A Dance with Men and Women

- Gender Roles in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice

and Fire

Masterarbeit

zur Erlangung des Grades eines

Master of Arts

an der Geisteswissenschaftlichen Fakultät

der Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz

vorgelegt von

Kerstin Trattler

am Institut für Anglistik

Begutachter: O.Univ.-Prof.Mag.art.Dr.phil. Werner Wolf

Graz, 2017

Table of Contents:

Introduction 1

1. Gender Studies – A Brief Description 3

2. The Issue of Gender in Fantasy Literature 4

3. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien 8

3.1 Gender Roles in The Lord of the Rings 9

3.1.1 The Representation of Masculinity in The Lord of the Rings 9

3.1.1.1 Frodo and Sam 10

3.1.1.2 Aragorn 11

3.1.1.3 Gandalf 12

3.1.2 The Representation of Femininity in The Lord of the Rings 13

3.1.2.1 Galadriel 14

3.1.2.2 Arwen 15

3.1.2.3 Èowyn 16

3.2 The Representation of Gender in The Lord of the Rings 17

4. Gender Roles in A Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan 19

5. Gender Roles in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire 24

5.1 A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin 24

5.2 The World of Westeros 26

5.3 Family Matters 29

5.3.1 House Baratheon 30

5.3.1.1 Robert Baratheon 31

5.3.1.2 Stannis Baratheon 34

5.3.1.3 Renly Baratheon 36

5.3.1.4 Joffrey Baratheon (Lannister) 38

5.3.2 House Greyjoy 41

5.3.2.1 Asha Greyjoy 42

5.3.2.2 Theon Greyjoy 45

5.3.3 House Lannister 47

5.3.3.1 Tywin Lannister 47

5.3.3.2 Cersei Lannister (Baratheon) 49

5.3.3.3 Jaime Lannister 54

5.3.3.4 Tyrion Lannister 57

5.3.4 House Stark 61

5.3.4.1 Eddard Stark 62

5.3.4.2 Catelyn Stark 65

5.3.4.3 Sansa Stark 68

5.3.4.4 Arya Stark 71

5.3.5 House Targaryen 74

5.3.5.1 Daenerys Targaryen 75

5.3.5.2 Viserys Targaryen 78

5.4 Additional Characters 80

5.4.1 Brienne of Tarth 80

5.4.2 Khal Drogo 83

5.4.3 Ygritte 85

5.5 Sex and Sexual Abuse in A Song of Ice and Fire 88

Conclusion 95

Bibliography 98

1

Introduction

“I regard men and women as all human - yes there are differences, but many of

those differences are created by the culture that we live in, whether it's the medieval culture of Westeros, or 21st century western culture.” – George R.R.

Martin

A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin is a high fantasy novel series,

which has gained a tremendous fanbase over the last couple of years. Its

treatment of women is currently one of the most debated issues in popular

culture. This is due to the adaptation of the novels for a TV series, but even

beforehand, the books were highly popular among fantasy fiction fans. Therefore,

those books play a valiant role in shaping the views of readers and their

interpretation of female and male gender representation. The issue of gender

studies has gained influence since the 1970s and has become a recognized

discipline in the field of the humanities and beyond. A Song of Ice and Fire has

been called feminist by their readership from early on, and quite a few authors

have concerned themselves with the depiction of female characters in those

books. This paper will look at the portrayal of female character roles, but the

description of male characters as well. Considering that gender studies are trying

to evaluate the differences and equality of gender in society, it is necessary to

look at the representation of both, male and female gender depiction. Martin

himself stated in an interview that “to me being a feminist is about treating men

and women the same” (Salter, 2013: April 1).

In chapters 1 and 2 of this thesis, a short history of gender studies and its

emergence will be presented. Further, an overview on how gender representation

in fantasy fiction was dealt with in the past, will be presented. Chapters 3 and 4

will showcase two specific examples of how gender representation is portrayed

in other fantasy literature works. The classic depiction of gender roles in fantasy

fiction will be disclosed via the example of The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R.

Tolkien, as this work is probably the most well-known fantasy literature narrative

in the world. On the other hand, the example of A Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan

will be used to show that not all fantasy fiction has to conform to traditional

stereotypical gender roles. Further reasoning why this series was chosen as an

2

introductory item for A Song of Ice and Fire is the fact that George R.R. Martin

and Robert Jordan were friends and cherished each other’s work.

The main part, starting with chapter 5, will consist of a detailed analysis of

A Song of Ice and Fire and its characters. As the series is not yet finished, the

books used for this analysis are: A Game of Thrones (1996), A Clash of Kings

(1999), A Storm of Swords (2000), A Feast For Crows (2005) and A Dance With

Dragons (2011). A necessary outline of the novels, including the geography and

societal hierarchy within the world of Westeros, will be provided, as the

representation of gender is connected to the characters background and

upbringing. Accordingly, brief family histories are imparted. The characters

chosen, are for most parts members of the main families in the book series. The

aim is to establish that George R.R. Martin breaks with traditional gender roles,

as well as male and female character traits, as opposed to classic traditional

fantasy literature. In order to accomplish this goal, main characters will be singled

out and analyzed. The character portrayal of the TV series will not be taken into

account. The reasoning for only considering the book version of the characters is

due to the discrepancy in depiction, as well as the fact that the TV series has

advanced the plot of the published novels. The book version of the characters is

the one originally intended by George R.R. Martin, and thus offers more validity

in the field of fantasy literature.

3

1. Gender Studies – A Brief Description

The issue of Gender Studies is nowadays an omnipresent topic, which influences

almost every aspect of official life. Originally, the term gender referred to the

distinction between male and female sex, as well as the grammatical

differentiation concerning noun classification into masculine and feminine.

Gender is also used to depict the differentiation between men and women within

a socially constructed context (cf. Yule, 1985: 222 – 23).

The antonym for the concept of ‘gender’ would be ‘sex’, which describes

the anatomical differences between men and women. Sex can be congruent with

gender, but does not have to be. For example, a woman, physically female, can

claim traditionally male gender roles for herself. The differentiation between

those two terms, allows the distinction between gender roles as being determined

by nature and physical features, and gender roles as a social construct (cf.

Schößler,2008 :10). The notion that gender roles have developed due to physical

differences between men and women has its own validity, but the focus with

Gender Studies lies on the socially constructed idea of gender.

The distinction between sex and gender and the accompanying debates

and discussions, emerged in the early 1980s and originated from the feminist

movements in the 1970s. Since then, the term gender has experienced a

tremendous semantic expansion. Firstly, the term was used to raise awareness

for the social as well as cultural construction of gender identity, but it soon shifted

into a fundamental critique on the perception of characteristics of biological sex

and identity in general (cf. von Braun et al, 2006: 3).

Gender Studies emerged in the German speaking part of Europe in the

early 1990s. Those studies focus on the socially constructed meaning of gender

which describes the predisposition of gender roles according to society, which

are enforced by prohibition, punishment and rewards. Therefore, Gender Studies

concern themselves with gender as a social construct, as opposed to biological

differentiation, because mainly what makes a man a man and a woman a woman,

is constructed by social expectations and rules. Such expectations are

concerned with dress codes, facial expressions, gestures, social behavior or work

and therefore create the representation of what is feminine or masculine. Every

4

culture defines gender or gender restrictions differently (cf. Schößler,2008 :10),

which emphasizes the theory that gender is a social construct.

Furthermore, the field of Gender Studies accentuates that femininity and

masculinity are not mutually exclusive, but one defines the other, meaning that

masculinity derives its definition from what femininity is and vice versa.

Considering this, Gender Studies should also focus on the construction of what

is masculine, but the fact remains that the focus of Gender Studies lies with

femininity. This fact correlates with the still problematic issues of gender equality

in our society (cf. Schößler, 2008 :11).

Taking into consideration that Gender Studies engages gender as a

central category of social, cultural and individual aspect of human life, it is not

surprising that gender and sexuality has taken over aspects of cultural and

theoretical production, and therefore also has become a major issue in the field

of Literary Studies. The issue of gender in Literary Studies is a complex one, as

numerous variables exist, such as who is talking to whom, was the author male

or female, from which point of view is the story told, which genre is depicted, for

whom was the text intended, which historical context is given, etc. (cf. Hotz-

Davies, 2004: 119f).

Considering all those factors, it is not likely to reach an easy answer when

it comes to gender in literature, especially, when it must be taken into account

that male authors can take feminine positions or the other way around. To

describe all possibilities would exceed the limitations of this paper, therefore only

the genre of fantasy will be discussed, as the main literary work reviewed in this

thesis is categorized as high fantasy literature.

2. The Issue of Gender in Fantasy Literature

In order to discuss the issue of Gender in fantasy fiction, it must firstly be defined

which qualities are associated with the genre of fantasy literature. Generally

speaking, works of fantasy fiction usually consist of the following ingredients:

description of relatable, common characters of both sexes, an alternative reality

to the real world, supernatural or magical elements, the fight between good and

evil and the storyline follows a quest, which commonly ends in the hero

5

overpowering the evil forces (cf. Timmermann,1983: 4). Those features are

reminiscent of the classic medieval chivalric romance, which draws upon the

images of a “knight errant with castles, distressed damsels, and dragons” (Lewis,

1964:9). Technically, those characteristics would define the genre of fantasy, but

fantasy literature gives the reader additionally the opportunity to immerse

themselves in an alternative reality. Even more so, this alternative reality inherits

a faint but clear reminiscence of the real world and therefore gives the reader the

possibility to distance themselves from reality while at the same time providing

them with a new perception of the real world (cf. Timmermann, 1983: 1). It could

be argued that fantasy literature has a tendency towards pop culture and is

therefore prone to reflect cultural mainstream and social issues. It delivers the

opportunity to reflect on reality and its complications, and thus the depiction of

important issues such as gender become more and more important.

Cliché portrayals of men and women do exist in fantasy literature but have

changed over time. The world of fantasy is traditionally seen as a masculine

dominated area of literature, which generates from the medieval chivalric

romance tradition of including elements of danger, fighting, conquering,

defending one’s land etc. Basically, all those elements exclude female character

as protagonists, due to traditional gender conventions. Those highly masculine

elements did not only serve as an excuse to render female characters less

important, but also supported the purpose of emphasizing an androcentric society

(cf. Merrick, 2003:241).

Female characters in fantasy fiction often take the place of the passive

role, while males are always the active characters. Some texts even went so far

as to omit female roles altogether, holding the argument that technology and

physical combat were mainly male responsibilities. Again, such notions serve the

purpose of emphasizing the androcentric worldview of Western civilization. Men

are supposed to be the active hero, while women are confined to passive roles

(cf. Merrick, 2003: 241).

It is only natural that fantasy fiction, as other genres as well, transport

received cultural assumptions about the world order as well as sociocultural

ideologies, including gender roles. Speculative fiction tries to answer questions

such as “What will happen”, “How does our world evolve?” or “How can one re-

imagine our society?” Considering that most science fiction authors are male it

6

seems natural that an androcentric world view is portrayed. Male characters have

dominated this genre ever since fantasy fiction arose, although there have been

some attempts to involve female characters as well, and therefore creating a

more equal gender system which resulted in the so called “androgynous solution”

(cf. Merrick, 2003:242). This term basically describes the deconstruction of the

binary gender system, by ignoring gender categorization in general or by creating

a range of genders and thus rendering the binary opposition of gender invalid (cf.

Merrick, 2003:242). Providing a detailed description of those alternative genders

would go beyond the scope of this chapter, and therefore we will remain within

the traditional male/female depiction of fantasy fiction.

In the early days of fantasy literature, an androcentric worldview was

dominating the genre. The most prominent example of embodied masculinity in

early fantasy fiction cumulated in the invention of Super-Man. A man superior in

every aspect, hence the name. In all fairness, it has to be mentioned that he was

superior to other males in that universe as well, while the female counterpart in

the story could be described as the medieval chivalric “damsel in distress”, who

has to be rescued. This story could be seen as the classic fantasy fiction story,

where the male character has to rescue the female one. Over time though, the

female character started to enter the mainly masculine world of speculative

fiction. As literature is closely linked to reality and its society, female characters

changed during the sexual liberation of the 1960s, and the feminist movement of

the 1970s to the present. Female characters were not yet given the same status

as the male ones, but were rather confined to characters such as the seductive

alien, the ultimate representation of the ‘other’ (cf. Merrick, 2003:244), or the love

interest of the male character. Therefore, females were reduced to their sexuality,

which led to the argument that sex had no raison d’être in the world of fantasy

fiction and thus, women could rightly be excluded (cf. Merrick, 2003: 244).

As it so frequently happens, every convention evokes a counterpart. This

also occurred with androcentric fantasy literature. A number of narratives

emerged, evolving around female characters. In those stories, androcentric

gender hierarchies were overturned and from that point on became matriarchies.

Those texts depict the anxiety and fear accompanying the change of conventional

roles of gender. While they try to portray a more equal gendered society, they

seem to fail in doing so, mainly because the female characters who fight for

7

equality, do so by developing traditional male character traits, such as hunger for

power or dominating others. Therefore, those matriarchal societies may be ruled

by women, but those women show definite character traits which are traditionally

associated with male characters (cf. Merrick. 2003: 243f).

Other writers have tried to deal with the battle of the sexes in a different

way, by trying to depict both genders as equals. The novel The Disappearance

(1951) by Philip Wylie, is an example for such gender depiction. In this text,

females and males are separated from each other’s worlds. In the end they are

united again, but it is apparent that the women have dealt with the situation in a

superior way. Matriarchal societies are often portrayed as, and compared to, a

beehive. While women rule, they do not develop sexual relations with each other.

The author Robert Heinlein used to portray female characters as independent,

competent and intelligent and capable of maintaining a functional society.

However, while his female depictions are superior to the male ones, in the end,

they still seek male appreciation and succumb to their desire, therefore

remaining, at least sexually, dependent on men (cf. Merrick, 2003: 245).

A lot of different aspects of gender roles have been explored within the

genre of fantasy fiction. Basically, every version of gendered scenarios has been

played out, because this genre is the perfect playground to take this notion and

use it in the conventional way, as well as change it completely. Fantasy literature

tries to answer the “What if” questions and therefore is able to depict various

scenarios and versions of the real world, gender representation being one of

them. This genre knows no restrictions and boundaries, because it is not tied to

the real world but can develop alternative universes with fictional technology,

creatures, societies, etc. and therefore also alternative gender roles and

depictions. It is still obvious that this genre favors the male superiority because in

the world of fantasy, societies are mostly male dominated, due to men’s physical

superiority, them being charismatic leaders or kings. The world of fantasy

literature is furthermore still populated with mainly male authors as well as a

largely male audience, which rather identify with main male characters, than

female ones (cf. Merrick, 2003: 244ff).

8

3. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, an English writer and poet, is one of the

most recognized and impressive representatives within the genre of fantasy

literature. It is commonly categorized as high fantasy literature, similar to The

Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin.

The Lord of the Rings portrays masterfully the never-ending battle

between good and evil, the importance of community and friendship, the natural

order of our surroundings, as well as the individuality of a single person. (cf.

Chance, 2001: 1). The trilogy follows the general recipe for a fantasy novel,

namely including relatable, interesting characters, supernatural elements, battle

between good and evil forces and, most importantly, a seemingly impossible

quest for the main protagonist (cf. Timmermann,1983: 4). Tolkien created the

story evolving around Middle Earth as a response to a world in which the

individual person was seemingly immobilized while facing the horrors of

totalitarian regimes and World War II in Europe. Considering the Lord of the Rings

trilogy was technically an afterthought to another novel, The Hobbit, it is even

more impressive how much influence this story about the individual’s power and

capability has captured its intended audience (cf. Chance, 2001: 1).

The Lord of the Rings was first published in 1954-55 as a three-volume

novel, containing two books in each volume. The singe volumes were named The

Fellowship of the Ring (1954), The Two Towers (1954b) and The Return of the

King (1955). The books have been translated into 38 languages and soon came

to being accepted as a masterpiece of its genre. Since then, the popularity has

not faltered. Generation after generation is exploring the world of Middle Earth,

which reflects on the genius of J.R.R. Tolkien to depict the voice of the seemingly

powerless (cf. Chance, 2001: 1f).

Taking into account how popular the Lord of the Rings novels still are, and

how many readers of various generations are still being influenced by this

narrative, it makes it a perfect example of how gender roles are, or more

accurately were, depicted in fantasy literature in the middle of the 20th century.

Since the release of the screen adaption of the novel, its popularity has even

been amplified, thus still influencing the audience’s perception of gender in

9

today’s world. Taking into consideration that this trilogy was written in stages

between 1937-1949, it is quite obvious that Tolkien depicted his male and female

characters in his novel according to the standard gender roles of his time. These

portrayals of traditional gender roles do not necessarily agree with a post

feministic movement world view.

3. 1 Gender Roles in The Lord of the Rings

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien has been categorized as an epic, myth,

fantasy or even fairy tale, all of which testifies to the complexity of this trilogy. The

story line is set in an alternate universe called Middle Earth. Within this reality,

various races, including humans, elves, dwarves, wizards and hobbits, exist.

Most of those races introduce male and female characters, with the exception of

the wizards.

