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lokisgoodgirl · 3 years ago

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Pinned Down [Soft Dom!Loki x Female Reader] 18+

A link to my Masterlist is HERE Summary: For “training” purposes (and to prove a point) you ask that the insufferable Avenger!Loki pins you to the ground. Pure sexual tension and shameless Loki thirst smut. (w/c 2.3k) Warnings: 18+ Minors DNI. Soft!Dom Loki. Language. Light(ish) Smut. Dry humping. Extreme Loki thirst.

"Absolutely not."

Loki’s eyes didn’t move from the page of his book when he spoke. His focused gaze running between words fluidly as you remained with your arms folded in front of him, standing your ground.

"I did it with Steve earlier, I made him shake. And he wasn’t holding back, either..." you said confidently, looking down at the serene God of Mischief as he slowly uncrossed his legs. Finally, you had his attention.

He snapped the novel closed theatrically with one hand, the sound like a leather paddle meeting skin, looking down at the item with an amused smirk flirting at the corners of his mouth.

"I think it far more likely that our valiant Captain took pity on your efforts and conceded to let you think you had achieved even a minutia of ground in order to bolster your spirits, don’t you?"

He really was insufferable.

"besides," he continued, finally deigning to look up at you with those ridiculously hypnotising eyes which saw everything and revealed nothing, "I am much stronger than “Steve” – therefore again, in the interests of this realm’s beloved health and safety I repeat...absolutely not."

You saw a flash of something, a glint of daring in the kaleidoscope of blue and green reflecting back at you. A challenge.

"Thor would do it."

You smiled politely as he grimaced beneath your words, sucking in the hollow of his cheekbones as he restrained a rebuttal. You doubled down.

"I think you’re scared that I’ll overpower you. And then you wouldn’t be able to tell me how much stronger you are than everyone else all the time."

A forced grin spread across his unbearably handsome face, the contrived mirth of a chuckle which didn’t reach his eyes filling the air.

"Overpower me? My dear. I am a god."

"So you keep saying," you bent towards him, an eyebrow raising as you saw his gaze harden in anticipation, "so prove it."

He reclined back on the common room sofa, his eyebrows furrowed in interest as he re-considered your request. His forefinger curled to his lips. You could see his mind flickering through the nuances of your statement, trying to pinpoint the true nature of it as his brow softened, his eyes quizzical and fierce.

"So tell me again, what is it exactly you wish me to do?"

Before answering his question, you pushed one of the singular armchairs nearby across the floor to make space. Lying on your back on the carpet, you propped up on your elbows. You wouldn’t let him back out now.

"I want you to pin me down, Loki, and I have to move you. That’s it."

Anticipating a sarcastic comment, you raised a finger as he inhaled sharply – a precursor to one of his condescending quips.

"For obvious reasons," you continued "all which I am fully aware of...moving you counts as any wavering, shaking or general...well, movement...of your body from your initial position, however small."

You stared at him resolutely. You didn’t understand why he had to be such an arse about every little thing.

Loki leant forward in silence, his impossibly toned biceps straining against his Armani suit. He slid his forearms tantalisingly towards his knees while regarding you with increasing amusement.

You sighed. Time for the ace card.

"It’s important for my training. I’ve been getting so much stronger – I need to keep testing myself…" you pouted, hoping that even the alpha males of Asgard weren’t immune to a doe eyed damsel in distress, "...please?"

Wordlessly, he stood; striding over to tower above you as you lay on the floor – your feet flat against the carpet, thighs raised.

"Let it be known that I am doing this under duress", his deep tone flanked with caution as he ran his tentative eyes over your waiting body.

You watched as he removed his jacket, throwing it haphazardly over the discarded chair. Loki rolled up the sleeves of his shirt to reveal those unacceptably delicious bare forearms as he loftily pondered how to arrange himself.

"Oh will you just get on me", you huffed.

Muttering irritated phrases in tones too low for you to decipher, he complied – stepping one foot over your stomach as you stared pointedly at the ceiling.

After raising your arms over your head, your gaze was unavoidably drawn to the sight of Loki gracefully bringing his body down to meet yours. The sound of those strong knees hitting the floor with a soft thump as his frame encased you. His large hands planting firmly on the carpet beside your shoulders, fingertips sinking soundlessly into the soft pile.

You realised that however close he was, he wasn’t actually touching you. His hips hovered above yours, supported by muscled calves that ghosted the sides of your ass; his thighs spread widely as he contemplated the next step.

"Are you ready?"

The same words that Steve had delivered this morning, in the same position, were loaded with something heavier from Loki’s tongue. Indecipherable weight hung to them like coal smoke in the air. A wave rose in your belly like going over the crest of a hill in the backseat of a car.

"I’m ready", you replied quietly, the words no more than a whisper.

Carefully his hips lowered to meet your pelvis, pressing into you flatly as his immense thighs tightened at your sides. They braced against your lower ribs. You exhaled with force; his weight increasing momentarily as he moved his dexterous hands to grip your wrists separately above your head. He centred himself so that you were absolutely and completely pinned to the ground, pinned underneath his unrelenting form.

