Date of Award
Spring 4-14-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Publication Status
Version of Record
Submission Date
April 2026
Department
English
College Granting Degree
Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Department Granting Degree
English
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]
Timothy S. Miller
Abstract
The image of the woman knight in fantasy fiction has undergone numerous iterations, and the ideals of knightly behavior have changed alongside her. This thesis examines how fantasy authors use three specific woman knights to critique, change, and expand the concept of chivalry through their dual identities as woman and warrior. These are Tamora Pierce’s Alanna, a divinely endorsed knight influenced by second-wave feminism; Tamora Pierce’s Kel, a secular knight who focuses on social change and communal good; and Tamsyn Muir’s Gideon, who returns to ideas of the chivalric romance and religious feudal systems in a future where gender has ceased to be a barrier to access. These chapters collectively demonstrate that fantasy authors Pierce and Muir both engage in fantastic re-imaginings of chivalry that change knighthood from an identity restricted by gender to an identity including a multiplicity of gendered identities under the banner of chivalry.
Recommended Citation
Miller, Miranda, "CHIVALRY’S ONGOING CHANGE: THE DEVELOPMENT OF WOMAN KNIGHTS IN FANTASY LITERATURE" (2026). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 323.
https://digitalcommons.fau.edu/etd_general/323