Four hobbits are chosen to join a fellowship, consisting of five other

members, each one representing one of the races, in order to defy an evil force

which wants to conquer Middle Earth. Frodo and Sam, two of the hobbits, are

burdened with the mission of destroying a ring of power, which can only be

achieved by throwing it into the same fires which created it in the first place. The

Fellowship serves the purpose of protecting Frodo, so he can succeed in his

mission. Other members of the Fellowship include Gandalf the Grey, a wizard,

Aragorn, a human, Gimli, a dwarf, Legolas, an elf, Boromir, another human and

two more hobbits. Themes of this trilogy include, among others, heroism, good

vs. evil, love, freedom and friendship (cf. Madill, 2008: 44).

All of those themes invite the depiction of male as well as female

characters and therefore the portrayal of gender.

3.1.1The Representation of Masculinity in The Lord of the Rings

The world of Middle Earth is obviously a male dominated society. To talk about

masculinity and the male gender in The Lord of the Rings is therefore a rather

complex issue and comprises a lot of aspects. In order to give a satisfying

overview, a few specific characters will be chosen and described, concerning the

10

issue of male identity. It is worth mentioning that The Lord of the Rings sometimes

blurs the line between what are purely masculine features or feminine ones.

Masculinity and femininity are not always natural opposites, but either term is

used to describe certain characteristics, and those can sometimes be attributed

to men as well as women. This is shown in both, Tolkien’s male as well as female

characters (cf. Madill, 2008: 47). After all, the idea of gender roles and the

accompanying attributes are a constructed body of rules made by society, and

sometimes it does said society a favor to break those rules.

3.1.1.1 Frodo and Sam

Frodo and Sam are two hobbits from Hobbington, who live a quiet life. This

changes rapidly when the plot of The Lord of the Rings evolves. Frodo becomes

the ringbearer and therefore the main protagonist of the trilogy. He has to carry

the burden of the Ring. This would suggest that he would transform into the lone

hero, but to talk about Frodo is to talk about Sam. The friendship between those

two characters is one of the main themes in the novel. Sam is a loyal servant to

Frodo who would sacrifice his own life in order to save Frodo’s. Those two little

hobbits go on their dangerous journey, through deceitful landscapes which are

filled with enemies and manage to overcome all those obstacles. This journey

would suggest the epitome of masculinity and the definition of male gender, if it

weren’t for the deep affection those two male characters have for each other.

Especially Sam repeatedly emphasizes his fondness of Frodo through his actions

and emotional expressions. Showing emotions and affection openly and in public,

would be a characteristic attributed to the female gender and not necessarily with

male heroic characters. Moreover, Sam also uses physical gestures to show his

concern and feelings towards Frodo. On more than one occasion, Sam takes

Frodo’s hand. Either to show his allegiance, like in Rivendell after Frodo

volunteers to take the ring, or when he comforts Frodo in the Orc tower. Nearing

the end of the journey on Mount Doom, Sam even kisses Frodo’s hand. Some

readers would argue that Frodo’s and Sam’s friendship consists of erotic

elements, and that the two of them indulge in a homosexual relationship, but it is

more likely that Sam’s actions and nurturing gestures, imply that male friendship

11

can be more complex, than just protecting each other. Two men can find intimacy

and emotional support with each other without implying sexual motifs (cf. Madill,

2008: 45).

The friendship between the two highlights the feminine part of the two

hobbits, which could also be seen in their description. They are very small, have

hairy feet, but no chest hair. The lack of chest hair could be also interpreted as a

feminine quality, or it could just be a physical aspect of hobbits, which

emphasizes that they could be mistaken for children. Either way it does not stand

for masculinity as such. Yet, both of them have traits, traditionally associated with

male gender qualities. Both of them show immense bravery throughout their

journey. Even when faced with the fact that they might not make it back home,

they carry on their mission for the greater good, willing to sacrifice their own lives.

The strength, willpower and bravery to succeed in their quest, are the traits of

true male heroes. It is clear though, that the main focus of their masculinity lies

within their friendship and their affection for each other, and in the end, Frodo

would not have been able to succeed without the help and friendship of Sam.

3.1.1.2 Aragorn

Aragorn is the representative of the human race within the realms of Middle Earth.

He, the future king, is one of the members of the Fellowship. Due to his natural

authority, the rest of the characters come to follow him and accept him as their

leader. He bears the burden of saving Middle Earth from the dark powers on his

shoulders and could therefore be categorized as the romantic hero. Taking into

account that heroism is commonly equated with masculinity and maleness,

Aragorn definitely qualifies as the best representative for the depiction of male

gender in The Lord of the Rings. It could be argued that Aragorn is a hero larger

than life. He is a leader, a fighter, lover and a healer. Having the ability to heal

could be seen as a female quality in Aragorn, but it is also a trait attributed to

kings, as is emphasized in the following passage: “The hands of the king are the

hands of a healer. And so the rightful king could ever be known.” (Tolkien,

1955:127f). Aragorn faces various obstacles, all of which he overcomes

12

masterfully and without fear. In the end, the dark powers are defeated and

Aragorn becomes king (cf.Bogaert, 2015:27f).

He is additionally the second part to the only love plot of the trilogy. The

one desired by Arwen, an elven princess who will be discussed later on. Arwen’s

father is not happy about the relationship and thinks Aragorn beneath his

daughter (cf. Bogaert, 2015:28). Considering this, the fight for Middle Earth and

Aragorn’s journey to becoming king, also could be seen as a way of proving

himself to Elrond as being worthy of his daughter. Aragorn has to prove his value

and his masculinity, in order to be with his beloved. A very classic romantic

storyline for the prince to overcome many obstacles so he can be with his

princess. Aragorn does prove his masculinity impressively, and of course the

father of the princess approves in the end, because there is no one more able to

protect Arwen than Aragorn, because he is the man among men (cf.Bogaert,

2015: 29). Aragorn stems from a royal lineage of men who have failed in the past

to resist the power of the One Ring. He carries that burden with him, because he

does not want to fail like his ancestor before him. He is tested but he proves to

be strong enough to not desire the power of the ring. This also brands him as the

ultimate strong male lead who cannot be corrupted by power, like other men

before him and even with him. Aragorn is the perfect example of the ideal male

hero representing masculinity with character traits of strength, power, honor,

faithfulness and determination.

3.1.1.3 Gandalf

Gandalf is introduced in the trilogy The Lord of the Rings as a wizard who has

magical powers. He is described in the book as follows: “[…] his long white hair,

his sweeping silver beard, and his broad shoulders, made him look like some

wise king of ancient legend” (Tolkien, 1954: 249). By this description alone it is

made clear that Gandalf is a character who demands respect. Although he seems

to be old, he is not frail, but vibrates power. The qualities attributed to him are

traditionally male characteristics, such as broad shoulders, wisdom and the ability

to rule over others. He is a masculine and empowered figure within the universe

of Middle Earth. He is also a part of the Fellowship, and by far the oldest one. All

13

members of the Fellowship treat Gandalf with respect and come to him for advice.

They trust his judgement and never question him, not even when they are

seemingly lost in the mines of Moria. Allegorically spoken, Gandalf represents the

ideal father, who everyone looks up to and respects (cf. Zimmer -Bradley, 2004:

77f). In short, the personification of masculinity and what male role models are

supposed to be.

The character of Gandalf is actually one of the lower gods, which is not

mentioned in The Lord of the Rings but in one of the complementary works by

J.R.R. Tolkien, namely The Silmarillion (1977). There it is stated that Gandalf is

one of the Istari, who are described to be wizards. To men of Middle Earth it is

not quite apparent who they are, but the elves suggest at one point that they were

sent by the “Lords of the West”. What is interesting about the Istari, is the fact,

that they were able to choose their own appearance and gender, and they

decided for old men (Tolkien, 2006: 277). Considering that the world of The Lord

of the Rings is an androcentric one, it becomes clear why the wizards picked the

appearance of older men over the appearance of younger ones or even women.

Older men demand respect and sometimes only because of their age. In Western

society children used to be taught to be respectful of the elders because of their

age. But this is not the reason why it does make sense to appear as elderly men.

With age comes experience and therefore wisdom and authority. As mentioned

earlier, all of the Fellowship treat Gandalf like a father figure, maybe with the

exception of Pippin, another hobbit, who acts like a rebelling teenager towards

Gandalf (cf. Zimmer -Bradley, 2004: 78), but this also amplifies his role as a father

figure. Gandalf is the perfect example for male gender qualities represented in

The Lord of the Rings. He is wise, powerful, able to physically fight and he is a

natural born leader. Gandalf is not the primary hero of the story, but he is the

leading force that pushes the story to unfold in the way it does.

3.1.2 The Representation of Femininity in The Lord of the Rings

The portrayal of female characters in The Lord of the Rings trilogy is commonly

perceived as difficult, at least when looked at from a modern-day perspective.

The verdict varies from old-fashioned and misogynistic to the representation of

14

women stem from the status of women at the time when the book was written. In

short: A product of its time. It can be argued that Tolkien merely reflected

women’s role in society which were mainly dominated by a patriarchal system (cf.

Neville, 2005:101).

Either way, the fact remains that the entire trilogy only mentions three

female characters frequently, none of whom are part of the central story of the

fellowship. All three of them are positioned in a traditionally female role and only

few exceptions are made to the expected position, and even those are only brief

glimpses into what a woman could do if allowed to do so. However, although the

number of females in the narrative is limited, the roles they play could be seen as

important archetypes which are necessary in an epic such as The Lord of the

Rings (cf. Madill, 2000: 46).

3.1.2.1 Galadriel

Galadriel belongs to the elven race, moreover she is one of the high elves. She

is introduced in the Fellowship of the Ring, ruling Lothlórien together with her

husband, and is referred to as the Lady of Lórien or the Lady of Light. She is

further described as the greatest of elven women and it is known that she is also

one of the most powerful. When the Fellowship comes to Lórien, she is tested by

Frodo who offers to give her the One Ring. Knowing of its corrupting power, she

refuses. This refusal portrays her as a very strong character. She was able to do

what a lot of men in the history of Middle Earth were not capable of, thus depicting

her as stronger than men.

According to Madill (2008; 46), Galadriel is portrayed in a most ambiguous

way, as she possesses both, traditionally female as well as male characteristics.

The first description that is being given about Galadriel is at the same time the

description of her husband: “Very tall they were (…), and they were grave and

beautiful” (Tolkien, 1954: 388). The ambiguity becomes clear, taking into account

that the adjective “grave” is traditionally used to describe a masculine trait, while

“beautiful” is more often used as a feminine attribute. This description suggests

that both marital partners are equals and both of them share traits that could be

described as either feminine or masculine. One does not eliminate the other (cf.

15

Madill, 2000, 46). Either Galadriel is elevated to the same status as a man within

the realm of The Lord of the Rings, or in order for men to take her seriously, she

has to acquire male traits.

The same equivocation is used by Tolkien when describing Galadriel’s

voice. It is “clear and musical” but at the same time “deeper than a woman’s”

(Tolkien, 1954: 389). Again, the characteristics of her are juxtaposed by using

female and male traits. Within the character of Galadriel, it becomes clear that

femininity and masculinity are sometimes not mutually exclusive (cf. Madill,

2008:46). She is in general a very powerful and pure character, but she acts

rather passively throughout the book, meaning she does not actively join the fight

for Middle Earth. She could be seen as a very strong female character within the

book who has taken over a leading position in a male dominated society. Yet, the

information is given that she is the one who tends to Gandalf’s wounds and

provides him with new clothes. Although she is depicted as powerful and wise,

she is pushed into a stereotypical female role. Healing and nurturing wounds are

typical female traits in fantasy literature, and by attributing Galadriel those

abilities, she is again put into the nurturing mother role, opposing the one as a

leader.

3.1.2.2 Arwen

Arwen is the daughter of Elrond and belongs to the elven race as well. She can

be foremost described as the main and only love interest of the novel. When she

is introduced she is already known to be in a relationship with Aragorn who is a

human and therefore mortal, as opposed to Arwen herself. In the events of the

novel, as far as the battles are concerned, she takes no active part. Like her

father, she remains at Rivendell, but she appears to Aragorn on various

occasions of need. Although not physically present, she comforts and assists him,

offering inspiration (cf. Bloom, 2008:175). Those occasions emphasize the role

of women in The Lord of the Rings. Women are not supposed to be leaders, but

support their men by being loving, kind and nurturing, therefore, occupying

passive motherly roles and not the ones of independent leaders. This is also

emphasized by her sacrifice in order to be with Aragorn. She shows a devotion

16

to Aragorn, which could be seen as very brave in itself. She waits for him, not

knowing whether he will return or even survive the events of the narrative. In the

end, she makes the ultimate sacrifice for love. She has to renunciate her own

immortality in order to be with Aragorn. This sacrifice entails the loss of her family

as well as experiencing every aspect of being mortal (cf. Bloom, 2008:175).

Admittedly, making sacrifices is not a female trait per se, as the male

characters in the trilogy are also willing to sacrifice their lives, but they do so in

order to save their world. Arwen sacrifices everything in order to be with a man.

This action brands Arwen as a stereotypical female character who thinks, nothing

is more important than being with a man and spending the rest of her life with

him. Every other aspect of her life is therefore rendered meaningless by herself.

This is a rather difficult portrayal of a female character who could have had the

potential to be strong and powerful herself. After all, she belongs to the elven

race, moreover she belongs to a high family of the Elves, Elrond being her father.

Yet, this character remains within the restrictions of an archetypical female role,

namely the princess who wants to find her prince and spend the rest of her life

with him happily ever after. Out of the three characters who are female in The

Lord of the Rings, Arwen is probably the most stereotypical of them all. The focus

of her description lies with her beauty and how enchanting every male character

finds her, and of course, the importance of her love for one of the leading male

characters.

3.1.2.3 Éowyn

Éowyn is the representative of the human race within the realm of Middle Earth.

Her lineage would suggest her ability to become a heroine in the course of the

narrative. Her mother was a princess, sister to Theoden, King of Rohan. Éowyn

and her brother are taken in by the king after their parent’s death. Like her brother,

she has been trained in swordfight and to rule, furthermore she has learned to

ride a horse, probably due to the fact that the Rohan people are known for their

horsemanship. Although she has experienced the same education as her brother,

she is expected by society to stay behind when a battle presents itself. She has

been taught how to fight, and she is capable of ruling her people, but when it

17

comes to apply her education, she is left behind with the other women and

children. Theoden himself has indulged Éowyn’s interest in boyish things such as

fighting or riding, but still, he feels the need to protect her, simply for she is a

woman. (cf. Porter, 2005:94-95).

At one point, she describes herself as someone who “cannot lie in sloth,

idle, caged.” (Tolkien, 1955: 231). This line emphasizes her character as

someone who prefers action rather than waiting patiently and passively while the

men go to war. This is especially emphasized by the story line of her disguising

herself and riding into battle. She is not discovered or killed, which highlights her

skills as a warrior, moreover she kills the Nazgul King and consequently becomes

a battle-tested heroine. Of course, Tolkien had his little twist, by mentioning that

the Nazgul King cannot be killed by a man. Éowyn can though, because she is

no man (cf. Porter, 2005:93).

Looking at those characteristics and plot lines involving Éowyn, she has

the makeup of a true independent and self-efficient heroine. And she truly would

be, if she had continued on this path, but in the end, she does not. After killing

the Witch King and returning victoriously from the battlefield, she could have

become anything she wanted. Yet, she chooses to marry Faramir, with whom she

has bonded over family issues. In the end, she embraces the classic female role

as a wife and mother, nurturing and caring for her husband. In spite of that, Éowyn

is by far the most layered and independent female character in the The Lord of

the Rings trilogy. As Lynette Porter (2005: 93) mentions quite correctly:

She is only being herself, and she plays many roles within the story. Some of the roles are more traditionally held by females in medieval-type fantasies; others are more traditionally held by males. Éowyn becomes a hero not because of or in spite of her gender. She is heroic because of her actions and her desire to serve and save others, which she does in many different ways. (Porter, 2005: 93)

3.2 The Representation of Gender in The Lord of the Rings

Having looked at some of the major characters in The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R.

Tolkien it has become obvious that male as well as female character traits are

portrayed in a rather stereotypical way. The men are allowed to be heroes, kings,

18

fighters and leaders, in short participate as the active characters of the narrative,

while the women are mostly confined to their motherly, nurturing roles, if they are

represented at all. In a universe as vast and complex as the one of Middle Earth,

it is almost tragic that only three women are mentioned and serve the plot. In the

Shire, the home of the hobbits, no women even appear, until the end of the trilogy

when Sam desires to marry one. The race of the dwarves is represented by Gimli

alone, but he talks about his forefathers and their accomplishments in the mines

of Moria, but no females are mentioned. The Kingdom of Rohan has the privilege

of calling an army of accomplished riders their own, all of whom are male as no

women are allowed to join this army. The exception here is Èowyn, who joins

them in secret for battle. The kingdoms of the elves are ruled by their male

representatives, only Galadriel is mentioned as one of the rulers, but she is

married. In Rivendell, no other women are mentioned, except for Arwen, and she

has the sole purpose of being the love interest of the main male romantic hero,

that is Aragorn. It is self-explanatory that none of the evil forces are female. One

could argue that being evil is reserved for the male gender, but being evil and

acting as such is another way of demonstrating power and independency.