"Y/N, I forgot to ask...what’s in this for me?" he waxed coyly as you resisted the urge to headbutt him.

"Pride, I suppose…" you muttered as you adjusted to the load above you, your body aching against the pressure of his palms forcing your forearms to sink into the carpet.

"I have too much of that already, darling. We’ll have to think of something else."

You closed your eyes, feeling the pure strength of the smooth hands binding your wrists in their grasp. The snug grip of his solid hips pressed flush to your core as you began to attempt to gain any purchase beneath him.

That godly ass you had admired many times in stolen moments between wishing he would remove his unendurable self from your vicinity rested immovable against the fronts of your thighs. You tried to push your hips upwards, your body keening for space as it was forced to the floor.

"Fuuuck" you grunted, the initial frustration of defeat burning despite its expectation.

Soft laughter floated from above you as your eyes snapped open, searing into the face hanging inches from yours.

"You’ll need to overpower me first, love" he taunted.

Loki’s black curls were tucked behind his ears, the forced smiles from earlier forgotten as he relished you pinned underneath him, under his superiority. From this angle, his facial features were completely aligned – his strong jaw outlined by ludicrous cheekbones. The bridge of his nose was parallel to the line of his gaze as he penetrated you with a delighted stare from bright eyes.

You rolled your eyes, straining your arms against his hold. You groaned against the pressure in your shoulders from the aching constraint, pushing upward with your hips. You fought for what felt like an age to gain any momentum, any reserve of strength which could compete against the god holding you still who was infuriatingly at ease in his motionless state, not even trying.

"Oh…" a disappointed glint flitted across Loki’s eyes as your stomach flipped...had he felt something?

"...I just realised I could have brought my book, it looks like I just needed one hand. What a shame…", he drawled as he grinned at you smugly.

You let out an exasperated sigh, going limp underneath him.

"OK, I give up, I’m not ready for you after all, it seems..." you mumbled through gritted teeth. Annoyance littered every syllable as another smirk twitched at the corner of Loki’s lips at your confession, his tongue darting across them as he considered your words.

"I don’t think so, love – you asked for this. So you’re going to make me move."

You suddenly became very aware of your breathing, slow, heavy exhales escaping your throat as your eyebrows knitted towards the god above you. His eyes were unreadable except for his obvious enjoyment of your defeat.

"I can’t, Loki…" you whined, turning your cheek to rest against the carpet, bored with the game now that your earlier confidence was tattered, a flutter of nerves rising in your stomach as you avoided his eyes.

"Oh come now darling...", his biceps strained underneath the snug fit of his shirt as he flexed his elbows to bend deeper towards you, his breath warm in your ear, "there’s more than one way to move a man."

You turned your head slowly, your nose brushing his before he pressed his arms upwards once more away from you. The expanse of his brow dipping towards you as a mess of curls tumbled into view. Now that you weren’t trying to free yourself, your body flooded with unbidden feelings as you assessed the situation.

The scent of him lingered in your nostrils from his brief descent, clinging to his hair as rogue strands brushed your cheeks. An intoxicating mix of amber and leather flushed through your bloodstream, inflaming the path to your groin. Your aching hips tried to rise involuntarily to thrust into him, his firm weight preventing it.

You ran your eyes down the impressive torso hanging over you. The thick muscular expanse of his chest mouthwateringly positioned in your eyeline. Flat lines of his form tucked neatly to that immaculately fitted shirt hiding the deliciously defined abdomen underneath. Those unyielding stomach muscles ran to the creases in his hips, a tight angle to his thighs, long thick femurs bulging with power, gripping you mercilessly.

Fuck.

You tried to squirm as an uncomfortable wetness grew between your restrained legs. your thighs still spread in a static missionary position underneath the unbearable man above you. He could now add unbearably hot to his ever-growing list of unbearable qualities.

"Use your words, darling."

His usual smarm was tinged with a lustful edge as those keen eyes glinted down at you – or was that your imagination?

You could feel a flush rising awkwardly in your cheeks as he moved his hips minutely against yours, his crotch grinding lightly against your pelvic mound. Pressing your lips together, you prayed a moan would not escape them as you tried once more to free your hands from his firm grip.

"Sometimes", he enunciated softly above your struggles, "the most effective way to gain control of a situation…"

His calves squeezed purposefully against the sides of your ass. His thighs slid forward as his hips dragged an inch up your stomach. It pulled against your mound, forcing the hood of your clit to shift with a pent up explosion from the bundle of swollen nerves. You couldn’t tear your gaze away from his, deep pools of darkened and suddenly insatiable desire,

"...is to give in to it."

You couldn’t help it. A pathetic moan rose from deep in your throat as he repeated his movement. Loki towed his hips firmly across your lower body with excruciating precision, exposing your clit mercilessly against the friction of your leggings. He controlled the source of your desire from inches away. He wasn’t even touching it, smug bastard.

