauntlets] ." "Turner Network Television".
*Ventura, Michael. " [http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/index.php?term=pto-19981101-000032&print=1 Warrior Women] ." "Psychology Today". Nov/Dec 1998. 31 (6).

External links

* [http://talentdevelop.com/articles/wwos.html Warrior Women On Screen]