Apparently only male traits, when it comes to The Lord of the Rings. Jennifer

Neville (2005:101) mentions in her critical essay on the trilogy that Tolkien

underestimates the roles of women in historical texts, such as Beowulf, and

therefore continued to write his female characters as a “powerless, voiceless, and

hopeless woman who can do no more than weep” (Neville, 2005: 101).

The portrayal or depiction of the male characters however, is much more

complex throughout the novel. Referring again to the examples chosen, Sam and

Frodo are no typical male heroes but show feminine qualities as well by

emphasizing the importance of their friendship. Gandalf functions as the fatherly

and wise leader, and Aragorn is the typical male hero who gets the princess who

has been passively waiting for him, in the end. Other male characters include the

very efficient and well-trained Legolas, the brave dwarf Gimli, the all-powerful

Sauron and his minions, the honorable king of Rohan, Theoden, and many

others.

After this short excursion into the realms of Middle Earth it has become

clear, that those fictional lands are very much governed by an androcentric

worldview, where men are trained to lead and rule, and women embrace the roles

19

of wives and mothers. Even those women who show ambition and talent to fight

and rule are, in the end, happy with being married and having children.

It should also be mentioned that one of the most striking absences in

Tolkien’s trilogy is the absolute lack of sexuality. This could also be attributed to

the very few female characters in the novel, but the notion of sex does not even

exist between lovers or married couples. There is obvious affection between

Arwen and Aragorn, but no sexual tension. Sexuality per se does simply not exist

within the realms of Middle Earth. In summary it can be said, that The Lord of

the Rings does not provide a very progressive view on gender representation and

everything it entails, but probably the view represented by real society at the time

it was written by a male author.

4. Gender Roles in A Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan

The trilogy The Lord of the Rings was chosen because it is probably the most

popular and well-known representative of fantasy literature in the world. Also, it

depicts a rather traditional gender role system, which has been mostly used in

fantasy literature. Contrary to Tolkien’s trilogy, the fantasy series A Wheel of Time

is a rather new edition of high fantasy literature. The fact that George R.R. Martin

and Robert Jordan were friends who cherished each other’s work, contributes to

the justification for using A Wheel of Time as an introductory item for A Song of

Ice and Fire. According to George R.R. Martin himself his own “ICE & FIRE series

might never have found its audience without the cover quote that Jim was so kind

as to provide, back when A GAME OF THRONES was first published” (Martin,

2007: September 16th).

The book series published under the name of A Wheel of Time is a high

fantasy novel series written by American author James Oliver Rigney Jr., better

known under his pen name Robert Jordan. The series spans over 14 volumes,

although it was originally planned as a six-book series. The first book The Eye of

the World was initially published in the year 1990. Sadly, Robert Jordan was not

able to finish the series himself, as he died in 2007. Luckily for the fans of the

series though, he left extensive notes and records on the pending volumes,

20

therefore a fellow author named Brandon Sanderson was hired to complete the

series according to Jordan’s wishes.

The sheer length of the works invites the possibility to incorporate many

themes and various elements of the real world. The series explores aspects of

European and Asian mythology, as well as drawing upon the ideas found in

Buddhism and Hinduism, concerning the cyclical nature of time (cf. Baron, 2010:

October).

The book series A Wheel of Time was at times clearly influenced by J. R.

R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, at least when it comes to structuring his

characters. Jordan’s version of Frodo is a young adult, listening to the name of

Rand al-Thor, who has two best friends, named Mat Cauthon and Perrin Aybara,

who remind the reader of Sam and Merry. In The Eye of the World, the first novel

of the series, a Gandalf-esque figure called Moiraine Damodred, leads the heroes

away from home, just before dark forces arrive (cf. Baron, 2010: October). Further

characters in the book have been modelled after traditional fantasy archetypes,

who appear almost in every fantasy literature work. Rand acquires the knowledge

that he himself is destined to die in order to save the world, thus branding him as

the Jesus character of the novel, the savior of them all (cf. Baron, 2010: October).

To explore the world of A Wheel of Time, according to gender

representation by means of character analysis, would exceed the limits of the

following chapter, therefore, only one aspect of the series will be chosen to serve

as the means of gender depiction within the 14 novel book series.

For this purpose, the facet of the novel picked, is the wheel of time itself.

Considering that the wheel serves as the title for the entire series, it seems fitting

to use it as a representative for gender roles and their representation according

to Robert Jordan’s A Wheel of Time.

In order to use the wheel of time for the analysis of gender representation,

it is necessary to clarify what the wheel of time is. This is best done by using

Robert Jordan’s (cf. Jordan and Patterson, 1997: 65) own words:

Imagine a great cosmic loom in the shape of a seven-spoked wheel, slowly spinning through eternity, weaving the fabric of the universe. The Wheel, put in place by the Creator, is time itself, ever turning and returning. The fabric it weaves is constructed from the threads of lives and events,

21

interlaced into a design, the Great Pattern, which is the whole of existence a reality, past, present, and future. (Jordan and Patterson, 1997: 65)

The eponymous Great Wheel of the book series by Robert Jordan is the center

of all time. In order to maintain itself, it needs to be powered. The source of power

is provided by the ‘True Source’, which consists of two opposite yet

complimentary parties. Those two parties are named saidin and saidar. Saidin

represents the male half, while saidar provides the female half of the power. Both

are needed in order for the wheel of time to maintain its patterns and itself. Those

two parts are complementary yet conflicting, but by working together as well as

against each other, the energy for the True Source is provided and thus turning

the wheel of time (cf. Jordan and Patterson, 1997: 86ff).

Given the information above, it becomes clear that the wheel is described

as the heart of all life and what it entails. It is remarkable that such a powerful

instrument depends on both, male as well as female ‘channelers’, which is the

name for the characters who are able to access the power, in order to maintain

its purpose. This is a wonderful analogy which can be translated into real life.

Female powers and attributes are equally important as male ones, even though

or because they differ in many aspects. Those powers or attributes are not

mutually exclusive, and although they sometimes work against each other, they

complement one another, and the True Source, as Jordan calls it, can only be

accessed with both of them. Jordan emphasizes that a purely male or female led

world would not be truly functional, moreover, he basically acknowledges that

males and females are dependent on one another and are therefore equals. This

theory furthered when exploring the properties of the saidin and saidar. Both parts

consist of separate characteristics and properties and at some times those

properties work against, and at some times, with each other. While men can only

access saidin, women can only touch saidar. None of the opposing males or

females are even able to sense the complementary half of the other source,

except in the event of absence (cf. Jordan and Patterson, 1997: 106). This can

also be interpreted of how men and women see each other in real life. It is a

beautiful way of showing, that neither of the genders is truly able to understand

the other, they even fight each other regularly, it is only when they are completely

gone or non-existent, that something is missing and life is not running as smoothly

22

as it should. Jordan describes relations between men and women with a twinkling

eye and still hits a truth with it.

Further properties of saidin and saidar are that the practices of accessing

the True Source are entirely different from each other. So much so indeed, that it

is neither possible for women to teach their ways to men, nor the other way

around (cf. Jordan and Patterson,1997: 106). This wonderfully depicted property

portrays again the relationship between men and women. Both have their unique

way of doing things and none of them could be dismissed or replaced, because

their abilities cannot be transferred to the other, thus, both parties are necessary

for life. None is better than the other, but they are both equally important. Another

attribute that emphasizes the importance of both genders is the distribution of

talents. It is described in the novel that men are usually stronger in using the True

Power than women, while women show higher dexterity than men. The

possibilities of accessing the True Power functions through five different threads,

which are named according to the five elements, namely Earth, Fire, Water, Air

and Spirit. The ways of accessing those five threads shall not be described in

detail as it has no purpose in the portrayal of gender, the single elements though,

are attributed to the male power and the female one, or at least, men are said to

be more talented with Earth and Fire, while women exhibit higher ability with the

use of Water and Air. There are exceptions to the rule, but they were so few, that

this aforementioned stereotype evolved (cf. Jordan and Patterson,1997: 128). It

is very interesting that Jordan separates the elements into female and male ones,

and even the choice of which is which, is not necessarily the predictable one. It

is interesting though that Jordan seems to support the classification of elements

into male and female according to the ideas of Hildegard von Bingen. She also

argues that Earth, usually attributed to females, and Fire are male elements, while

Air and Water are female ones. Von Bingen supports her arguing with the use of

biblical sources. She emphasizes that Adam was made of clay and therefore

Earth has to be a male attribute, as opposed to Eve who was not made of clay

but rather made of Adam’s rib. She is airier and lighter, more artistic than Adam

and thus the element of Air is attributed to females (cf. Meyer,1999: 61-62). Let’s

take this connection further, if Jordan uses Hildegard von Bingen’s distribution of

male and female elements, he may also share her opinion on a hierarchy

between men and women. In her opinion, women are not the weak sex, but they

23

incorporate a softer variation of strength. His masculine strength must be

regulated by her gentle touch, otherwise his strength would develop into

savagery. Hildegard von Bingen does not differentiate between the abilities of

men and women, but she emphasizes the dependency of the sexes on each

other. Women were not created for men, they both were created for each other

(cf. Meyer, 1999: 62). Jordan seems to acknowledge a similar view when it comes

to attributes of female and males. He too considers Earth and Fire more male

powers, while women show their greatest strength through Air and Water. Within

the realm of A Wheel of Time a popular saying developed among female

‘channelers’: “There is no rock so strong that water and wind cannot wear it away,

nor fire so fierce that water cannot quench it or wind snuff it out” (cf. Jordan and

Patterson, 1997: 128). This maxim does not only emphasize the powers of

women but even raises them to the status of being more powerful than men.

Women are the ones who control the powers of men, and not the other way

around. This invites the conclusion that Jordan did not portray a stereotypical or

traditional depiction of female and male characters in his fantasy literature series,

but rather a very progressive and even feministic one. Having taken the example

of the wheel of time and how its powers are accessed, readers could come to the

conclusion that the portrayal of women in A Wheel of Time is one of

independence and self-sufficiency. At the very least, they are portrayed as

equally important as men.

Looking at the list of characters appearing in the book series, this theory

is definitely supported, as the male/female ratio seems to be balanced out, as

opposed to e.g. Lord of the Rings. A Wheel of Time has been written during a

time where the issue of gender representation was already present, but it is still

worth mentioning because its portrayal of gender in a more modern way, cannot

be taken for granted just yet. But it becomes apparent that A Wheel of Time by

Robert Jordan is conceptually closer to A Song of Ice and Fire than Lord of the

Rings, though Jordan does not seem to have the same emphasis on sexuality in

his novels as George R.R. Martin does have in his works.

The Lord of the Rings and A Wheel of Time, two extremely representative

works in the field of fantasy literature, are two worthy examples to depict the issue

of gender roles in fantasy fiction. Keeping those two examples in mind, the issue

24

of gender roles and its representation in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and

Fire is now possible within the context of other high fantasy literature works.

5. Gender Roles in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire

The main part of this master thesis will be concerned with the depiction of Gender

roles in A Song of Ice and Fire. The focus being that not only female characters

will be analyzed but male characters as well. To look at one is to look at the other.

First of all, a brief introduction of the novel series will be given in order to

understand the complexity and vastness of the material at hand. After this

introductory subchapter, the depiction of gender will be analyzed, this will be done

by categorizing the characters into their respective Houses.

5.1 A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin

The fantasy literature book series called A Song of Ice and Fire was first intended

to only be a trilogy, but has now expanded to five books, with two more in the

making. The first novel, A Game of Thrones was released in 1996, followed by

the second installment, A Clash of Kings, in 1999, the third, A Storm of Sword, in

2000, the fourth, A Feast For Crows, in 2005, and currently the last one, A Dance

with Dragons, in 2011. Two more installments of this series are not yet released,

namely The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring.

The plotline of A Song of Ice and Fire takes place in a medieval scenery

set in a fictional world called Westeros. Westeros is a vast place which has been

divided into Seven Kingdoms, each one with their own warden representing one

of the higher Houses. The narrative draws inspiration from the Wars of the Roses,

hence political agendas are one of the main themes of the series. The references

to the Wars of the Roses might also be the reason why the world of Westeros is

reminiscent of a medieval Europe (cf. Martin, 2011, July 22).

As aforementioned, A Song of Ice and Fire was originally intended to be a

trilogy. In order to understand why this is no longer a true statement, one has to

investigate the background to the series. The average fantasy novel of the early

1990s usually included, as aforementioned, a male hero who, with the help of a

25

few friends, and/ or magic objects, faces great evil, and over the course of a

trilogy, said evil is eventually defeated. One popular representative of this

narrative model would be Lord of the Rings. Consequently, the genre of fantasy

literature was a rather predictable one. In the early 90s though, this

straightforward storytelling was broken by Robert Jordan’s A Wheel of Time,

which was discussed earlier in this paper. Following the footsteps of Robert

Jordan, George R.R. Martin created with A Song of Ice and Fire a complex and

vast world, in which every character has to fight for their survival. To call Martin’s

A Song of Ice and Fire a high fantasy novel, does not truly do it justice, since the

series combines fantasy with historical elements and thus fits the description of

a “fantistorical” novel. Those novels construct a fantasy world, but do not solely

rely on magical elements to further the plot, but rather emphasize on politics and

interpersonal relationships. In the case of A Song of Ice and Fire this results in a

highly complex spider web of connected characters, all of whom have their own

motives, agendas and alliances (cf. Kaiser, 2017: pos. 373f).

Another aspect of the series, which makes it so appealing, is the usage

and putting aside of traditional fantasy tropes. The most obvious example of this

would be the character of Eddard Stark. He obviously is the main character of

Game of Thrones (1996), as most of the plot is told from his point of view, and

yet, at the end of the novel he loses his head at the Sept of Baelor. This does not

usually happen to the main character of a story. At the same time, the characters

Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen feel like the classic fantasy heroes who

should have their happy end.

The construction of the tale itself is told through a selection of various

point-of-view characters. This is a very smart way of handling such a complicated

narrative. By using the perspective of single characters of the novels, the reader

automatically knows in which area of Westeros they find themselves and which

plotline of which House is moving along. This tool simplifies the story for the

reader immensely. Further, Martin always uses the prologue as well as the

epilogue to depict other aspects of the fictional world with the help of random

characters. Those features of the novel make them so accessible to readers with

an affinity for fantasy literature, but probably the most prominent deviation from

other high fantasy novels, such as, for example, Lord of the Rings, is the notion

that actions in the world of A Song of Ice and Fire do have severe consequences.

26

They do have consequences in Tolkien’s tale as well, but Martin manages to

create an atmosphere of constant threat, even for his main characters, and he

does not shy away from killing them. It is not the classic tale of good versus evil

where in the end the good succeeds. This is a tale in which the honorable die and

the wicked succeed. This notion complicates the genre of fantasy literature in a

completely new way (cf. Kaiser, 2017: pos. 373f). George R.R. Martin raised the

following questions during an interview with Rolling Stone Magazine when asked

about his power wielding characters (Gilmore, 2014, April 23):

Ruling is hard. This was maybe my answer to Tolkien, whom, as much as I admire him, I do quibble with. Lord of the Rings had a very medieval philosophy: that if the king was a good man, the land would prosper. We look at real history and it’s not that simple. Tolkien can say that Aragorn became king and reigned for a hundred years, and he was wise and good. But Tolkien doesn’t ask the question: What was Aragorn’s tax policy? Did he maintain a standing army? What did he do in times of flood and famine? And what about all these orcs? (Gilmore, 2014, April 23)

Martin himself seems to be quite fond of answering those questions, and

this is probably most clear when looking at the plotline of Jon Snow in the fifth

installment of the series, A Dance with Dragons (2011). After winning the war

against the wildlings and becoming Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, Jon

is confronted with constant threats to holding the peace. He is undermined by his

Night’s Watch, while he faces coercions from the north as well as from the south

of the Wall (Martin, 2011). The point George R.R. Martin is probably trying to

make is that holding peace is more difficult and complicated than winning a war

(cf. Kaiser, 2017: pos. 420).

A Song of Ice and Fire is without a doubt, currently the most influential

fantasy book series in the world, thus it is well worth examining a little closer and

it is only natural to combine the notion of gender depiction with such an influential

novel that inspires people all over the world to read it.

5.2 The World of Westeros

In order to understand the various ways of gender representation within the world

of A Song of Ice and Fire it is necessary to give an overview of the world of

27

Westeros. George R.R. Martin created an entire new world and not just an

alternate view on reality. The world of Westeros is so vast that it could be

compared to not just one country, but a continent with different countries, each

one with their own morals, religious views, lifestyle and different gender roles.

The geographical scope of Westeros stretches for about 3,000 miles from north

to south and for nearly 900 miles from east to west. Recognizing the magnitude

of this alternate world, it becomes clear that the issue of gender, be it male or

female, is consequently, highly dependent on where the characters originally

come from.