Elevating your head slightly, you cast your dizzying gaze to his hips which were poised to flex again across your form. The outline of his huge, hardened cock clearly visible, straining against his suit trousers as he dominated you. You gasped.

You had heard stories about what the God of Mischief had in his pants, but nothing could have prepared you for its presence so temptingly and unexpectedly close to you. The firm outline was thickened against the fabric, begging to be wielded inside your desperately wet channel as you lay prostrate beneath him, hands above your head like a sacrifice.

He observed your eyes widening with a knowing smirk. Loki flexed his elbows to bend towards you once again, his grip never leaving your wrists. Lowering his solid abs to press against your chest, he rubbed his hardened length once, purposefully, across the point of your hipbone.

"Ohhh, Y/N…" he moaned gratefully as his cock dragged firmly across your skin. Your name shuddered wantonly into your ear from his lips like nectar, ‘it seems you have caused me to shake after all…’

You groaned beneath him as he buried his face into your neck. A growl of need thundering lowly in your ear as he towed his enormous manhood firmly against your hip once more. The change in his position allowed to you keen up into him, your grateful hips finding solace against his crotch as you desperately sought relief.

"Loki…" you moaned shamelessly, his angular face appearing in front of yours with curiosity flickering in his sharp, lustful gaze.

"I think we should stop" you panted. The realisation that you were dry humping a colleague in the common room suddenly at the forefront of your mind, however inconveniently.

A low chuckle escaped him as he shook his head, his deft fingers squeezing around your wrists.

"Dinner."

Your brow crinkled as you processed the unexpected statement, "I’m sorry?"

"Dinner." he repeated, his eyebrow raised as he enjoyed your confusion, "My prize. I wish to have dinner with you."

He released your wrists from their fleshy prison, another moan escaping you as blood rushed to your hands. Your fingers tingled as the ache subsided. You sat up, rubbing them intermittently as Loki rose to his feet, rolling his shoulders and flexing his neck as you eyed him suspiciously.

"I would dispute the fact that you won, actually. Technically I made your body move so…"

Your words were a deflection, a feeble attempt to diffuse the sexual charge in the air that threatened to overwhelm you. Loki was unconvinced. His hand reached around your waist, pulling you to him with that vice-like grip you were intimately familiar with. He drew you close as your face tilted upwards, your lips poised to press against his at his command.

"Dispute all you wish," he chucked, "I welcome the discussion. And perhaps after dinner, we can have a re-match…"

Loki's eyes smouldered with innuendo as you shuddered in his arms, the hot wetness between your thighs taunting you as you clenched involuntarily, "...in my chambers, this time."

Your hand ran down his chest, fluidly finding it’s way past his toned hips to the tops of his thighs as his breath hitched. Your fingers brushing lightly over the thick, hard length still snug against his in-seam. Loki’s eyes narrowed as he hissed with need under the pressure of your palm, flashing dangerously as you raised your gaze to his coyly.

"Be careful, darling", his seductive voice laced with warning, "I won’t go as easy on you next time."

READ PART TWO HERE

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spanishskulduggery · 3 years ago

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Hi! I'm very curious about something regarding the Spanish language. I'm currently studying A2 Spanish but I had this question and my teacher did not seem too willing to discuss it. Here it goes:

I know that Spanish has, something my Spanish teacher says, linguistic gender. I was wondering how do the people who don't align themselves with the gender binary (masculine and feminine) speak/write in it? I have read this article about Spanish speaking people from US adding "x" Or "@" and people from Argentina using "e" to make the words gender neutral.

Thank you so much for responding, whenever you get to it. Also love your blog. ❤

Short answer, in general speaking terms people are tending towards the -e now because the other two are very hard to actually speak, and because Spanish-speakers feel the -e is more authentic

What you're most likely to see in Spanish is masculine plural as the default, or in written things you might see todos y todas or like un/una alumno/a "a student", or like se busca empleado/a "employees wanted" / "looking for an employee"

If it's something official or academic you typically include both [todas y todas] or you go masculine plural [todos] unless it's specifically feminine plural

Related, linguistic gender applies to all things, not just people. Why is la mesa "table" feminine, but el libro "book" masculine? Just linguistic gender. I can tell you that most loanwords (that aren't people) in Spanish are masculine, and that there are certain words that come from Greek are masculine, and that -ista words are unisex most of the time... And I can tell you there are some words like testigo or modelo that are unisex and don't change for gender. Aside from that, speaking about nouns and grammatical gender... those particular things are harder to parse for regular people, but if you go into the field of linguistics you can explore that more deeply. Some of it is source language (i.e. "it came from Latin this way") or things like that. And in general when talking about nouns it's unimportant and not considered sexist, that's just how it is.

There is such a thing where it gets a little too far the other way and people will say "history? what about herstory" which is a nice thought but the etymology has nothing to do with gender there

When it comes to people - and when it comes to gendered attitudes - that's where it gets more confusing and more complicated.

