In Marika's Own Words: as representações de feminilidade e poder em Elden Ring (2022)

Abstract

Video games, beyond being mere entertainment and leisure devices, have the capacity to act directly or indirectly on society, thus influencing how their players interpret certain themes and issues. This work aims to analyze the characters and representations of femininity and power present in the video game Elden Ring (2022). It also seeks to raise important questions about the relationships between gender studies, the extemporaneous representations of the medieval period in contemporary times, also known as (neo)medievalism, and the influence of media culture on the process of creating these narratives. Initially, theoretical and methodological issues will be addressed and discussed. Secondly, three female characters from the game will be presented, with a brief description of some of their characteristics such as clothing, weapons, posture, influence on the plot/world-building, etc., as well as a problematization of important aspects of them. Finally, pertinent questions are raised, along with the hypothesis that the game Elden Ring (re)created female characters in its narratives, with medieval characteristics, although it updated them to the demands of the contemporary video game industry.