The World of Westeros is divided into Seven Kingdoms, which are ruled

by the King or Queen on the Iron Throne, situated in the capital of Westeros,

King’s Landing. The Seven Kingdoms were united under Targaryen rule, but they

remained a melting pot of distinct cultural influences and ethnicities. The peoples

of Westeros remain as diverse as the scenery of the continent. The landscape

stretches from frozen tundra in the north to the arid deserts of Dorne, and

everything it entails in between. Furthermore, the lands beyond the Wall are not

part of the Seven Kingdoms, neither is Essos, the lands beyond the narrow sea

in the south. Both of those lands do not conform to the rules of the Iron Throne.

The inhabitants of those lands have their own laws and are referred to as the free

folks. For most of the history of Westeros, the Seven Kingdoms were ruled

independently, and it was not until King Aegon unified the Kingdoms, that they

were governed under the rule of the Iron Throne. Yet, due to the magnitude of

Westeros, Aegon installed a feudal system, which allowed the great houses of

Westeros to continue to rule their own land as long as they swore loyalty to the

crown and consequently answered to the King. Henceforth, the north was ruled

by House Stark, The Riverlands were under the control of House Tully, the

Greyjoys were given the Iron Islands, The Tyrells took the Reach, the Arryns

remained in control over the Vale, while House Baratheon was appointed the rule

of the Stormlands. Each of those Houses were granted autonomous rule over

their lands and their bannermen, as long as they acknowledged the authority of

the Iron Throne and the King. This translates into every kingdom practicing their

laws based on the local custom of the individual territories. The king holds the

final authority, but each Lord is responsible to keep peace and quiet in the name

of the Iron Throne (cf.Martin, 1996).

28

The fragility of this system becomes apparent in the first novel A Game of

Thrones (1996). Everything is fine as long as King Robert rules the Seven

Kingdoms, but as he dies, and the legitimacy of his children becomes an issue,

the feudal system is overthrown and suddenly, among others, the North wants to

become independent of King’s Landing. This fragility shows that the issues of

cultural differences, different value systems and ethnicities cannot easily be

dismissed, and considering the issue of gender roles within Westeros, those

factors are highly influential on gender depiction.

Another factor which influences the lives of the people in Westeros would

be the environment of the Seven Kingdoms, which alternates from a hibernal

wilderness beyond the Wall to dry deserts in the south. The middle of the

continent is, dependent on the season, more temperate. Those seasons

however, are unpredictable in their length and can last years at a time. When

introduced to the narrative of A Song of Ice and Fire an unusual long summer is

at large, but winter is looming and the consequences of a long winter will affect

most of Westeros, as the larger part of the world lies in the north (cf. Martin, 1996).

Given the various differentiating factors each part of the country has to deal with,

and thus every family, it is natural that cultural differences emerge. Those

variances affect every aspect of their respective lives, and it therefore also affects

the way people are educated in the various areas, according to the challenges

they face in their lives. They have to adapt to their surroundings in order to

survive. People who live in the north face other problems and challenges than

someone who lives in the far south or in the capital. Considering those factors, it

becomes clear that the depiction of gender issues is dependent on the area and

cultural context, the characters have been raised. It is important to understand

where someone comes from in order to understand their behavior. For that

reason, the topic of gender roles in A Song of Ice and Fire will be categorized

according to their respective family Houses. This serves the purpose of providing

depth to the characters as well as simplifying the process of analyzing the

depiction of gender roles in the novels.

29

5.3 Family Matters

As aforementioned, each Kingdom of Westeros has been appointed to wardens

who keep the peace in their respective areas. Those wardens are representatives

of one house or family to which the other families of the area are sworn to.

Commonly, the oldest son of a warden inherits his position and the entire estate

in the event of his death, while the younger male children may choose to work for

their older brother(s) and remain at the estate or select a different path, either as

knights or part of the staff in other houses. Female children usually are denied

those privileges and are not considered in the family hierarchy, nor are they

trained in combat or other male activities. A woman is only able to obtain a

powerful position through marriage, and even then, she is reliant on her

husband’s willingness to let her wield power (cf. Sandqvist, 2012: 11). It is

possible however, in the event of the husband’s death, that his wife inherits his

title. As seen with Lady Lysa, who becomes the Lady of the Vale (cf. Martin,

1996). The various houses each have their own words or mottoes, which echo

their family values as well as their living circumstances. Additionally, every family

has their own banner or sigil, which ranges from animals, to flowers, or even ways

of execution, like the flayed man of House Bolton. Men are expected to keep their

family mottoes as well as sigil, while women, if they are married off, are expected

to adapt to the words, traditions, rules and even religion of their new house. It is

common politics to arrange political or financial alliances through marriage. Every

house consists of a rather large household, including stewards, maesters, who

could be compared to physicians, septas, who are responsible for female

education, cooks, blacksmith, stablemen and many more. Those household

members are expected to be loyal to the ruling family. Usually, the members of

the household consist of common people, who are not part of a higher family and

therefore have no higher name to them. Still, the same hierarchy within a family

applies to them, meaning that only the male heir can inherit the family’s fortune.

Children born outside a marriage, have no right to the inheritance of their fathers,

be it the child of a lord or a common man. Those children do not even inherit the

name of the father, but are given a bastard name, which complies with the region

they live in. For example, the surname of a bastard child in the north would be

30

Snow. This does not only emphasize the fact that they will not be able to inherit

their father’s legacy, but everybody immediately knows that they are born outside

a marriage, because of their name and are therefore branded as someone less

worth than others. Most bastards are children of prostitutes and both of those

stigmas belong to the lowest class of social life within the realm of Westeros (cf.

Sandqvist, 2012: 12).

Every house with their unique family history, has cultivated distinct values

and even religions. The houses of the north pray to different gods than the houses

of the south. The identity developed by each character is strongly influenced by

their families and therefore also their values, beliefs and ideologies. A strong

connection is formed, feeling of community and loyalty is built, and not easily

abandoned. Therefore, every character, be it male or female, should be analyzed

with the family ties taken into consideration. Upbringing and family history are as

important when looking at the males and females of A Song of Ice and Fire as

their evolving behavior throughout the narrative itself. The following analyses of

the characters will be done according to their families. Those families represent

the main houses of A Song of Ice and Fire and are ordered alphabetically and

not according to importance to the plot.

5.3.1 House Baratheon

“Ours is the Fury” (Martin, 1996)

House Baratheon is one of the great houses of Westeros, which rules over the

Stormlands. Strategically speaking, the Stormlands are among the more

important locations in Westeros, situated in the center – east of the southern half

of Westeros.

Bordered by the Reach, the Riverland as well as Dorne, the Stormlands

have great strategic value, and their army has always been considered as one of

the most ferocious (cf. Martin et al, 2014: pos. 6388ff).

House Baratheon came into being when Orys Baratheon charged against

the knights of Storm’s End, which is the seat of the Stormlands, and slew their

king Argilac the Arrogant, of House Durrandon. Ensuing those events, the King

on the Iron Throne, Aegon the Conqueror granted Storm’s End and the

31

Stormlands to House Baratheon, and so the Baratheon’s joined the ranks of the

great houses. Since Aegon Targaryen granted Orys Baratheon the honor of

naming him Lord Paramount of the Stormlands and the Hand of the King, the

relationship between the Baratheons and the Targaryens was always a loyal one.

There have been rumors that Orys Baratheon was a bastard son of King Aegon,

but those gossips were never verified (cf. Martin et al, 2014: pos. 6544ff).

However, this loyal relationship between the two houses came to an abrupt end

during Robert’s Rebellion.

The House Baratheon acquired the house words of House Durrandon,

namely “Ours is the fury” but they created their own sigil. The sigil of the

Baratheons shows a black and crowned stag on golden background. Members

of the Baratheon family share the following physical attributes: Commonly, they

tend to be tall and muscular, have dark hair and blue eyes and are known for their

capricious behavior. Generally speaking, the people of the Stormlands have been

described by Martin (2014, pos. 6422) himself as tumultuous, brutal,

irreconcilable and unpredictable.

At the beginning of A Game of Thrones (1996) the reader is introduced to

the Baratheon family through Robert Baratheon I. At this point, House Baratheon

is not only responsible for the Stormlands and Storm End, but further, Robert sits

on the Iron Throne. After Robert’s Rebellion, which caused the fall of the

Targaryen dynasty, House Baratheon split up into three branches: King Robert

created House Baratheon of King’s Landing, his younger brother Stannis took

seat at Dragonstone, thus creating House Baratheon of Dragonstone, while the

youngest brother Renly remained at Storm’s End and therefore continued the

Baratheon house of Storm’s End. (Martin, 1996)

5.3.1.1 Robert Baratheon

„I swear to you, I was never so alive as when I was winning this throne, or so dead as now that I've won it “– Robert Baratheon (Martin, 1996: 291)

Robert Baratheon was the first-born son of Steffen Baratheon and heir to Storm’s

End. Robert sports the typical Baratheon look, meaning he has dark hair, blue

eyes and a tall and strong frame. Eddard Stark describes him once as “tall and

handsome […] his Warhammer in hand, sitting his horse like a horned god.”

32

(Martin, 1996: 576). At least this description fitted Robert in his youth. Before he

won the Iron Throne he had been “clean shaven, clear – eyed, and muscled like

a maiden’s fantasy” (Martin, 1996: 44), the classic hero, handsome, strong and

very able to defend his people. Further he is described as a man with immense

physical strength who could use weapons others were not even able to lift (cf.

Martin, 1996: 44). He is the physical incarnation of masculinity and the

stereotypical male hero in fantasy literature. This physical strength is probably

the most obvious attribute of male power and this supremacy is also what wins

Robert the Iron Throne in the end (cf. Emig, 2014: 90). According to R.W. Connell

(2001, 143) the construction of gender identity for men is not simply constructed

by social ideologies or discourses, but for men, the construction of gender is an

active process by using the resources provided within a social setting. A strong,

tall body exudes physical health and the power to protect. Robert Baratheon

embodied this aspect of masculinity par excellence. His physical strength though,

was not the only embodiment of masculinity he transpired. It is known that Robert

started his rebellion because the love of his life, Lyanna Stark, younger sister to

Eddard Stark, was allegedly kidnapped by the King’s son, Rhaegar Targaryen.

This action of risking everything, even the peace of the realm, for the woman he

loves, makes Robert the classic romantic hero of fictional literature. His actions

are even reminiscent of the Trojan War, which was also triggered by the

kidnapping of a woman. Yet, as opposed to the story of a classic romantic hero,

he does not get the woman in the end, as she dies. He is victorious in his rebellion

though and does win the Iron Throne and therefore ends the reign of the

Targaryen dynasty. It is a bittersweet victory. Fifteen years later, Robert describes

it as follows: “The gods be damned. It was a hollow victory they gave me. A crown

... it was the girl I prayed them for. Your sister, safe ... and mine again, as she

was meant to be. I ask you, Ned, what good is it to wear a crown? “(Martin, 1996:

116). This quote emphasizes that Robert, after all those years, still has not

forgotten his love and he rues that he became king. Being king would be the

ultimate symbol of masculinity and strength, even more so, considering Robert

won the throne by force, not by genetic succession, yet, he is not satisfied. There

is no happy end for this male hero. This fate would be a wonderful explanation

on why Robert transformed from an attractive, desirable and powerful king to an

adipose ruler within only a couple of years. The moment Robert was seated on

33

the Iron Throne and all the battles were fought, he was stripped of his own

definition of masculinity. A man of the Night’s Watch told Jon Snow that “Robert

was never the same after he put on that crown. Some men are like swords, made

for fighting. Hang them up and they go to rust” (Martin, 1999: 99). Robert’s identity

and consequently his masculinity was stolen from him by wearing the crown.

Suddenly, he is no longer able to fight in the fields, because now he is confronted

with politics, in order to keep the peace. Such politics included his marriage to

Cersei Lannister, the daughter of Tywin Lannister, the richest man in the lands of

Westeros. A marriage not out of love, but simply for political reasons. Robert had

to search for a new way to celebrate his masculinity, he did so by finding comfort

with wine and prostitutes. His heart was never with the crown and he even admits

this openly to Eddard Stark. “Let me tell you a secret, Ned. More than once, I

have dreamed of giving up the crown. Take ship for the Free Cities with my horse

and my hammer, spend my time warring and whoring, that’s what I was made

for.” (Martin, 1996: 291). As he is not able to do so, he found another way to

regain his masculine power. He could not fight actively in battles anymore, but he

could father children. Robert fathered various bastards with different women over

the course of his reign and even before. All of those children show the typical

Baratheon traits, they have dark hair and blue eyes. Jon Arryn, the Hand of

Robert, even chose his last words to be “The seed is strong” (Martin, 1996: 450),

meaning that Robert’s genetic code is the one which succeeds in passing on its

traits. Opposing the looks of his bastard born children, Robert’s legitimately born

children with his wife Cersei, do not show the classic Baratheon characteristics,

but all of them display Lannister traits. This might be another aspect of Robert’s

physical demise. Fathering children is the only masculine ability he has left in his

life, but when looking at his children, he does not see himself in them. He wants

to leave a legacy behind, built his own dynasty of kings, but he is disappointed in

his children. “My son. How could I have made a son like that, Ned? “He’s only a

boy,” Ned said awkwardly. He had small liking for Prince Joffrey, but he could

hear the pain in Robert’s voice.” (Martin, 1996: 291) He does not see himself in

his heir, and this breaks him. Interpreting this scene from a gender perspective,

this could be translated as Robert seeing himself fail as a man, by not being able

to produce a son, who has little to nothing in common with himself. Moreover, he

sees the influence of Cersei in his son and not his own. Of course, it is later

34

revealed that Cersei’s children are not fathered by Robert but by her twin brother

Jaime. Even his legacy is taken from him in the end, but at least, Robert does not

find out about the betrayal of his wife before his untimely death. In the end, Robert

is the victim of a premeditated accident, planned by his wife. He is killed by a boar

during one of his hunts. “Killed by a pig,” he muttered. “Ought to laugh, but it hurts

too much.” (Martin, 1996: 467). The great Robert Baratheon, first of his name,

who was once described as “the fiercest warrior of the realm, a giant among

princes” (Martin, 1996, 54) was in the end defeated by a common boar. The pain

he talks about could mean the actual physical pain of his wounds, but more likely,

he is talking about his disappointment in himself of what he has allowed himself

to become. Robert Baratheon is, in the end, a fallen hero. He started out as

someone who had nothing to lose and everything to gain, an embodiment of

physical strength and masculinity, but in the end, he has lost everything. His

legacy, his strength, and probably most important of all, his masculine identity.

Robert’s early death in A Game of Thrones (1996) is the first indication of Martin

trying to relativize traditional gender roles.

5.3.1.2 Stannis Baratheon

“Kings have no friends,” Stannis said bluntly, “only subjects and enemies.” – Stannis Baratheon (Martin,1999: 474)

Stannis Baratheon is the younger brother of Robert. He, the middle child of the

family, was therefore never thought off to be the one who would follow Robert on

the throne. Like Robert, Stannis is tall and broad-shouldered as well, but he was

never considered to be as handsome as his older brother. The relationship

between the two brothers was a difficult one. Robert could never truly relate to

his brother and the other way around. Stannis, as opposed to his older brother,

never felt the need to prove his masculinity by cheating on his wife or drinking too

much wine. Quite on the contrary, Stannis is what Martin describes as a “truly just

man” (Martin, 1996: 581). Stannis always felt cheated out of Storm’s End, as

Robert gave the seat to his youngest brother Renly, but he grudgingly took the

seat at Dragonstone and conformed to his king. Stannis draws his masculinity

from his honor and duty, which is quite contrary to Robert, who never thought

much of both qualities. Stannis’s role in the novels is expanded after Robert’s

35

death. He is convinced that Robert’s children are not his and therefore Stannis

himself is the true heir to the Iron Throne. It becomes apparent to the reader that

Stannis is not a man who lets himself be guided by his emotions, but by his honor

bound principles. “I never asked for this crown. Gold is cold and heavy on the

head, but so long as I am King, I have a duty” (Martin, 2000: 866) This is the most

noticeable difference between him and Robert, the lack of emotions in Stannis.

He rules his people with just force and not with despotism. His honor does not

only affect his political views, but also his private life. Stannis is married to a

woman he does not love and who has not yet blessed him with a male heir, they

do have a daughter though. Stannis loves his daughter and would even make her

his successor if he does not get a male heir. Yet, the lack of said male heir does

not quite agree with him. It pains him that he has not yet been able to father a

boy with his wife, how much so indeed becomes clear when Melisandre, a red

priestess who is able to perform magic, offers him the chance of a male heir.

Melisandre promises him not only a child, but a son. Stannis cannot refuse this

offer, and so the man who has never cheated on his wife, lets himself being

seduced by Melisandre (cf. Martin, 1999). Although Stannis seems to be quite

satisfied with his masculinity, the prospect of a male heir makes him overthrow

his own principles, which are so important to him. This emphasizes that even in

A Song of Ice and Fire the male gender is considered to be worthier than the

female one, at least when it comes to the Great Houses of Westeros. Analyzing

Stannis Baratheon and how he fits into gender representation in A Song of Ice

and Fire, it is clear that Stannis wants to be remembered in history and he wants

to build a legacy for himself. When Melisandre tells him that he is the “prince that

was promised” (Martin, 2005:742), he is flattered and believes her. He was

always the second best, and someone else was always better than him. Stannis

was always overshadowed by his brothers, and even overlooked by them. Given

the chance of being someone special who does some good in the world, makes

him forget his principles, he even converts to a new religion (Martin, 1999). Still,

Stannis seems to be quite comfortable with who he is. He does not have the

immanent need to prove himself, but he wants to leave something behind after

he dies. This is what, in Stannis’ point of view, a true man should do. Be just and

honorable, doing the right thing and leave something to be remembered by.