I believe there was an experiment where people had French and Spanish speakers [I believe it was Spanish] try to identify how a "fork" would sound. French people gave it a more feminine voice because "fork" is feminine in French, while Spanish speakers gave it a more masculine voice because it's masculine in Spanish.

Whether we like it or not, certain gendered things do influence our thoughts and feelings and reactions. A similar thing in English exists where the old joke was something like "There was a car accident; a boy is rushed to the ER and the surgeon but the father was killed. When they got to the ER the doctor said 'I can't operate on him, he's my son!'" and it's like "well who could the doctor be?" ...and the doctor is his mother. We associate "doctor" as masculine and "nurse" as feminine.

There's a gender bias in our language thought patterns, even though the language changes. And that does exist in Spanish too, to different extents.

There are certain cultural and gendered stereotypes or connotations attached to certain words, many tend to be more despective or pejorative when it's women.

For example - and I know this has changed in many places or it isn't as prevalent - el jinete "horseman/rider", while the female form is la amazona "horsewoman/rider". Because la jinete or la jineta was sometimes "promiscuous woman".

There were also debates about things like la presidente vs. la presidenta or what the female version of juez should be, whether it should be la juez or la jueza

Most languages with gendered language have varying degrees of this, and all languages I'm aware of have gendered stereotypes related to professions or cultural attitudes in some way, and not just for women, and not all in the same way with some of them being very culturally based

The longer answer involves a bit of history, and I'll be honest, some of it is contested or considered a little controversial in Spanish-speaking countries particularly in the conservative parts (which honestly should come as no surprise)

The first symbol that I know of that came about was the X

First piece of contested history: As far as I know, it was the trans/queer and drag communities in Latin America who started the trend of X. When there were signs or bulletins that had the gendered endings - specifically masculine plural as the default plural - people would write a big X through the O. This was a way of being inclusive and also a very smash the patriarchy move.

Some people attribute this to women's rights activists which may also be true, but a good portion of the things I read from people say it was the trans/queer/drag communities in Latin America doing this.

I've also read it originated in Brazil with Portuguese; still Latin America, but not a Spanish-speaking country.

Where it's most contested is that some people will say that this trend started in the Hispanic communities of the United States. And - not without reason - people are upset that this is perceived as a very gringo movement.

That's why Latinx is considered a very American-Hispanic experience

The arroba (@) is relatively new. I remember seeing it in the 2000s. I don't know if it existed earlier for gender inclusivity.

People used it because it looks like a combination of O and A, so it was meant to be cut down on saying things like todos y todas or niños y niñas in informal written speech

I remember quite a few (informal) emails starting like hola tod@s or muy buenas a tod@s or things like that

I think of it more as convenience especially in the information age where you never knew who you were talking to and it's easier than including both words, especially when masculine plural might be clumsy or insensitive

Still, it's practically impossible to use the @ in spoken Spanish, so it's better for writing casually. You also likely won't be allowed to use the @ in anything academic, but in chatrooms, blogs, or forums it's an option

I love the E ending. And the gender neutral form in singular is elle... so it's él "he", ella "she", and elle "they (singular)"

The -e ending is I think became more common within the past 10 years though it might have existed longer than that. These sorts of changes tend to come from the queer or trans communities and tend to be more insular before becoming more of an outside thing that then the general population finds out about

It came about because there are some adjectives in Spanish that end in -e that are unisex. It's not an A, it's not an O, but it's something grammatically neutral for Spanish

It's not as awkward as X, and E exists very firmly in Spanish so it's not perceived as some outside (typically gringo) influence

The good news is, it's pretty widespread on the internet. Not so much in person (yet), but especially in Spain and Argentina at least from what I've seen, particularly in the queer communities and online culture.

The only issues with it are that for non-native speakers, you have to get used to any spelling changes. Like amigo and amiga, but to use the E ending you have to add a U... so it's amigue.

That's because there are certain words where you have to do spelling changes to preserve the sound; gue has a hard G sound like -go does [like guerra]... but ge has the equivalent of an English H sound [gelatina for example]. Another one is cómico/a "funny" which would go to cómique. Again, because co has a hard C/K sound, while ce is a soft sound more like an S or in some contexts TH/Z sound; like centro is a soft sound, while cola is a hard sound

Unless you make it to the preterite forms where you come across like pagué, alcancé, practiqué with those types of endings... or subjunctive forms, pague, alcance, practique ... Basically you'd have to be exposed to those spelling rules or you'd be really confused if you were a total beginner.

It all makes sense when you speak it, but spelling might be harder before you learn those rules

The other drawback is that the E endings are sometimes not applicable. Like in damas y caballeros "ladies and gentlemen" there's not really a gender neutral variation on that, it's all binary there. And while la caballero "female knight" does exist, you'd never see a male variation on dama; the closest I've ever seen is calling a guy a damisela en apuros "damsel in distress" in some contexts where the man needs rescuing, and it's feminine una/la damisela, and it's very tongue-in-cheek

There are also some contexts like jefe vs jefa where I guess you would say jefe for "boss" if you were going the neutral route, but it's a bit weird because it's also the masculine option.

