Reasons to read A Princess of Mars #2
DEJAH THORIS
Dejah Thoris is the ultimate damsel in distress in some ways. She's the most beautiful woman on two planets, she the princess of the great city of Helium and she eventually falls in love with our hero, John Carter. But there's so much more to her character than a two dimensional "catalyst" character.
Dejah Thoris is the princess of a city of Mars, and believe me when I say that pretty much everyone on Mars is expected to be a warrior. In fact one of the green Martians, Sola, is probably the most pacifistic person in this book. Dejah Thoris is a fierce woman used to giving orders and has no qualms about jumping into the fray whenever the opportunity presents itself. She's stubborn and headstrong, passionate and intelligent, kind hearted and bloodthirsty all at the same time.
Many people may intially look at a lot of the artwork done for the Martian covers and think that Dejah Thoris is some weak willed woman there to be the pretty ornament on John Carter's arm - and they'd be wrong. First of all, Dejah Thoris' fighting spirit is one of the reasons John Carter falls in love with the amazing Princess of Mars. Second of all, don't mistake the nakedness... EVERYONE is naked on Mars! (Now that'll be interesting if they're trying to make this a kid's movie ;) ) Unlike many "boys" fantasy novels it's not only the women walking around clothing-less, the men only wear the absolute nessesities as well. In fact, throughout most of the beginning of this book John Carter isn't wearing anything at all.
Actually Burroughs does a fairly good job of explaining the differences between male and female roles throughout the story without ever ONCE seeming to make the women the weaker sex.
Dejah Thoris, the woman willing to face a raging horde of bloodthirsty green men just to die by the side of the man she loves. A woman willing to sacrifice her own happiness for the safety of her people. Dejah Thoris, the woman who holds her head high even when a captive of her enemies.
Read A Princess of Mars. Dejah Thoris wills it!
posted by Gwen at 12:36 AM
4 Comments:
I agree! DEJAH THORIS rocks! She makes Wonder Woman seem like a wimp (and she is not into bondage like WW). Dejah Thoris is absolute one of the best female characters in fiction. Makes me want to fall asleep in a cave and wake up on Mars.
So how would one go about finding this book to read??
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345331389/sr=8-1/qid=1152840742/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-2437487-7673753?ie=UTF8
Love all the martian chronicles books. I agree with your assessment, despite the very cool Frazetta covers, and some of the nice Whelan covers on the reprints, the women on Mars, though every guys fantasy, are actually quite strong characters for the time in which they were written. Bram Stoker's women in Dracula are as well. I like reading these type of 'classic' tales in which the women aren't man-hating feminists (a cliche that is overused) but seem to be equally at home being the sex adored by man and being strong willed and assertive.
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