Compared to Robert, Stannis is the more reasonable one of the two of them. He

36

once states that “We all know what my brother would do. Robert would gallop up

to the gates of Winterfell alone, break them with his warhammer, and ride through

the rubble to slay Roose Bolton with his left hand and the bastard with his right. I

am not Robert” (Martin, 2011:644). These words are truly spoken. Stannis is

nothing like Robert. Stannis is by far more deliberate and not close to being so

impulsive as Robert was. In conclusion, it could be stated that Stannis draws his

masculinity from his authority and his justice, and not from his physical strength.

5.3.1.3 Renly Baratheon

“Why the oldest son, and not the best-fitted? The crown will suit me, as it

never suited Robert and would not suit Stannis “- Renly Baratheon (Martin,1999: 480)

Renly Baratheon is the youngest brother of Robert and Stannis. When Robert

became King on the Iron Throne, he left Storm’s End with Renly, rather than

Stannis. Renly served his brother Robert on the small council as the Master of

the Laws. Renly has been romantically involved with Ser Loras Tyrell for many

years, but kept his homosexuality a secret, as the predominant religion of the

Seven Kingdoms condemns homosexuality as a sin. After the death of his brother

Robert, Renly desires to claim the Iron Throne for himself, although he would only

come second in succession to his brother Stannis, not counting Prince Joffrey

(Martin, 1996/1999).

At first look, the character of Renly could function as a positive

representation of a homosexual male in power, but through closer examination

one realizes that Renly’s motivation stems from false reasoning. Still, the fact that

Renly is gay man in a fantasy novel is quite remarkable, as the genre of fantasy

is traditionally aimed at a male readership and therefore tends to stick with

heterosexual characters (cf. Attebery, 2002:5). Renly is by far the most charming

of the Baratheon brothers, beloved by many. While Robert was strong and

impulsive, Stannis dutiful, Renly is more flamboyant, and he enjoys life. The

Baratheon family is a dynasty of warriors and strong stereotypical men, but Renly

does not quite follow this tradition. His character shows feminine traits which are

not obvious with Robert or Stannis. It is known that Renly appreciates expensive

clothing, Lord Baelish once mocks him because of that foible: “Lord Renly spends

37

more on clothing than half the ladies in the court”. (Martin, 1996: 185) This

mockery implies that Renly shows more feminine features than some women. It

also furthers the idea that Lord Baelish is aware of Renly’s liking to men, but

Renly is not bothered by that. It is an open secret that he prefers the company of

men, although he would never admit to it. Renly presents himself in public as a

charismatic charmer, but in private his true colors show. Taking the example of

his treatment of Brienne of Tarth, a rather masculine woman. Publicly, he shows

kindness towards her, appreciating her loyalty to him, but in private he mocks her

appearance and her lack of femininity. Being kind to one’s face while stabbing

them in the back, would classically be considered a female attribute, rather than

a male one. In this aspect, he is depicted as a stereotypical gay man, who has

acquired many female attributes. The fact that he calls his personal guards, the

Rainbow Guards is, taking into account that the symbol of the rainbow is the icon

of the modern LGBT community, an open statement towards his own sexuality.

One could argue that he embraces his identity as a gay man, but he is constricted

by the patriarchal society around him, as well as his warrior family. On the other

hand, Renly shows traits of true cruelty and masculine desires. When discussing

the rising threat of Daenerys Targaryen his solution to the problem is rather

simple. “The matter seems simple enough to me. We ought to have had Viserys

and his sister killed years ago, but His Grace my brother made the mistake of

listening to Jon Arryn.” (Martin, 1996: 329). He would have killed an innocent child

and baby in order to ensure the stability of the Iron Throne, an act his brother

Robert was not willing to do, although he was the revenge driven brother at the

time. Renly’s cold and rational thinking shows his Baratheon upbringing and his

desire for power at all costs. These traits are indicated again when he proclaims

himself king after Robert’s death. Acknowledging that Robert’s children are not

truly his, his older brother Stannis has the stronger claim to the throne, and Renly

is aware of this, but he considers himself the better choice, simply because he is

the one beloved by the people. Examining the quote at the beginning of the

chapter, Renly considers himself best suited for being king of the realm, simply

because of his charms and looks. Those charms provided him with the largest

army of Westeros in A Clash of Kings (1999) and this fuels his own conviction

that he should be king. This army was also due to his marriage to Margaery Tyrell,

sister to his boyfriend Loras. This marriage shows his masculine drive for the

38

throne. He is aware that he has to play a political game in order to become king,

even if this means sacrificing his true identity by marrying a woman. Although it

never comes to that, Renly would have let other men die for him to win the throne.

He himself was never much of a fighter himself, he left this for his brothers.

Probably the biggest flaw of Renly is his vanity, which in the end, is his stumbling

block. After his mysterious death, his men join the forces of Stannis, and Renly

is soon forgotten. Even his Tyrell allies join forces with the Lannisters after

Stannis fails conquering King’s Landing. His vanity and his charms provide his

only motivation for the Iron Throne, but eventually this is not enough, or as Lady

Olenna Redwyne put it: “He knew how to dress and he knew how to smile and

he knew how to bathe, and somehow he got the notion that this made him fit to

be king.” (Martin, 2000: 81).

Ultimately, Renly is the one Baratheon who combines male and female

character traits most obviously. Next to Loras Tyrell, he is the only male character

with a leading part in the narrative who has been depicted as homosexual. It is

quite interesting that George R.R. Martin chose House Baratheon for gay male

gender representation, as House Baratheon being portrayed as one, which

values masculine traits, such as physical strength and war skills, as highly

important. Renly possesses neither of those traits. One can only guess why

Martin made this choice, but taking into account the absence of a Baratheon born

female character, Renly’s character could function as the missing link to female

character traits of House Baratheon. Although some of his features are truly

stereotypical, such as his affinity for an assorted wardrobe, Renly remains a

highly interesting character, and one of the few positive representations of male

homosexuality in fantasy fiction.

5.3.1.4 Joffrey Baratheon (Lannister)

“Joffrey is truly a little shit. [Jon Snow]” (Martin, 1996: 76)

Joffrey Baratheon is allegedly the oldest son of Robert Baratheon and Cersei

Lannister. After the death of his father he claims the Iron Throne and rules the

Seven Kingdoms. It is revealed that Joffrey is actually the son, born out of an

incestuous relationship, of his mother with her twin brother Jaime Lannister,

39

though Joffrey himself remains ignorant of this fact. Because of his ancestry, his

rule is challenged by Stannis and Renly Baratheon, as well by the then King of

the North, Robb Stark. Joffrey is depicted from the beginning as spoiled, arrogant

and sadistic. Those traits are amplified by him becoming king. Originally

betrothed to Sansa Stark, he tosses her aside in favor of Margaery Tyrell in order

to strengthen a newly found alliance between the Lannisters and the Tyrells. At

his wedding though, he is poisoned and dies (cf. Martin, 1996,1999,2000).

Joffrey’s appearance is described as being rather tall for his age, as he is

twelve years old when he is first introduced, with blond curly hair. He has bright

green eyes and full lips, in short, he is rather handsome, he does not have the

Baratheon looks, but the ones of Lannister House.

Growing up, Joffrey was spoiled and indulged, but developed a cruel

streak at an early age, one his legal father Robert did recognize and admits to

Eddard Stark: “It would not trouble me if the boy was wile, Ned. You don’t know

him as I do” (Martin, 1996:291). Robert is disappointed with his son, who on the

other hand, seeks the approval of his father, which he never receives. Joffrey’s

main role model is his mother Cersei. Looking at Joffrey from a psychological

point of view his behavior correlates with basic patterns of parent – child

relationships. Especially the ones of a sadistic male child, like Joffrey. To simplify

the theory, male children with sadistic tendencies fear that they will never live up

to their fathers and thus develop negative and aggressive attitudes towards their

mothers. A jealous identification with their mother manifests itself, rather than one

with their fathers. This “femininity complex” will later in life be compensated by

showing aggressive behavior and male superiority towards women (cf. Gurfinkel,

2013:21). The character of Joffrey does comply to this theory. His lack of approval

by his legal father, manifests into aggressive behavior towards his mother and

also towards other women in his life. He idolizes Robert Baratheon, or at least

the long-lost version of him. In one scene, his grandfather tries to teach Joffrey

how a true king should behave, but Joffrey is not willing to learn, but refers to the

great achievements of Robert:

[Tywin] when your enemies defy you, you must serve them steel and fire. When the go to their knees, however, you must help them back to their feet. Elsewise no man will ever bend the knee to you. And any man who must say “I am the king” is no true king at all. Aerys never understood that,

40

but you will. […] [Joffrey] My father won all the battles. He killed Prince Rhaegar and took the crown, while your father [Tywin] was hiding under Casterly Rock. (Martin, 2000: 715f)

This dialogue signifies with which family Joffrey wants to be identified with.

He wants to be a Baratheon and not a Lannister, hence he wants to be identified

with his father, and not with his mother. He has been under the influence of his

mother all of his life and barely had a relationship with his father, but as he is king

now, he wants to oust his mother. Even after Robert’s death, he tries to get his

father’s approval by praising him and putting his grandfather into his place,

knowing that Tywin Lannister was not especially appreciated by his father.

Emphasizing this notion of Joffrey, is the fact that the phrase “hiding under

Casterly Rock” is directly taken from Robert’s mouth. In Joffrey’s eyes, the way

to live up to his father is by ruling with authority. He does not care about being a

just king, he just wants to be king and everything that goes along with that power.

On more than one occasion, Joffrey demands respect and loyalty of his subjects

by blurting out in anger “I am the king” (Martin, 2000: 715). By repeating this

phrase, he wants to be put on the same pedestal as his father, not realizing the

lesson his grandfather tried to teach him. Joffrey is overcompensating, due to him

being a thirteen-year-old boy, and probably also because he realizes that he will

never be seen as a Baratheon, who are real men with physical strength and born

natural leaders. Joffrey is aware he has not inherited such masculinity and

consequently he recourses to reminding everyone that he is the king, identifying

with his alleged ancestors.

Another aspect of Joffrey’s character seems to be lack of sexual interest.

Opposed to his legal father, He lives his masculinity through cruel and sadistic

acts and does not try to gain sexual experience. This could be due to his age, he

is only thirteen when becoming king, but it speaks to his antisocial character. His

relationship with Sansa changes drastically after her father’s execution. Joffrey

has her frequently beaten by his staff, once even trying to strip her in public while

he ordered his knight to “beat her bloody” (Martin, 1999: 488). Though he shows

such cruelty towards Sansa, he never abuses her physically herself, especially

not in a sexual way. He prefers to show his masculine superiority with mind

games and ordering other people to do his deeds. The most obvious

demonstration of his superiority over women happened at Eddard Stark’s

41

execution. “My mother bids me let Lord Eddard take the black, and Lady Sansa

has begged mercy for her father. […] But they have the soft hearts of women”

(Martin, 1996: 664). Joffrey sees mercy as something feminine and not as

something a true king should oblige to. He, the king, is the only one who knows

how to treat traitors, and frail women should not be in his way. In the end, Lord

Eddard loses his head, and Sansa her love for Joffrey. He does not realize at that

moment, that his actions, made out of spite towards his mother and proving his

masculinity to Sansa, unleashes a civil war in the Seven Kingdoms. Eventually,

Joffrey pays for his crimes towards women, as one of them eventually kills him.

The character of Joffrey could be seen as the main male antagonist of A

Song of Ice and Fire, a book series which lacks the simple black and white

categorization of good versus evil, but Joffrey is one of the few characters who

lack a pleasant side to them. This is highlighted by the fact that not even his

genetic father Jaime mourns his son’s death. When asked why he wants to

protect Joffrey’s alleged murderer, he clarifies what he thought of him: “Joff was

no more to me than a squirt of seed in Cersei’s cunt. And he deserved to die.”

(Martin, 2000:1009).

Joffrey personified the villain of the story and he is depicted as the most

negative male gender representation in the books, exhibiting character traits

reminiscent of psychopathic patterns. His behavior might have resulted from the

absence of a masculine idol and the poisonous influence of his female role model,

or maybe he is just evil. Either way, Joffrey represents a negative example of how

a male character uses his social superiority to exercise power over others, but

mainly over women.

5.3.2 House Greyjoy

“We Do Not Sow” – (Martin, 1996: 752)

House Greyjoy belongs to the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms, which rules

over the Iron Islands, a barren conglomeration of islands off the west coast of

Westeros. Their castle is built on the island of Pyke and the head of the Greyjoys

is named the Lord Reaper of Pyke. Alike the other Great Houses of Westeros,

the inheritance of the title Lord Reaper of Pyke is traditionally given to the oldest

42

son of the current Lord. Members of the Greyjoy family tend to be attractive,

strong and have black hair. Their family sigil shows a golden kraken on a black

field. The inhabitants of the Iron Islands are known as ‘ironborn’ or ‘ironmen’.

They live a tough live, which leaves little room for empathy with others. They are

cold and determined people, who are proud of their traditions. They adapted to

the character of their surrounding bleak islands.

They do not grow their own food supplies, but instead, raiding the lands of

Westeros, and taking from others what they need. Even if this means paying the

‘iron price’, which means killing others for their own gain. Historically speaking,

the rule of the Iron Kings extended their power beyond the Iron Islands, but after

the perish of Harren and his sons, Aegon Targaryen granted the Riverlands to

House Tully, but allowed the lords of the Iron Islands to remain there and even

choose their own leader. They chose Lord Vickon Greyjoy of Pyke. In the

narrative of A Song of Ice and Fire, Lord Balon Greyjoy is the current Lord Reaper

of Pyke. His two elder sons were killed during the Greyjoy rebellion, which was

downcast by Robert. Balon’s youngest son Theon was taken by House Stark as

a warden, and raised in Winterfell. His only daughter, Asha, remained at the Iron

Islands. House Greyjoy carried on the tradition of raiding others and also kept

their own religion, the one of the ‘Drowned God’ (cf. Martin, 1996: 752f).

5.3.2.1 Asha Greyjoy

“I am Asha of House Greyjoy, aye. Opinions defer on whether I’m

a lady “– Asha Greyjoy (Martin, 2011: 960)

Asha Greyjoy is the only daughter of Lord Balon Greyjoy, Lord Reaper of Pyke.

When she was a child, she was skinny and her face was covered in pimples, but

she has grown into a young lean woman with black hair and strong hands. Asha

is a true ironborn and lives her family traditions. When first introduced in A Clash

of Kings (1999), she is described through her younger brother’s point of view. The

first meeting between the two of them is awkward, as her brother Theon does not

recognize her for who she is, but rather sees in her another sexual conquest,

which he can put aside later. Theon behaves in a very sexually aggressive way

towards her, and she plays along, even referring to herself (cf. Frankel, 2014:

pos. 932f) as “a woman wed, and new with child.” (Martin, 1999: 380). Asha

43

pretends at this moment to be vulnerable and quite smitten with Theon, though

she knows who he is. It almost seems like she is trying to find out what sort of

man her brother has become. She is testing his character by pretending to be

married and with child, therefore saying she is not free for him. It could be argued

that Theon fails this test, as he selfishly persists. The little confusion is soon

dissolved and Theon is embarrassed he did not recognize his sister. Beforehand,

he boasts that he is the prince of the Iron Islands and he will be king, but as Asha

reveals her true identity to Theon, she does so in an extremely masculine way.

“Asha snatched the axe from the air and slammed it down into his mantle with

drippings. “There’s my lord husband.” His sister reached down inside her gown

and drew a dirk from between her breast. “And here’s my sweet suckling babe.”

(Martin, 1999: 392). This action puts Theon in his place. Asha has become the

man of the family Greyjoy, and her father considers her as his heir, rather than

Theon, the only male successor left. Asha definitely falls into the category of the

warrior women, who can take care of herself and does not need a man on her

side to protect her. Yet, even a strong and independent warrior woman feels,

according to Valerie Estelle Frankel (2014) occasionally the need for

companionship, but those relationships rarely last.