I can't speak for how people might feel about those if they're non-binary or agender because every so often you kind of get forced into the binary whether you like it or not

I totally support the E, I just recognize there are some limitations there and it's quirks of the Spanish language itself

Important Note: Just to reiterate, E endings are the ones most Spanish-speakers prefer because it's easiest to speak and doesn't have the American connotation that X does in some circles

Where it gets very "Facebook comment section" is that you'll see many Latin Americans traditionalists and conservatives claim that "this is just the gringos colonizing our language" and "grammatical gender doesn't matter in Spanish". They'll say that the "gender movement" is an American feminist movement and that it's a gringo thing and doesn't reflect actual Latin Americans or Spanish-speakers

Which on the one hand, yes, English does have a lot of undue influence on other languages because of colonization, and American influence and meddling in Latin American politics is a big important issue

But as far as I'm aware of the X (and especially the E) were created by Latin Americans

The other issue I personally have is that any time this conversation comes up, someone will say something like somos latinOs and claim that masculine plural is gender neutral

To that I say, first of all, "masculine plural" is inherently gendered. Additionally, there is a gender neutral in Spanish but it's lo or ello and it's only used with "it" so it sounds very unfriendly to use on an actual person... and in plural it looks like masculine plural and everything applies like masculine plural

Second, the reason masculine plural is default is because of machismo. It's more important that we don't possibly misgender a man, so it has to be masculine plural. It's changed in some places, but growing up when I was learning Spanish, if it was 99 women and 1 man you still had to put masculine plural

I'm not opposed to there being a default, and I understand why it's easier to use masculine plural, but some people get very upset at the idea of inclusive language

...

In general, my biggest issues with these comments come when people act like non-binary/queer/trans people don't exist in Spanish-speaking countries, like English invented them somehow. So it's nice to see linguistic self-determination and seeing native speakers using the E endings.

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oakensherwood · 4 years ago

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Okay, let’s talk about Maid Marian. Let’s really talk about Marian. So often I see her character disparaged as a damsel in distress without agency of her own, but that is honestly so far from the truth. In fact, Maid Marian is considered to be one of the earliest examples of the “strong, independent woman” character archetype. Not only is it untrue to call her a damsel in distress, it’s also unfair.

As with many stories, Robin Hood is a story filled with men. I love it, but there’s no denying it’s a story filled with men. As the only prominent female character in a story that has been retold for close to 1000 years, centuries of ideas about femininity have been funneled into this singular character. Among the array of male characters, we see many ways to be masculine: smart, witty, artistic, strong, brave, charitable, loyal, both fighters and lovers. All of the characters have been adapted through the years, but Marian can still be distinguished as the only canonically present female character in the main cast.

Other women we traditionally see include Alan’s bride, the Prioress of Kirklees Abbey who murders Robin, Marian’s serving woman, and a few queens. Various contemporary novels, films, and TV representations have added women to the cast to even it out, but Marian is still the only primary female cast member. As such, centuries of what it can mean to be a woman have been reflected through her.

Let’s take a look at what exactly that has looked like through the years.

One of the things I love best about Robin Hood as a legend is that it is constantly evolving and changing for the needs of the audience. Across centuries and decades it has been changed to suit the ideas of the day. Even the oldest extant documentation of Robin Hood is not considered the “original version” because there is no way of really knowing when or how these stories started, or how long it took for them to be written down.

So, just as there isn’t a standardized Robin Hood, there isn’t a standardized Maid Marian. We know that she was added later in the Robin Hood tradition, during the 15th century as part of May Day celebrations, and quickly became a common character in future iterations of the Robin Hood story. Her origins are still murky at best, and it’s impossible to pinpoint the very first time she was introduced.

Her many origins include a shepherdess named Clorinda from Child Ballad 149, an unrelated Marian character in 15th century May Day games who happens to also have a lover named Robin, and a historically based woman named Matilda Fitzwalter appears in Anthony Munday’s “Huntingdon” plays from the 15th century. Furthest from our understanding of Marian is a play titled Robin Hood and the Friar, very merry and full of pastime, proper to be played in May Games. In this play we find Marian as a “trull” a.k.a. prostitute, employed by Friar Tuck. A far cry from how we know both Marian and Friar Tuck today. So far, she’s a working woman, a noblewoman, a romantic interest, and a prostitute.

The best known and most enduring of these early variations is Child Ballad 150 (you can read it in full here). In this ballad, we see Marian dress as a boy, and go into the forest fully armed, to seek out her lover, Robin Hood. When she finds him and does not recognize him, they begin to fight and Marian handily beats him in their sword fight. Robin immediately asks her to join the Merry Men, they recognize each other, and return to camp for feasting and a “happily ever after” full of adventures.

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- Child Ballad 150

“With quiver and bow, sword, buckler and all,

Thus armed was Marian most bold.”

This ballad is reminiscent of introductory stories of the Merry Men -- Robin meets a stranger, they fight, the stranger wins, and Robin offers them a place in his band.

