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Heroine

Why, Lady Alanna of Trebond, of course! The fiery redhead whose grand adventures definitely make up for her miniature size.

Plot Summary

The story begins with a 10-year-old Alanna, who longs for the glory and education of knighthood. The problem with this is that Alanna is female, and female knights of Tortall have died over a hundred years ago. In order to achieve her dream, Alanna switches places with her twin brother, Thom, and while he heads off to study sorcery in the City of the Gods, the young Alanna makes her way to the country’s capital, in order to learn the ways of knighthood. Throughout the four books, the Lioness meets various characters (some recurring like Coram Smythesson, Prince Jonathan of Conte, Sir Myles of Olau, and George Cooper) that become privy to her secret, but are discreet enough to keep it from being revealed. The first book encompasses her time as a page just beginning her lessons; the second explores her development as a squire and a young woman; the third shows the reader a portion of her adventures as a newly-inducted knight; and the fourth comes full circle, with Alanna returning to battle with an old enemy.

Departure

Call to Adventure – In Alanna’s case, the call for adventure is her own doing; she comes up with the plan to switch places with her brother herself. Alanna wants to be a knight of Tortall, and she has fantasized going on adventures as a knight for a few years now. In order to do realize her dream, she must train with the pages at the palace as a boy (it has been over a hundred years since a female had been accepted into the ranks of knighthood). And so she embarks on the quest of becoming a knight, by posing as the young Lord Alan of Trebond.

Refusal of the Call – Throughout the first book (and well into the second), Alanna does battle the doubt that she does not have the physical prowess to get through her training. On her first rough patch in Alanna: The First Adventure, Alanna almost packs her bags and proclaims that she is done with her silly ideas of becoming a knight. She changes her mind later (though mostly out of exhaustion). After a humiliating loss in a mock swordfight, she once again feels that hesitation about her abilities. This leads her to work harder than ever before.

Supernatural Aid – Alanna is definitely helped by a few magical entities, chief of them being the Great Mother Goddess, who sends magical aid to her Chosen heroine. In the second book of the series, In the Hand of the Goddess, the Goddess allows (or sends, it’s debatable) Faithful to be Alanna’s feline companion. Additionally, the Goddess also bestows Alanna with the gift of a magical trinket, which seems to act as a sort of warning device through most of the series. There is, of course, Alanna’s own magical Gift and her sword Lightning; both of which are just as supernatural as the Goddess’ presents.

Crossing of the First Threshold – The first threshold Alanna crosses happens during her journey towards Tortall’s capital Corus. Her biggest obstacle during her journey is her guardian, Coram Smythesson. Without his cooperation, Alanna’s plan would end even before it begins. Coram is ultimately swayed by her pleas (she saves his life on the road—a feat that Coram realizes her brother would never have achieved), it becomes clear that her first obstacle is conquered. After this threshold, she enters a world unlike the fief that she knew for 11 years of her life.  

Belly of the Whale – Even in Alanna’s first glimpse of the city, it is no doubt that the capital city of Corus largely differs from her border fiefdom at Trebond. As she enters the gates and heads to Palace Way, the young page-to-be finds numerous types of people roaming the streets: southern Bahzir, merchants, knights, priestesses, and thieves (one of which, she’ll later find, is the King of the thieves in the capital). Central to her awe is definitely the castle, where she would spend the next seven years of her life immersed in academic lessons and knight training, as well as her emotional and physical developments as a woman.

Initiation

Road of Trials – Keeping Alanna’s identity secret was a major test, and for the most part, she’s managed to pass that. Throughout the four books, Alanna does go through a number of tests and trials; a duel against a Tusaine knight, the Ordeal of Knighthood, and even winning over the Bazhir tribes were all trials Alanna had to face in her adventures. Needless to say, she’s managed to overcome them all. One of her failings, however, occurred when she refused to use her healing Gift, and as a result, she lost one of her friends due to the Sweating Sickness. From there, Alanna learned that in order for her to live a life without regret, she had to use all the skills she was given by the gods.

Meeting with the Goddess – I’m sorely tempted to mention that Alanna does meet with the Great Mother Goddess at some point, though I’m not sure the heroine fell apart with undying love and devotion for her patron. The Goddess does speak of love regarding Alanna, however, and in In the Hand of the Goddess, Alanna as much as displays growing affection for two men in her life. Whether or not either of them were her true loves at the time can be quite debatable.

Woman as Temptress – It’s a little more amusing when we use this metaphor to describe a man. Alanna does become slightly distracted, especially during developments regarding her love life. While the Goddess suggests that finding love is a welcome addition to Alanna’s otherwise difficult path, it is still a distraction for the young Lioness. So much, in fact, that her love for her Prince Charming almost blinds her to the imminent dangers about to unfold before her.

Atonement with the Father – A poignant scene would be near the end of In the Hand of the Goddess, where Alanna’s identity is accidentally revealed to the entire court. There, an enraged King Roald demands that she explain herself to the court. Roald then asks for those who knew of her identity beforehand; and he was answered by the men closest to Alanna’s heart. This is also where the one with the ultimate power—in this case, the king—dishes out whether or not Alanna gets her knighthood or not. We don’t have to wait with bated breath, though, since she continues her adventures as a knight of the Realm of Tortall in the next two books.

Apotheosis – I can actually think of a few instances where Alanna undergoes some near-death experiences. An important one—and perhaps the signal to an end of a long journey and a return home—was her climb at Chitral’s Pass, in hopes of claiming the Dominion Jewel for her king. At the top of the mountain, Alanna’s Gift burned out, and her energy waning, she passes out, with the Jewel in hand, almost dead if not for the locals coming up to find her. After this arduous task, Alanna began to see the bigger picture of things, and even acknowledges that if there was someone who she would love, it would be someone who accepted all of her, including her Gift.

Ultimate Boon – The Dominion Jewel. Duh.

Return

Master of Two Worlds – Throughout the series, Alanna struggles living in a world as both the female and Gift-wielder that she is. By the time the fourth book reached its climax, Alanna could be found traversing the very path that she would not have chosen for herself; she goes to the catacombs, prepared to battle a man whose Gift far surpasses her own. Alanna used to be afraid of the Gift, so I think this makes absolute sense.