The warrior’s lover may compete with her and feel jealous of her success. But even if they remain in accord, they are too similar. […] she may regard him fondly, even love him, but he offers her no potential for growth. Each constantly mirrors the other, offering support and acceptance, but no change. (Frankel, 2014: pos. 970)

Frankel furthers this train of thought, by stating that warrior women types

search for sensitive scholars, who are fulfilling the missing aspects of a warrior

woman’s life (cf. Frankel, 2014: pos. 970). This is also supported by Asha’s

choice of companion in A Dance with Dragons (2011). She chooses “Qual the

Maid” (Martin, 2005: 395) to be her lover, a man, nicknamed because of his lack

of beard and of his “pink cheeks” (Martin, 2005: 395). She enjoys his company

but also mocks him constantly, calling him “beardless boy” (Martin, 2011: 390). It

is apparent that Asha loves Qual, but she keeps him for her own pleasure, rather

than pleasing others with her choice. While Asha is physically aggressive, her

choice of lover is gentle. Those actions speak for her being an extremely

independent and self-sufficing woman. She knows who she is, and does not need

44

a man to establish her identity. In the fifth book, A Dance of Dragons (2011),

Asha contemplates her options to acquire some allies and Stannis Baratheon is

on her list. She thinks about offering her “fair young body” (Martin, 2011: 392) to

Stannis, but in the end, she decides not to. As opposed to other female characters

in A Song of Ice and Fire, Asha does not resolve to convincing men with her

sexuality. She values herself too much (cf. Frankel, 2014: pos. 960) and is too

convinced of herself, that she does not feel the need to use her body, but rather

wields her axe and therefore chooses the male way of convincing others. Asha

is part of a highly androcentric system, meaning Westeros itself, but moreover,

the Iron Islands. A world always reigned by a cruel and harsh landscape. She is

accepted among the ironborn, but not so far as to make her their queen. After her

father’s death, Asha wants to face the kingsmoot, the ironborn’s way of choosing

a new leader. Her uncle tries to put her down easy by telling her “No woman has

ever ruled the ironborn. […] You are Balon’s daughter, not his son. And you have

three uncles.” (Martin, 2005: 235). Asha points out the inequity of being accepted

by men to lead them into battle, and being captain of a ship, but they will not

accept her as their queen. Aware that by tradition she does not stand a chance,

her confidence tells her otherwise. “I have the best claim. I am the heir of Balon’s

body.” (Martin, 2005: 236). The use of words here is quite interesting. She, not

referring to herself as his daughter or son, but as his heir, points out that being

male or female should not be taken into account on who sits on the throne. Of

course, a feudal system is not necessarily the best choice on deciding who

becomes king or queen, but neither should be the sex you are born with.

Eventually, Asha is not chosen to be the queen of the ironborn.

Asha has been compared by Frankel (2014, pos. 970) to J.R.R Tolkien’s

Èowyn, and some parallels could easily be drawn, but Asha is a true

representation of female gender according to modern standards. She is

independent, rebellious, does not let men tell her how to reach her goals, and she

can take care of herself. According to Elizabeth Beaton (2016, 199), Asha

matches the description of the “emergent Machiavellian military type”, which fits

literary characters whose leadership is proven through martial acts. Asha Greyjoy

does conquer to this character categorization as she could be seen as one of the

true feminist characters in A Song of Ice Fire, who does not compromise herself

45

even once. It will be interesting to see what fate George R.R. Martin has in store

for Asha, as she is still alive at the end of A Dance with Dragons (2011).

5.3.2.2 Theon Greyjoy

“Theon. My name is Theon. You have to know your name” – Theon

Greyjoy (Martin, 2011: 961)

Theon Greyjoy is the youngest, as well as only surviving, son of Lord Balon

Greyjoy. He was taken hostage and brought to Winterfell as a ward to Lord

Eddard Stark, after his father’s rebellion against King Robert Baratheon failed.

Theon’s character starts out as a cocky handsome young man, who lives a

promiscuous live, which serves his vanity and his arrogant appearance. The

Starks have been kind to him and he considers the eldest son of Eddard Stark,

Robb, to be his brother. He is not so much liked by the other Northerners and his

status as a hostage is clear. Yet, he offers the ironborn’s help, during A Clash of

Kings (1999), to Robb Stark, who allows him to return to the Iron Islands. He

thinks his father will be happy to see his son returned, but the welcome is more

than cold. Theon realizes he has been replaced by his sister Asha, who has

become a warrior, manlier than himself (cf. Frankel, 2014: pos. 932). He

understands he has been upstaged by his sister. “I have no place here, he

thought, and Asha is the reason, may the Others take her!” (Martin, 1999: 390).

When he tries to take his place at the table, his sister tells him that his “place is

at Winterfell” (Martin, 1999: 391). Theon Greyjoy’s character is truly looking for

his own identity. He wants to impress his father, who does not seem to care very

much for him, and in order to do so, he betrays his friend Robb Stark. His rash

actions do have severe consequences, as he is captured and horrifically tortured,

until his spirit and identity as Theon, is completely broken. In the novels, he is

absent from book three and four, but reappears as Reek in book five. Theon’s

character is a rather interesting one, speaking from a gender representation

perspective. Rather than representing a stereotype, he is trying to find his own

identity and tries constantly to prove his masculinity, either by seducing a lot of

women, or by taking Winterfell by force. Usually, such a character would be one

of the main male heroes in a fantasy novel, but not in his case. He suffers the

fate of being constantly emasculated by others. He, never a true Northerner,

46

admitted once to hoping that Lord Eddard “might marry him to Sansa and claim

him for a son, but that had only been a child’s fancy.” (Martin, 2011: 194) This

shows that Theon dreamed of becoming a Stark, being a real part of the family,

not just a ward. He searches for his identity in the North, but is disappointed,

always outranked by others. In his original home, the Iron Islands, he is

emasculated by his own sister and even his father. Both of them see him as one

of the Starks, not as a Greyjoy. Though hurtful, those emasculations were

psychologically. The cruelest, was his physical emasculation by Ramsay Bolton.

The bastard of Lord Roose Bolton keeps Theon as a prisoner and tortures him

nearly into complete madness. Bolton breaks Theon’s spirit. It is hinted in A

Dance with Dragons (2011, 582) that he has not only lost a few of his toes and

fingers, but also his genitals. The ultimate and literal emasculation. Theon’s story

is reminiscent of the fallen woman character in nineteenth century novels. Like

them, he has to be punished because of his actions. He is captured, because he

betrayed House Stark, and led a promiscuous life, therefore he is castrated.

Theon treats women with disrespect and sees them only as objects for his

pleasure. Emphasized by the scene of him meeting Asha for the first time after

years. He obviously wants to sleep with her, and tries to persuade her to oblige

him because he is a prince and she is only a commoner. Even after she tells him

she is married with child, he responds with “The gods are good. […] No chance

I’d give you a bastard that way.” (Martin, 1999: 378) This shows that Theon has

no respect for woman, but Asha puts him in his place soon after that. Even after

learning who she is, he does not show kindness to her, but thinks of her as the

sole reason that he cannot take his place on the Iron Islands. Theon’s attitude

towards woman had to be punished, and George R.R. Martin decided to do so

by allegedly physically neutering him. Drawing again upon the image of the fallen

woman of the nineteenth century, it has to be mentioned that they had to pay with

their life in the end. One could argue, Theon has already lost his life, though

physically alive, mentally he is no longer Theon but Reek. It is even a little ironic

that a character who has been searching for his true identity, never finding it, gets

his identity taken from him and replaced with something quite submissive and

fearful. At the end of A Dance with Dragons (2011) it is hinted that Theon might

reappear, but Reek is still within him. “Theon Greyjoy smiled. They know my

name, he thought.” (Martin, 2011: Excerpt from The Winds of Winter, 16).

47

5.3.3 House Lannister

“Hear me Roar!” (Martin, 1996)

House Lannister of Casterly Rock is one of the Great House of Westeros. They

are the warden family of the Westerlands, with their seat in Casterly Rock. The

great advantage of Casterly Rock and some of the other area’s in the

Westerlands, such as Castamere of the Pendric Hills, are their goldmines. Those

mines have made the Lannister family the wealthiest in all of Westeros. Due to

their money, they have also become one of the most influential Houses of the

Seven Kingdoms, as almost everyone important owes them gold, including the

king himself (cf. Martin et al, 2014: 1702ff). Thus coining their unofficial house

motto “A Lannister always pays his debts” (Martin, 1996: 422). The Lannisters

take themselves rather important and they do have pride, which is easily

offended. “Pride? […] Arrogance, some might call it. Arrogance and avarice and

lust for power.” (Martin, 1996: 344). Lannisters do lust for power, and nearly every

family member tries to exercise power over someone. Having never been on the

Iron Throne themselves, always being overshadowed by the Targaryen House, it

is their ultimate goal to take the Throne and build their own dynasty. They are not

willing to accomplish that objective by force, but with the help of politics. The

physical features of the family members are described as being tall and

handsome, fair haired and with green eyes. Their family sigil is a golden lion on

a field of crimson and their official house motto reads “Hear me roar!” (cf. Martin,

1996).

5.3.3.1 Tywin Lannister

“Some battles are won with swords and spears, others with quills

and ravens” – Tywin Lannister (Martin, 2000: 62)

Tywin Lannister is the current Lord of Casterly Rock, and therefore the head of

House Lannister. He is the most powerful Lord in all of Westeros, due to his riches

and his political skills. He fathered three children with his wife, namely Cersei,

Jaime and Tyrion. Tywin has dedicated his life and efforts towards building the

prestige of House Lannister, ensuring that his House is treated with respect, or

48

at least, feared. Tywin was the youngest hand of the king under Aerys II. and it

was then, that he proved his political as well as strategic skills. Although the land

prospered under his lead, Tywin was never one to be loved by many. He is

described as “humorless, unforgiving, unbending, proud, and cruel.” (cf. Martin et

al, 2014: pos. 3343).

Tywin, a power-hungry patriarch, despises his own father for being weak

and disrespected, and he tries to ensure that he and his family are respected,

and even feared (cf. Martin et al, 2014: pos. 3343). His uttermost motivation

origins from his urge to position his family members, and himself, into powerful

places, ultimately having someone of his own kin on the Iron Throne. He does

succeed, as his daughter was married to the king of Westeros, which made her

the queen. Ironically, Tywin himself married out of love, but he still uses his

children to form alliances through marriage. He does seem to love his children,

or at least, Jaime and Cersei, he does not concern himself much with Tyrion, but

even his relationship with his twins could not be described as a warm one. He

treats them more like figures in his chess game for power. As long as they do as

he pleases, he is fond of them, but when they defy him, his anger has no

boundaries. He always saw Jaime as his sole heir to Casterly Rock and he is

proud of him, until Jaime decides to join the Kingsguard, which meant he could

no longer marry, nor be Tywin’s heir. Those actions by Jaime disturb his plans

and continuity of his family lineage. “You are not my son […] You say you are the

Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, and only that. Very well, ser. Go do your

duty.” (Martin, 2000: 856). Tywin could have replaced Jaime as his heir by his

son Tyrion, but his pride would not allow him such actions. Tyrion always was a

thorn in his eye, and although he would not actively kill him, he does obviously

hope that Tyrion might die sometime. Tyrion’s birth causes Tywin’s wife her life,

and on top of that, Tyrion is born a dwarf. “They have plucked a fair flower from

his hand and given him a monster in her place, to teach him some humility at

last.” (Martin et al, 2014: pos. 3421). Tywin is ashamed of Tyrion, and is scorning

Jaime, his beautiful son, for joining the Kingsguard. Yet, Tywin does not believe

that his lineage will end with his children, as he continuously tries to bribe Jaime,

though unsuccessfully, into leaving the Kingsguard and taking his rightful place

at Casterly Rock. He is using his children to claim power, but is blind to their true

characters. He sees Jaime and Cersei as his two great children, who will bring

49

honor to the Lannister name, not realizing the two of them lead an incestuous

relationship and therefore, if this would ever be revealed, would shame the family.

Meanwhile, he ignores Tyrion, not giving him any credit for his clever feats. Tyrion

is a dwarf, not worthy of the Lannister name, though Tyrion is the one who

resembles his father the most, at least when it comes to wit. Ironically, Tywin

despises Tyrion for frequently employing the services of prostitutes, thinking he

brings shame to the family by doing so, but at the same time, Tywin does visit

prostitutes as well. Even sleeping with the same woman as Tyrion (cf. Martin,

2000: 1071). This renders him a hypocrite, but also emphasizes the fact that

Tyrion, out of all of his children, has most in common with Tywin. The common

people call Tyrion “Lord Tywin’s Bane” (Martin et al, 2014: pos. 3421), which

eventually comes true, as Tyrion kills his father (cf. Martin, 2000: 1073).

Tywin Lannister always defined masculinity by inspiring fear in others and

guarantying the survival of the family name. It seems that he has failed in both

aspects in the end.

To sum up, it can be said that Tywin exercises his masculinity through

political power and by forcing others, including his children, to bend to his will.

5.3.3.2 Cersei Lannister (Baratheon)

“I am a lioness. I will not cringe for them” - Cersei Lannister (Martin,

2011:993)

Cersei Lannister is the only daughter and oldest child of Tywin Lannister. She is

the twin of Jaime Lannister and is a strikingly beautiful woman, with golden hair

and green eyes. When she is introduced, she is clearly the most powerful woman

in the realm of the Seven Kingdoms, as she is married to King Robert. She is

presented as “the Lannister woman” whose “pride is said to grow with every

passing year” (Martin, 1996: 33). It is quite fascinating that Martin chose to

present her in this way, as it immediately reveals her character, and thus, the

reader is already suspicious of her (cf. Jones, 2012: 14). The reference to her as

“Lannister woman” points to the direction that she has established her reputation

as a woman of House Lannister. Though, she has been married to Robert for

many years at this point, she is not seen as a Baratheon. As afore mentioned,

50

women are expected to adapt to the Houses they marry into, but Cersei seems

to not have done that. She is not once referred to as Cersei Baratheon, but always

as Lannister. She must have taken her husband’s name, though it is never

explicitly said. Her refusal to be seen as a Baratheon speaks for her

independence as a woman, but also immediately establishes the complicated

relationship to her husband. This relationship is the first aspect of Cersei’s

character depiction. The first encounter with Cersei is described at Winterfell. In

this scene, it is made clear that the marriage between Cersei and her husband is

not a loving, or even a respectful one. After arriving at Winterfell, Robert wants to

see the crypts. “The queen had begun to protest. They had been riding since

dawn, everyone was tired and cold, surely they should refresh themselves first.

The dead would wait. She had said nor more than that: Robert had looked at her

[…] and she said no more.” (Martin, 1996: 45) Their relationship is established by

that scene. Robert exercises his dominance over his wife publicly, while she has

to submit. She is publicly insulted by her husband, and put in her place. Although

she is the queen, it is apparent, that being a woman, results in her not having any

power in a male dominated world, despite her social status. Robert’s treatment

of her only furthers her hatred for him, a hatred which continuously grew over the

years. For all her power, she is still dominated by men, and she resents this fate.

Robert in particular, demonstrates his physical dominance over her frequently.

One time he hits her, after she points out that she is more of a man than he is.

“By all rights, you ought to be in skirts and me in mail” (Martin, 1996: 397) Roberts

reacts with physical abuse. He seems to regret it afterwards, but he does so by

pointing out, that she provoked him into hitting her. “You see what she does to

me, Ned.” (Martin, 1996: 398) This reaction does reflect upon modern society’s

inclination to, at least partly, blame the abused party for provoking physical

abuse, rather than seeing an abused woman as the victim (cf. Jones, 2012: 15).

Her hatred for Robert might also explain why she never truly accepts his House

as hers, but rather prefers to be known as a Lannister. Although Cersei was

always put in her place by Robert and she never could exercise political power at

his side, she found a way to exact vengeance on him. She takes away his chance

for a true born heir. It is known, in A Game of Thrones (1996), that Cersei’s

children are not Robert’s, but her twin brother’s. Not only does she deceive

Robert into raising the children of another, but Cersei admits to actively

51

preventing giving birth to a true born child of Robert. “Your Robert got me with

child once”, she said her voice thick with contempt.” My brother found a woman

to cleanse me.” (Martin, 1996: 451). Deceiving Robert, by denying him an heir, is

the only true power she can exercise over her husband, and she relishes in this

power. Eventually, her battle with Robert ends in her favor as she orchestrates

his death.

The second aspect of Cersei’s character is her depiction as a mother.

Cersei is extremely protective of her children, especially of Joffrey, her oldest son.

When he is injured by one of the Stark’s direwolves, she demands that the wolf

is killed for “Joff will carry those scars for the rest of his life.” (Martin, 1996: 152).

It is apparent that Cersei does love her children, as she sees herself and her

brother Jaime in them. They are living proof of her power over Robert, as well as

heirs of House Lannister. She will do anything to protect her children and their

secret, even if it means killing others. The relationship to her children is most

established via Joffrey. She sits him on the throne after Robert’s death, believing

she will rule through him, but she soon realizes Joffrey has a mind on his own

and does not listen to his mother. She, dominated by a man once more, continues

to defend him, although she knows him to be cruel. “Joffrey has always been

difficult. Even at his birth.” (Martin, 1999: 760).

The motherly behavior of Cersei serves the purpose of giving her a human

side. Caring for one’s children is comprehensible and something readers can

relate to. This trait shows her feminine side like no other, as Cersei incorporates

masculine qualities in order to reach her goals. Cersei does not necessarily

realize Joffrey’s domination over her, until he openly denies her wishes, and

decapitates Eddard Stark.