We can clearly see in Child Ballad 150 that Marian was considered Robin’s equal and a regular member of the group from early on her individual tradition. Other parts of her early tradition survive as well -- she’s a romantic partner for Robin, and a noblewoman.

As we progress forward in Robin Hood traditions, we continue to see the story change. Notable changes occur during the Victorian period, when general interest in Robin Hood stories was revived thanks to the publication of Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe (1819) and Howard Pyle’s The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood (1883). Marian does not appear in Ivanhoe and is mentioned only once in Pyle’s book, and is effectively written out of the story entirely.

Despite this, we see other novels and stories released as Robin Hood grows in popularity, and here is where we begin to see the idea of a damsel in distress begin to gain traction. As is true in every retelling of Robin Hood, the story changed to suit its audience and to suit the ideas of contemporary society and intended audience.

Victorian literature is full of interesting and lesser known works of Robin Hood, as a result of a Victorian obsession with medievalism and with Robin Hood. Maid Marian and Robin Hood: A Romance of Old Sherwood (1892) by J.E. Muddock features a very distressed Marian who does need rescued and has very little agency. Other Victorian works take a similar tone and cast Marian as a damsel, but this is not the narrative that ultimately survives this period of Robin Hood resurgence.

Thomas Love Peacock published a novella simply titled Maid Marian (1822). Interesting to note, because Robin only appears briefly as a supporting character in Ivanhoe, this is actually the first true Robin Hood novel as a story by itself. Here we see an active, and independent Marian, evocative of Child Ballad 150.

‘Well, father,’ added Matilda, ‘I must go into the woods.’

‘Must you?’ said the Baron, ‘I say you must not.’

‘But I am going,’ said Matilda.

‘But I will have up the drawbridge,’ said the baron.

‘But I will swim the moat,’ said Matilda.

‘But I will secure the gates,’ said the baron.

‘But I will leap from the battlement,’ said Matilda.

‘But I will lock you in an upper chamber,’ said the baron.

‘But I will shred the tapestry,’ said Matilda, ‘and let myself down.’

- Thomas Love Peacock, Maid Marian (1822)

Matilda does indeed go to the woods, takes on the name Maid Marian, and rules the forest with Robin Hood. Other Victorian works take a similar approach to Marian and show her as involved and capable including Maid Marian, or the Forest Queen (1849) by Joaquim Stocqueler, which follows a more traditional Robin Hood storyline filled with adventures and danger.

Later classic works include an active Marian as a member of the outlaw band, as well. Roger Lancelyn Green (1956), Charles E. Vivian (1927), and Paul Creswick (1917) all write a Marian who speaks for herself and works with the outlaws, often dressed as a man.

Hollywood enters the scene of Robin Hood retellings as early as 1908, but the oldest surviving Robin Hood film is Douglas Fairbanks’ Robin Hood (1922). This silent movie, groundbreaking in budget and sets, features Marian (played by Enid Bennet) as a strong character who holds her own throughout the film. After this, we see another groundbreaking film, The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland. This film is widely thought to be the gold standard of Robin Hood films, and I am definitely in that camp. Marian has more agency in this movie, and the lovely Olivia plays a rather coy noblewoman. While we don’t see her taking up a sword in this film, we see her developing the plan that ultimately rescues Robin from the hangman’s noose, successfully warning Robin and his men of Prince John’s plans, and standing her ground while on trial and defending her ideals. Yes, she is rescued from prison in the climax of the movie, but she also plays a vital role in rescuing Robin earlier in the story.

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) begins with a woman of action, but at the end sees Marian rather helplessly forced into a marriage and moments away from being sexually assaulted when Robin literally catapults himself through the window to save her. 20 years later in Robin Hood (2010) Cate Blanchett’s Marian is fully capable in combat and is shown to be a responsible and dedicated lady of Loxley, working the fields and caring for her home.

Meanwhile in a contemporary TV adaptation, Marian is depicted as a Robin Hood figure herself, known as the Nightwatchman. (2006, BBC’s Robin Hood) Although the writers later did a disservice by (unpopularly) killing her character as a season finale, Marian was still depicted as competent and in charge of her own choices and actions, and in fact rescues herself from an unwanted marriage.

Contemporary Robin Hood literature also features an active Marian. Jennifer Roberson’s Lady of the Forest (1995) and Lady of Sherwood (1999) present Marian as a noblewoman who, over the course of the text, takes control of her own story in her capacity as a member of gentry, Lauren Johnson’s The Arrow of Sherwood (2013) sees an incredibly historically inclined retelling of the Robin Hood story, and includes a dedicated and politically savvy Marian. She doesn’t run into the forest, but makes a real difference through her smart decisions and political manipulation. Robin McKinely’s The Outlaws of Sherwood features Marian as an excellent archer, better than Robin, and she easily slips in and out of the outlaw camp as needed, is skilled in woodscraft, and is a valued and substantial member of the outlaw group. Honestly, I think it would be difficult to find a literary retelling that doesn’t include an active Marian character.

So where do our ideas of Marian as a damsel in distress ultimately come from? I have a few theories.

First, we see the archetype of damsels in distress throughout other fairy tales and folklore, so it’s tempting to assume that Marian is the same and portray her as such, and there are examples of her character playing that role either in whole, or for part of the narrative.

There are unfair assumptions made about medieval women in general, that ignore the powerful positions women could hold, and the amazing things that women did during this period. When people picture medieval women, they are often embroidering tapestries, being forced into unwanted marriages, being beaten by their husbands, and dying in childbirth. There is truth in stereotypes, but there’s also room for deeper understanding of the historical context, and a wider story to be told that includes women standing up for themselves and exercising their own strength and skills. (It’s not good feminism to overwrite real women’s history.)

We see this stereotype most often in movies and TV adaptations, which are highly visible and memorable, cementing ideas about the Robin Hood legend (and Marian) in the general psyche.

Children’s picture books, perhaps one of the first introductions a person might have to Robin Hood, tend to play out the story like a traditional fairy tale and Marian is again likely found in an upper tower, calling for help.

Some find it demeaning for Marian to ever require saving, or to be saved by anyone other than herself. I feel differently about this. People rely on other people, and it’s not inherently weak to ask for support from someone, especially from a romantic partner. The story of Robin Hood is good fun, but it’s also full of danger and peril. It’s not surprising that various characters need to be rescued by friends and lovers throughout various tales. Robin Hood, Little John, Will Stutely, Sir Richard of the Lea, Alan A Dale’s bride, and yes, Maid Marian. All of these characters have stories where they require smart and daring rescues, and they’re exciting stories! Because Alan’s bride and Marian are women, this does not exempt them from the support of their male friends. They deserve to have someone watching their back. I am not offended by Marian needing help; it’s not only human, it’s a staple for a multitude of characters in Robin Hood lore.

As with much of media, Marian is the single female in what’s otherwise mostly a boys’ club. She has been the single point of reference in this story for women for centuries. I find that incredible. She was my favorite character as a child because she was the only woman, the only person I could potentially see myself in. With a global story such as Robin Hood, that’s not an insignificant role. No matter what her part may be in any given retelling, there are pieces of women from centuries long past and not so distant. I find that fascinating, worth respecting, and that’s why she’s my favorite character to this day.

tldr: Drink your respect Maid Marian juice.

#maid marian #robin hood #long post #my gang to me 2021

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gokinjeespot · 6 years ago

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off the rack #1245

Monday, January 14, 2019

Sorry this is going out later than usual. It's freezing outside this morning -18 degrees C (or 0 degrees F for all you non-metric folks). A good reason to stay under the flannel sheets and down comforter a couple of hours longer.

We had a National Geographic moment here yesterday when a hawk managed to capture a male cardinal right at our bird feeders. They are both beautiful birds and the hawk was only doing what comes naturally but it's still traumatic to witness the circle of life being played out right outside your window. Penny saw the raptor fly off with its bright red meal clutched in its talons.

X-23 #8 - Mariko Tamaki (writer) Diego Olortegui (pencils) Walden Wong (inks) Chris O'Halloran (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). X-Assassin part 2. Laura and Gabby rescue their "sister" from the bad guys. Whether the X-Assassin appreciates it is still to be determined. I like this straight forward story where the girls are trying to do the right thing and the villain is clearly defined.

Thor #9 - Jason Aaron (writer) Mike del Mundo (art) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). This lead up to "The War of the Realms" features Roz Solomon and it's great. Sometimes I'll read a comic book with a lot of writing and wonder partway through when is it going to finish? This time each word balloon and caption just carried me along as Roz fights a frost giant and gathers important intel as an Agent of Wakanda. I loved the little scene with ex-boyfriend Thor.

Domino #10 - Gail Simone (writer) David Baldeon, Michael Shelfer, Alberto Alburquerque & Anthony Piper (art) Victor Olazaba, Ed Tadeo & Michael Shelfer (inks) Carlos Lopez (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). Soldier of Fortune conclusion. The team up with Longshot ends, tied up with a big fat bow. I found the pacing of this story to be too fast. The good guys go to the Mojoverse to see if they can heal Longshot, fight through an army of guards and get into the hospital where a doctor cures their friend. Then it's back to their own universe and a long nap. All in 20 pages. They glossed over the fact that both Domino and Longshot have a luck power, which was what made me want to keep reading this story. I would have liked more depth. I'm also not a fan of art by committee. I don't mind a couple of artists working on an issue but four different styles is too jarring visually for me.

Young Justice #1 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Patrick Gleason (art) Alejandro Sanchez (colours) DC Lettering (letters). Yay Young Justice. When I saw the ads for the new Bendis books I was most excited to see this teen team. I loved the old series written by Peter David. I am so happy to see Impulse/Bart (RIP Mike Wieringo), Robin/Tim, Superboy/Conner, and Wonder Girl/Cassie back on the racks. It's going to be neat to see how Amethyst, Jenny Hex and Teen Lantern fit into the team. This intro is a pulse-pounding fight between the teen heroes and warriors from Gemworld. I probably would have read this no matter who drew it but Patrick Gleason makes this new book an automatic add to my "must read" list.