It is remarkable, that Cersei only becomes one of the point of view

characters in the books, after her husband, her oldest son and her father are

dead. In the first three novels, she is only depicted through the eyes of other

characters, but in A Feast For Crows (2005) she suddenly is rewarded with her

own voice, and her own viewpoint. This gaining of a voice only appears after all

her male oppressors have gone. Her father sells her into marriage, her husband

oppresses her via physical dominance, and her son does not acknowledge her

because she is a woman. After the oppressing males in her life are gone, her

power expands and finally she can truly develop her own voice. Cersei is

52

described by Jaime as someone who likes “to think of herself as Lord Tywin with

teats, but she was wrong. Their father had been as relentless and implacable as

a glacier […] She does not lack for wits, but she has no judgment, and no

patience.” (Martin, 2005: 334). She wants to be like her father, in her opinion she

is just like him, but her own brother and lover does not see those aspects in her.

Rather than with pen and paper, Cersei likes to use her own sexuality to win her

wars. Which brings us to Cersei’s third trait as a character in A Song of Ice and

Fire: the use of her femininity and sexuality as a weapon. Cersei uses her

sexuality to reach her goals or to persuade others of her schemes. In Robert’s

case, she denies him her sexuality as an act of exercising power over him “I have

not let him inside me for years.” (Martin, 1996: 450). Usually though, she uses

her womanly gifts to manipulate others and to get her will. It is known that she

has various lovers, including her cousin Lancel Lannister, whom she entertains

for her own pleasure, but some scenes make it clear that she knows how to

manipulate men. She even tries to seduce Lord Eddard Stark, after he discovers

the truth about her children.

Her fingers brushed lightly against his thigh, the gentlest of promises. “The realm needs a strong Hand. Joff will not come of age for years. No one wants war again, least of all me.” Her hand touched his face, his hair. “If friends can turn to enemies, enemies can become friends. Your wife is a thousand leagues away, and my brother has fled. Be kind to me, Ned. I swear to you, you shall never regret it. (Martin, 1996: 451)

In her opinion, all men can be silenced with the offer of a sexual encounter,

and it has to be mentioned that most of the time she is right. With Eddard Stark,

this specific art of war does not work. He remains strong and instead of falling

into her arms, he mocks her, thus belittling her, like other men before him have

done so often (cf. Jones, 2012: 16). Cersei does seem to genuinely love her

brother Jaime, but even with him she uses his sexual attraction to her advantage.

After Joffrey’s death, Jaime goes to comfort Cersei and she is grateful for that.

During the conversation, she tries to persuade Jaime to kill Tyrion, whom she

believes to have killed Joffrey. Jaime is reluctant, as he loves his brother and

does not believe him capable of such a thing. As Cersei senses his reluctance to

kill their brother, she immediately reminds him of where his true allegiance lies,

by seducing him in the sept. “my brother, sweet brother, yes, like that, yes I have

53

you, you’re home now, you’re home now, you’re home.” (Martin, 2000: 851).

Cersei’s advantage over Jaime, is her capacity of separating feelings from

intentions. When it comes to Cersei, Jaime cannot separate the two. She uses

her power over him for her own agenda, therefore empowering herself by offering

her body.

In book four, A Feast For Crows (2005), Cersei explores for the first time

the bodily pleasures of another woman. This woman, a girl named Taena, who

Cersei has employed to platonically share her bed with her, as she suffers from

nightmares. After Cersei had a little bit too much to drink she comes back to her

chambers to find Taena in her bed.

Cersei wondered what it would feel like to kiss another woman. […] She wondered what it would feel like to suckle on those breasts, to lay the Myrish woman on her back and push her legs apart and use her as a man would use her, the way Robert would use her when the drink was in him, and she was unable to bring him off with hand or mouth. (Martin, 2005: 685)

Cersei’s thoughts are quite telling, as she definitely wants to play the male

part during this sexual encounter, thus it becomes clear that her interest in Taena

does not stem from affection, but rather from dominance (Frankel, 2014:

pos.414). She wants to experience what it would be like to be a man, dominating

a woman. The last sentence of this excerpt is rather concerning, as it implies that

Robert used to sleep with Cersei against her will, thus raping her. This hint is

immediately confirmed on the next page, as Cersei reminisces on her sexual

experience with Robert. He did rape her, always drunk, always pretending the

next day he did not remember it (cf. Martin, 2005: 686). Cersei wants to be the

dominator in bed just for once, as she always was the dominated one.

She does not have an easy path on her way to power, and one could argue

that she is corrupted and made cruel by her male dominators. This probably

enhanced her greed for power and her ruthlessness, but she must have had

those urges insider her, even before her sufferings. This theory can be deducted

from her treatment of other women, specifically of Sansa Stark. She does envy

Sansa of her youth, but continuously belittles her. She does nothing when she

witnesses Joffrey’s treatment of Sansa, but rather prepares her for her future.

54

“Joffrey will show you no such devotion […] You might never love the king, but

you’ll love his children.” (Martin, 1999: 760)

Cersei is aware that Sansa will have the same fate as she did. Being

married to a man whom she does not love, and who is even crueler than Robert.

Yet, she is willing to let Sansa experience this cruel fate. It is clear, that she

belittles other woman as she has been belittled by men. Her treatment of other

women, specifically women who could take her place, shows that Cersei was

predisposed to her character traits, and not all of them were caused by men.

Cersei is the most powerful woman of the Seven Kingdoms and her power

continues to grow over the course of five novels. It will be interesting to see which

fate awaits her. To sum up the character of Cersei Lannister, one last quote will

be used, which depicts her character beautifully:

I waited half my life. She had played the dutiful daughter, the blushing bride, the pliant wife. She had suffered Robert's drunken groping, Jaime's jealousy, Renly's mockery, Varys with his titters, Stannis endlessly grinding his teeth. She had contended with Jon Arryn, Ned Stark, and her vile, treacherous, murderous dwarf brother, all the while promising herself that one day it would be her turn. If Margaery Tyrell thinks to cheat me of my hour in the sun, she had bloody well think again. (Martin, 2005: 490)

5.3.3.3 Jaime Lannister

“There are no men like me. There’s only me.” – Jaime Lannister (Martin,

1999:791)

Jaime Lannister is the oldest son of Lord Tywin Stark and twin brother, as well as

lover, to Cersei Lannister. He is a tall handsome man, with golden hair and green

eyes. When Jon Snow first sees him, he remarks that Jaime is “what a king should

look like” (Martin, 1996: 54) Jaime is the most able fighter in the Kingsguard and

he is first depicted as arrogant and extremely confident. Jaime, part of the

Lannister House, should have served as the male heir to Casterly Rock, but all

changed when he became the member of Robert’s Kingsguard. His father

thought he did this to spite him, but his true intentions were to be close to Cersei.

Which leads the way to the main motivation of Jaime and his actions: Love.

55

One of the first scenes with Jaime in A Game of Thrones (1996) depicts

the lovemaking of him and Cersei seen from a young boy’s [Bran] point of view.

This scene ends with Jaime throwing the boy out of the window. “The things I do

for love,” he said with loathing.” (Martin, 1996: 87). Jaime points out that he

commits this crime out of love for Cersei. He wants to protect their secret, more

for her sake, than for his. He hates his action, pointed out by the loathing in his

voice, but he will do anything for Cersei. He is, and always has been, in love with

her. Jaime shows an extreme devotion for Cersei, a devotion that is not met by

her, though he does not know this. When Cersei repeats the events of Joffrey’s

birth, she tells Sansa that “I had my brother. When they told Jaime he was not

allowed in the birthing room, he smiled and asked which of them proposed to

keep him out.” (Martin, 1999: 760) Jaime behaves like a husband to Cersei, as

her real husband is not present at the time. This shows his utter commitment to

his sister. Jaime confesses to Catelyn Stark, that he has a relationship with his

twin, while he is being held hostage by the Starks, but what he additionally reveals

is far more interesting. “I’ve never lain with any woman but Cersei” (Martin, 1999:

799) Jaime claims that he has been faithful to Cersei all his life. The man who

charms every woman with his looks, and always shows his arrogant Lannister

side, has always remained true to his one love. If he wanted to, he easily could

have had affairs, but he did not. He is faithful and extremely loyal to the ones he

loves, though he could never show his true colors. After Robert’s death, he even

suggests to Cersei that the two of them could marry. “The Targaryens wed

brother to sister, why shouldn’t we do the same? Marry me, Cersei” (Martin, 2000:

850). This shows that Jaime does not care about image or his role in life, he only

wants to be with his sister, who, of course, denies him his wish, as it would mean

to give up all her power. He already gave up his rightful inheritance for her, but

she is not willing to repay the favor. Considering stereotypical portrayals of men

and women in fantasy literature, Jaime is by far more feminine in his behavior

than Cersei. She is power-hungry, while Jaime wants to be happy, and being with

his sister would make him happy. “My brother, Jaime, thirsts for battle, not for

power. He’s run from every chance he’s had to rule.” (Martin, 2011: 327). This is

how his little brother Tyrion sees him, and he gives a more wisely insight into

Jaime’s thinking than Cersei ever could.

56

Jaime is motivated by love, and this applies not only to Cersei, but also to

his little brother Tyrion. Jaime is the only one in his family who has treated Tyrion

kindly. He feels love for his brother and accepts him for who he is, which

differentiates him from the rest of his family. When Tyrion is accused of killing

King Joffrey, and faces execution because of it, Jaime decides to save him, and

therefore defies his sister (cf. Martin, 2000: 1063f). This proves that Jaime’s love

for Cersei does not completely blind him, at least when it comes to his own family.

Further, it demonstrates that Jaime is, in his heart, a good person who wants to

do the right thing. He considers his dwarf brother to be his true family, unlike any

of the other Lannisters, which renders him to be a truly good person of House

Lannister. Jaime does not care about the things his father cared about, such as

lust for power and the importance of the family lineage. Cersei in comparison

does, causing Jaime to be the more feminine of the twins. In public, he exhibits

his role as the arrogant knight who cannot be challenged by anyone. He is aware

that his comrades and others call him “Kingslayer” (Martin, 1996) as he killed the

mad king Aerys II, although he was sworn to protect him. “Kingslayer”, he

pronounced carefully. “And such a king he was” (Martin, 1999: 796). Jaime did

what he did in order to save King’s Landing and with-it thousands of lives, but he

is only remembered as the one to betray his king. In deciding to kill his king, he

very well knows that it would destroy his reputation, but he still does it, because

it is the right thing to do. This again shows Jaime’s true identity. He is not the

ruthless knight that people see in him, but he is truly good. When asked how he

can still call himself a knight, after he has broken so many vows, he responds:

they make you swear and swear. Defend the king. Obey the king. Keep his secrets. Do his bidding. Your life is his. But obey your father. Love your sister. Protect the innocent. Defend the weak. Respect the gods. Obey the laws. It’s too much. No matter what you do, you’re forsaking one vow or the other.” (Martin, 1999: 796)

His point being, that some of those vows will at some point betray another

one. In his particular case, by protecting the innocent, he betrays and kills his

king.

Jaime exercises his masculinity with his fighting skills. He is proud to be

one of the best fighters in all of Westeros, and this status is obviously part of his

57

identity as a knight and as a man. It is a harrowing moment when this identity is

taken from him. Jaime’s hand is cut off by a sellsword. “Sunlight ran silver along

the edge of the arakh as it came shivering down, almost too fast to see. And

Jaime screamed.” (Martin, 2000: 297). With his hand, his identity as an

unmatched knight, is taken from him. Further, his livelihood, being part of the

Kingsguard, a lifelong commitment, is taken from him as well. With this act, Martin

emasculated Jaime. Moreover, for the first time in Jaime’s life, he is met with pity.

“It was one thing to slay a lion, another to hack his paw off and leave him broken

and bewildered. [Brienne of Tarth]” (Martin, 2005: 98). Then again, the loss of his

hand forces Jaime to look for a new purpose in life, and he does so by undertaking

strategic and political functions at King’s Landing.

Jaime is by far not the black and white character he is made out to be in

the novels. He is portrayed as one of the villains in the first books, and while it

would be not quite correct to call him a hero, he is not a villain either. Jaime is the

perfect example of a well-established character, who cannot be categorized as

good or evil. It fits perfectly well into the world of Westeros, that the character

who is famous for breaking his vows across the realm, is secretly, the most faithful

of them all.

5.3.3.4 Tyrion Lannister

“Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armor yourself in it, and it will

never be used to hurt you.” -Tyrion Lannister (Martin, 1996: 60) Tyrion Lannister is the youngest son of Lord Tywin and the younger brother to

Cersei and Jaime. Born a dwarf, he is the only Lannister character who is not

described as beautiful. He has stubby legs, an oversized head and mismatched

eyes. He is born into the Lannister family, and therefore is given all the

advantages which come with being part of the richest family in Westeros. He

enjoys a good education and has access to the family riches. The importance of

Tyrion is emphasized, by him being the only one of the Lannister family, who is a

point of view character from the beginning. Because he enjoyed the privileges of

being a part of House Lannister, he is expected to conform to his father’s

expectations of leading a life that serves to the Lannister name, and not doing

58

anything that would put shame to the family. Tyrion has a propensity to not do

that. (cf. Martin, 1996) Upon first encountering his character he remarks to Jon

Snow, who is portrayed as the bastard son of Eddard Stark, that “All dwarfs are

bastards in their father’s eyes. […] yet not all bastards need be dwarfs.” (Martin,

1996: 60) This is a wonderful insight into Tyrion’s character. He is comforting a

bastard-born son, by giving him advice at the same time. Tyrion has come to

terms with his own existence. He realizes, that if he wants to succeed in the world

of Westeros, where masculinity and strength seem to be the most important traits

for men, he needs to find his own identity. He does so, by educating himself. “My

mind is my weapon. My brother has his sword, King Robert has his warhammer,

and I have my mind... and a mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if

it is to keep its edge. That’s why I read so much, Jon Snow.” (Martin, 1996: 122).

Tyrion’s way to establish himself in this androcentric system, is his mind. He is

smart, and he keeps outwitting those, who are around him, taking especially

pleasure in outsmarting his sister Cersei. She never liked him and would rather

see him dead than alive, and further, she thinks herself superior to Tyrion in every

aspect, but Tyrion keeps proving that she is not. In A Clash of Kings (1999),

Tyrion proves to be a great strategic mind at the battle at King’s Landing, and

without him, the city would have fallen. (cf. Martin, 1999) But no one gives him

credit for his plan. “What is it you would have of me? Lands, castle, some suffice?

[Tywin] A little bloody gratitude would make a nice start.” (Martin, 2000, 63). All

Tyrion wants, is some recognition of his accomplishments, but he does not get it,

at least not from his immediate family, especially not his father. Tywin seems to

be completely blind to the fact that that Tyrion is, out of his three children, the

most like him, at least when it comes to strategic and political thinking. “Jaime,

sweetling, I have known you since you were a babe at Joanna’s breast. […] but

Tyrion is Tywin’s son, not you. I said so once to your father’s face, and he would

not speak to me for half a year. [Genna Lannister]” (Martin, 2005: 717). Tyrion is

not the son Tywin wanted. He does not conform to the image of a Lannister heir,

who should be tall and handsome, not dwarfed. But by looking only onto what is

on the outside, Tywin completely fails to see the potential his second son has. A

potential that is missing in Jaime. Tyrion is the perfect example why one should

not judge a book by its cover. Yet, people in Westeros seem not to be able to

disregard physical features, even more so, when they are the complete opposite

59

of what is considered to be the norm. Tyrion is by far the smartest Lannister, and

it is also clear, that he does have a hunger for power (cf. Martin, 1999), but on

the inside, all he wants is to be loved.

This notion becomes apparent when looking at Tyrion’s interaction with

women. Tyrion was once married to a young woman named Tysha. This marriage

came to a cruel conclusion, as Tyrion is made to believe that his wife is a

prostitute, paid by his brother Jaime, to play the part of loving Tyrion. (cf. Martin,

2000: 1064) This severe experience convinces Tyrion that the only love he will

ever receive from women, is the one he pays for. (cf. Larsson, 2016: 28) In A

Storm of Swords (2000) it is revealed to Tyrion, that his wife is no prostitute, but

just a low born girl. His father Tywin would not have one of his sons be married

to someone below the Lannister social status. “She was not a whore. I never

bought her for you. That was a lie that Father commanded me to tell. Tysha was

. . . she was what she seemed to be. [Jaime Lannister]” (Martin, 2000: 1064). This

revelation to Tyrion leads to the event of killing his father. Tyrion clearly was in

love with Tysha, and as traumatizing as it was, believing she only married him for

money, the truth is so much more hurtful. Before killing his father, he confronts

him with Tysha. “What did you do to Tysha? […] The girl I married” (Martin, 2000:

1072) It is clear that Tyrion has not overcome this experience, and he would

gladly give up his family for the first kind woman he loved. After finding out that

she is not dead, he begins to look for her. In A Dance with Dragons (2011) he

frequently mentions her. “Tysha might be in there even now, with tears tattooed

upon her cheek.” (Martin, 2011: 336). This devotion is testament for Tyrion’s

notion that he does not care about social standings, like his father does, but he

only cares whether someone loves him or not. Obviously, his first experience of

love has changed him and deeply influences his behavior towards women. In A

Game of Thrones (1996) he buys the company of Shae.