Criminal #1 - Ed Brubaker (writer) Sean Phillips (art & letters) Jacob Phillips (colours). Meet lowlife Teeg Lawless fresh out of prison and already in the hole for 23 K. How's he going to pay that off? You'll find out if you stick with this story of a hardened criminal. I love how Ed Brubaker writes about these extraordinary ordinary people and Sean Phillips is perfect for this slice of noir life.

Captain Marvel #1 - Kelly Thompson (writer) Carmen Carnero (art) Tamra Bonvillain (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). Yep, it's another number one for Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel and you can jump right in and follow her new adventures without missing a beat. You know there's a Captain Marvel movie starring Brie Larson hitting the big screens in March right? I've followed Captain Marvel ever since she was a he in 1967 wearing the green costume with the fin on his helmet. Carol is my favourite character to use the moniker. This first issue is a standard introduction with the requisite super hero fight where Carol saves the city from a giant monster with the help of another of my favourite super heroes, Spiderwoman. Nice to see Jessica back on the racks. The twist at the end will surprise fans expecting another boring super hero comic book as Captain Marvel finds herself leading a whole new crew of do gooders. I'm going to stay tuned.

Batman #62 - Tom King (writer) Mitch Gerads (art) Clayton Cowles (letters). Knightmares part 2. This is a very intense fight between Batman and the villain Pyg. The last two pages makes this issue more than what it seems.

Die #2 - Kieron Gillen (writer) Stephanie Hans (art) Clayton Cowles (letters). Die is not just the singular for dice but it's also the name of the place that five former Dungeons and Dragons players find themselves trapped in. It's a very scary place and I think their quest to get home will ultimately fail. I'm sure some of them will die in Die. I wish I liked this more but none of the characters appeal to me and I find the story depressing. This fantasy with real life characters can go on without me.

Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #1 - Tom Taylor (writer) Juann Cabal (art) Nolan Woodard (colours) VC's Travis Lanham (letters). I was hooked on this new Spider-Man book as soon as I saw the names in the credits. Tom and Juann are in my top five list of writers and artists and they didn't disappoint me. Check out their X-23 story that just hit the racks as a trade paperback. Everything you need for a good comic book is here. You've got a little bit of super heroic action, mysterious bad guys, a damsel in distress and two little kids with glowing eyes on the last page to make you want to read the next issue right away. You have to wait until January 23 for that though. I know some Marvelites have complained that Marvel's new number ones are priced higher at $4.99 US but this one has a back-up story worth the extra buck. Peter Parker's Aunt May has been around since day one and has faced many threats. This latest one by Tom Taylor (writer) Marcelo Ferreira (pencils) Roberto Poggi (inks) Jim Campbell (colours) & VC's Travis Lanham (letters) might just break the two of them. If you've stopped reading Amazing, Friendly Neighborhood is a good replacement.

Prodigy #2 - Mark Millar (writer) Rafael Albuquerque (art) Marcelo Maiolo (colours) Peter Doherty (letters). I love this kind of pure fantasy where the hero is a super intelligent guy with unlimited resources and the bad guys are pure evil. Showing the villains hunting children with rifles leaves no doubt. The threat is pure science fiction and the stakes are impossibly high. This is the kind of story that keeps me wanting to read every issue.

Man Without Fear #2 - Jed MacKay (writer) Stefano Landini (art) Andres Mossa (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). Oh, so that's what happened. Matt was hit by a truck while saving a kid. That's why he's lying in a hospital crippled to the point where he has decided to retire Daredevil. This issue's narrator was a surprise and made me wonder if they're going to resurrect this character again. Jed has done a good enough writing this weekly mini so that I want to keep reading to see how Matt recovers to don the devil costume again.

Avengers #12 - Jason Aaron (writer) Ed McGuinness & Cory Smith (pencils) Mark Morales, Karl Kesel & Scott Hanna (inks) Erick Arciniega (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). S.H.I.E.L.D. is gone. Now we have the Agents of Wakanda. This issue introduces some of those agents. They're a mix of misfits and oddballs. I like the I.T. guy and the guy out in space. Ka-Zar is a surprise but I like him too because I hope to see Zabu soon. These Avengers are dealing with Namor and his Defenders of the Deep but also another threat coming out of Transylvania. I like who they recruit to deal with the vampires but I thought he was in prison. Nope, just checked. He got 3 years for tax evasion and was released in April 2013.

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #2 - Saladin Ahmed (writer) Javier Garron (art) David Curiel (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). I love the cover showing everything this young man has to juggle while living a dual life. Imagine trying to do it without a smart phone? I like that the Rhino doesn't have one just like me. So Miles and Rhino are trying to find some missing kids. The trail leads them to an old warehouse where they fight the bad guy but lose him. The good guy showing up on the last page will help them continue the search. Saladin must have gotten some writing tips from Brian Bendis to keep the audience panting for more.

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