I am a Lannister. Gold I have in plenty, and you’ll find me generous . . . but I’ll want more from you than what you’ve got between your legs, though I’ll want that too. You’ll share my tent, pour my wine, laugh at my jests, rub the ache from my legs after each day’s ride . . . and whether I keep you a day or a year, for so long as we are together you will take no other men into your bed. (Martin, 1996: 623)

60

Tyrion does not buy a prostitute, he buys himself a girlfriend, as, in his

opinion, buying a girlfriend is the only way he will acquire one. He falls in love

with Shae, and it seems that she does too, or at least he hopes she is in love with

him. In the end, this relationship does not end well either, as Shae is forced to

betray him. Tyrion is hurt by her betrayal, and so he strangles her in the end.

““Did you ever like my touch?” “More than anything” she said, “my giant of

Lannister.” That was the worst thing you could have said, sweetling.”” (Martin,

2000: 1071). The words that once were appreciated by him and made him feel

loved, now sound like mockery, as he finds her in his father’s bed. His solution

for this betrayal is to kill her (cf. Martin, 2000: 1071).

Tyrion’s liking for prostitutes is not well received by his father, and Tywin

means to set an end to this behavior by marrying Tyrion to Sansa Stark, a

marriage the two of them do not approve. They do have to get married, but Tyrion,

sensing Sansa’s dislike towards him, chooses to not claim his marital rights, but

he tries to comfort her.

I am malformed, scarred, and small, but […] abed, when the candles are blown out, I am made no worse than other men. In the dark, I am the Knight of Flowers. […] I am generous. Loyal to those who are loyal to me. I’ve proven I’m no craven. And I am cleverer than most, surely wits count for something. I can even be kind. Kindness is not a habit with us Lannisters, I fear, but I know I have some somewhere. I could be... I could be good to you. (Martin, 2000: 392f) As uncomfortable the situation for both of them is, Tyrion appeals to

Sansa’s kindness by emphasizing his own compassion. He is well aware of his

looks, but he points out that character and inner values are much more important

than appearances. He seems a little desperate, but also caring. Sansa and Tyrion

never consummate their marriage, but Tyrion’s kind treatment of her left a mark.

““I am still a maid” “Was the dwarf incapable?” “No. He was only …he was....”

Kind?”” (Martin, 2000: 943). Sansa thinks him kind, while others perceive him not

man enough to perform his marital obligations.

Considering that dwarfs have been used for ridicule, comedic figures or

symbols of evil, Tyrion is quite a remarkable character within the genre of fantasy

fiction. Dwarfs are not usually allowed to develop a full-grown complex character.

Therefore, Tyrion is quite a powerful choice for one of the main characters. Living

in a world in which it is necessary to be able to physically defend oneself, being

61

a dwarf is a huge disadvantage. In the course of the story, Tyrion appears to be

a tragic character, as his father severely dislikes him, for his mother died giving

birth to him, and yet Tyrion does not evoke pity. Due to his actions and behavior,

the character of Tyrion demands a lot of respect from his readers. He does not

fulfill the classic characteristics of what masculinity should be, but he manages to

change the perception of it (cf. Larsson, 2016: 28).

In his case, Martin toys with the convention of what a true male hero should

look like. Instead of Jaime becoming the hero of the Lannisters, he chooses the

malformed little dwarf with the great character to be the main focalizer of the

family, thus giving a new definition of masculinity in fantasy fiction. “When he

opened the door, the light from within threw his shadow clear across the yard,

and for just a moment Tyrion Lannister stood tall as a king.” (Martin, 1996: 60).

5.3.4 House Stark

“Winter is Coming” (Martin, 1996: 67)

After the unification of the Seven Kingdoms, following the events of Torrhen Stark

bending the knee to the Targaryen king, House Stark was named the Wardens

of the North. Thus, House Stark became one of the Great Houses of Westeros,

giving up their status as Kings of the North, by pleading loyalty to House

Targaryen, an act which was never completely forgiven by the people of the north.

Their seat is the greatest castle in the north, Winterfell, which is said to have been

built by Brandon the Builder, after a generation long winter known as the Long

Night. House Stark has a strong connection to the north, as they are believed to

be descendants of the First Men, and is one of the remaining Houses of Westeros

praying to the Old Gods. Their House motto “Winter is coming” is one of the few

mottos not praising the House tradition, but rather serves as a warning. (cf. Martin

et al, 2014: pos. 4053ff). The physical features of the Stark family members are

described as having a long face, lean figure, dark brown hair and grey eyes. Their

family sigil depicts a direwolf on a white field. The Stark family members are the

main focalizers of the first novel in the series A Song of Ice and Fire. Eddard

Stark, Lord of Winterfell, is the main character of A Game of Thrones (1996).

House Stark quickly adapted to the harsh living conditions in the north and

62

provided other families and their bannermen with food provisions. Ruling over

them and enforcing the law, House Stark has become one of the most beloved

Houses of the Seven Kingdoms. They perform their duties with a fair but strong

hand, while remaining honorable. This honor eventually becomes their Achilles

heel.

5.3.4.1 Eddard Stark

“The blood of the First Men still flows in the veins of the Starks, and we hold to the belief that the man who passes the sentence should swing the

sword. If you would take a man’s life, you owe it to him to look into his eyes and hear his final words. And if you cannot bear to do that, then perhaps the man

does not deserve to die.” - Eddard Stark (Martin, 1996: 23f)

Lord Eddard Stark is the head of House Stark and the Lord of Winterfell, and

therefore Warden of the North. Eddard was only the second son of his father, and

thus he was not supposed to inherit his father’s title and estates, but due to the

death of both, his father and his older brother Brandon, he became the heir of

Winterfell. Not only did he inherit the title Warden of the North, but also his

brother’s betrothed, Catelyn Tully, who he married in order to maintain an alliance

with House Tully. Lord Eddard is the major point of view character in A Game of

Thrones (1996), as he is given a total of 15 chapters in the novel, more than any

other focalizer, making him the main hero of the first book (cf. Martin, 1996).

Eddard is described as being less handsome and shorter than his brother

Brandon, but with a “good sweet heart beneath [his] solemn face” (Martin, 2000:

624). Eddard is the only main character in A Song of Ice and Fire whose sole

motivation is his untiring sense of honor. This honor eventually results in his death

(cf. Martin, 1996).

Eddard is introduced as the Warden of the North, who leads the north with

a firm but fair hand. He is devoted to his family and his wife, who he deeply loves.

He is content with his position and he has no desire to leave his home, not even

for power, but he is not allowed to remain there. King Robert I. recruits him as

Hand of the King and he has to leave for King’s Landing. As Hand of the King he

takes the position of the second most powerful man in Westeros, though he does

so reluctantly. This decision leads to his downfall, as it becomes apparent that

Eddard does not do well in the world of politics. A testament to his honor bound

63

character becomes his dealing with Cersei, upon learning the truth about Robert’s

children’s true identity. He gives her the chance to go into exile. “When the king

returns from his hunt, I intend to lay the truth before him. You must be gone by

then. You and your children, all three, and not to Casterly Rock.” (Martin, 1996:

452). Eddard wants to give Cersei and her children a chance to survive. Upon

learning the truth, he knows that the king would kill all four of them. This action

speaks to his honor as a father. He is not willing to sacrifice the lives of three

innocent children, even if they are the product of incest. This is the third time

Eddard opposes the killing of children. The first time occurs after Robert’s

Rebellion, when he is contrary to the event of killing the offspring of Prince

Rhaegar. ““When he had protested that the young prince and princess were no

more than babes, his new-made king had replied “Is see no babes. Only

dragonspawn.” Ned had named that murder; Robert called it war”” (Martin, 1996:

112). Eddard also defies the king, when Robert wants to assassinate Daenerys

Targaryen. ““Nonetheless,” Ned said, “the murder of children…it would be

vile…unspeakable…”” (Martin, 1996: 113). In Eddard’s eyes, the murder of

innocent children is nothing a rightful king should contemplate. As he would never

commit such a crime, especially not via assassination. He believes “that the man

who passes the sentence should swing the sword. […] you owe it to him to look

into his eyes and hear his final words. And if you cannot bear to do that, then

perhaps the man does not deserve to die.” (Martin, 1996: 23f). Robert’s plan, to

assassinate the Targaryen children, is not congruent with Eddard’s notion of what

is honorable. Maybe it is this knowledge of Robert’ temper, which leads Eddard

to the decision to warn Cersei before he tells him the truth. He does not defend

Cersei’s actions, but he is not willing to be the one responsible for the deaths of

children. By giving Cersei the option of leaving, he transfers the responsibility for

the children’s fate to her, while simultaneously signing his own death sentence.

He underestimates Cersei’s lust for power, as he has none himself, and therefore,

he did not reckon with her not leaving, but planning the king’s death instead.

Eddard is not good at playing the game of thrones, as he is not in it for power,

but for the good of the realm. He is a truly just man who will not compromise his

honor for anything. “You are an honest and honorable man, Lord Eddard. […] I

[Lord Varys] have met so few of them in my life. […] When I see what honesty

and honor have won you, I understand why.” (Martin, 1996: 580). His honor and

64

rightful behavior have made him a beloved Warden of the North, but he has no

place, and no friends in King’s Landing, surrounded by people whose only

motivation is to gain more power, no matter the cost.

It is not completely truthful that Eddard would not compromise his honor

for anything, as he has done it once, to protect his family. Lord Eddard

supposedly fathered a bastard during the events of Robert’s Rebellion. His wife

never truly forgives him for bringing back a child from another woman. She is

never able to love Jon Snow like one of her own. It seems odd that he would

betray his wife, as it appears to be something Robert would do, but not Eddard.

It is not yet revealed in the books, but it is almost a certainty, that Jon is not truly

Eddard’s son, but his nephew. Jon is believed to be the son of Lyanna Stark and

Rhaegar Targaryen, and Eddard is protecting and raising him as his own. He

knows, if Robert would have been aware of Jon’s true identity, he would have

killed him. He makes the choice of pretending to have fathered a bastard, rather

than sacrificing the child of his beloved sister. He stains his own reputation in

order to protect the one of Lyanna. “Promise me, Ned.” (Martin, 1996: 47) are the

last words of Lyanna. And promise he did, and he has kept his word ever since.

Eddard is one of the very few characters in the books series, who does not want

to be on the Iron Throne, nor even desires to be in a place of power. All he

requires, is to live his life in the north, with his family and his bannermen. Going

to King’s Landing meant dealing with people who did not share his notion of

honor. In the end, his conviction to do the right thing, is his downfall. George R.R.

Martin decided to kill the one truly honorable character at the end of A Game of

Thrones (1996), which is reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960) in

which the main character was killed off thirty minutes into the movie (cf. Kapp,

2014 :112). The character of Lord Eddard Stark evokes the image of the classic

male knight of chivalric romance. He is the good, honorable main character, who

goes on a quest to King’s Landing. The reader is certain that Eddard will be part

of the story for a long time, but Martin, by killing off his male lead, breaks literary

conventions, shocks the reader and establishes the fact, that an honorable

chivalric knight has no place in the world of Westeros. It seems, the ones who

are ruthless and are willing to do anything for their power, succeed in their

endeavors.

65

5.3.4.2 Catelyn Stark

“I want to weep, she thought. I want to be comforted. I'm so tired of being strong. I want to be foolish and frightened for once. Just for a small while, that's

all … a day … an hour” – Catelyn Stark (Martin 1999, 334)

Catelyn Stark, born Tully, is the wife of Lord Eddard Stark and therefore Lady of

Winterfell. They have five children together, namely Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran and

Rickon. Catelyn is a beautiful woman with brown hair and blue eyes. When it

comes to her family, she is a fiercely protective mother, but she tends to follow

her heart rather than her head. She marries Eddard, after her first fiancée,

Brandon Stark, was murdered by the mad king, Aerys II. She was in love with

Brandon, but she grows to love Eddard as well, after she finds the “good sweet

heart beneath Eddard’s solemn face” (Martin, 2000: 624) Even after marrying her

husband, Catelyn keeps her independency, as she never abandons her own

house’s religion in favor of the Old Gods of House Stark, a decision which her

husband respects. Catelyn is allowed to keep her own identity and without having

had to sacrifice her own family’s traditions. Moreover, she still lives by her old

house motto Family, Duty Honor, thus putting family first. Eddard does trust his

wife, and he entrusts her with Winterfell when he has to leave for King’s Landing

(cf. Martin, 1996). Though Catelyn seems to be quite emancipated, she sees her

main duty in providing children for her husband.

Ned rolled off and climbed from her bed, as he had a thousand times before. […] Her loins still ached from the urgency of his lovemaking. It was a good ache. She could feel his seed within her. She prayed that it might quicken there. It had been three years since Rickon. She was not too old. She could give him another son. (Martin, 1996: 61)

Catelyn wants to give Eddard another baby, being not too old. It is

interesting though, that in her thoughts she favors the birth of another son, as

opposed to another child. This emphasizes that sons are more worth than

daughters, even in the eyes of their mother. This reflects upon the androcentric

system within Westerosi families. Sons are more appreciated than daughters, as

they are the ones who can serve as the heir to a family and carry on the family

name. This notion indoctrinates the minds of men and women alike. Wives want

to fulfill their duties by providing male heirs, which usually puts a lot of pressure

66

on these women. Catelyn does not feel this pressure, as she has already birthed

three sons, and fulfilled her womanly duties. She serves as the representation of

the mother character in the novels, who would do anything to protect her family,

especially her own children. Though, she could never bring herself to truly accept

her husband’s illegitimate son. “She had come to love her husband with all her

heart, but she had never found it in her to love Jon.” (Martin, 1996: 68) Jon is

living proof that Eddard betrayed her, and the fact that he remains in Winterfell,

being raised among her own children, does hurt her. He is a constant reminder

to Catelyn that she did not suffice as a woman to Eddard. According to herself

“he looked more like Ned than any of the trueborn sons she bore him.” (Martin,

1996: 68). This might be a projection on Catelyn’s part, as it is likely that Eddard

is not Jon’s father. Yet, this quote highlights her feeling inadequate when looking

at Jon, thinking that another woman produced more of a son to Eddard than she

herself was able to do. This is of course not supported by Eddard’s behavior

towards Catelyn, but it shows her insecurity even in her position, as the wife of a

high lord. She finds her true calling in protecting her own children, even sacrificing

her life in order to so. This is explicitly shown in A Game of Thrones (1996) as

she fights off a man with her bare hands, who tries to kill her son Brandon. “Her

fingers were slippery with blood, but she would not let go of the dagger” (Martin,

1996: 131). Risking her own life, she manages to protect her child from a

murderer, which enforces her portrayal of a fierce mother. She urges Eddard to

not refuse the offer of becoming the Hand of the King, by pleading for the safety

of their children. “If you refuse to serve him, he will wonder why, […] Can’t you

see the danger that would put us in?” (Martin, 1996: 61) This moment between

Eddard and Catelyn exposes the strength of their relationship, as she is asked

for her advice by her husband, thus he acknowledges her as his equal. Moreover,

the scene depicts the love Catelyn bears for her children. She chooses to rather

not have her husband by her side, if this means securing the safety of their

offspring (cf. Jones, 2012:17). She continues to fight for her children throughout

the books. After Eddard’s death, she wants to do everything possible to safe her

daughters from Cersei. She is pleading with her son Robb, who has become the

King of the North by then, to trade Jaime Lannister, a hostage at the time, for the

two girls, but her son refuses. ““I might have been able to trade the Kingslayer for

Father, but …” “…but not for the girls? […] Girls are not important enough, are

67

they?”” (Martin, 1999: 114) Although Catelyn realizes that Robb’s hands are tied,

she is angry with her son because she loves her daughters and she wants to

rescue them, as any mother would. It is not in his power to rescue his sisters, as

the bannermen who follow him would not understand why he would give up a

valuable prisoner for two girls. (cf. Martin, 1999: 114) This is another example of

what social standing and value, girls and women hold in the world of Westeros.

Yet, Catelyn decides to free Jaime herself to save her daughters, defying the

androcentric system and her son. “Swear that you will compel your brother to

honor his pledge to return my daughters safe and unharmed.” (Martin, 2000: 20)

She chooses her daughters over her son, but from a mother’s perspective, at this

point her two daughters are in danger, while her son remains safe. It further

emphasizes that Catelyn, like any mother, does not differentiate between her

male and her female children. All of them are her blood, regardless of their

gender.

There are a few similarities between Catelyn and the second mother in the

novels, namely Cersei. Both of them raised sons who ended up with the title king.

While Cersei raised a cruel and selfish son, Catelyn raised Robb to be wise and

just. Yet in both cases, the two sons, after claiming the power which comes with

a kingship, choose to ignore their mothers afterwards, and do not concern

themselves with their council. Catelyn and Cersei are the two most powerful

women in Westeros, but by name only. They are overshadowed and dominated

by their male children. While Cersei decides to follow her own agenda, Catelyn

is strong for her family and her children, however, she is fallible when it comes to

their safety and wellbeing. She is far from perfect, but she could be labelled a

mother hosting a warrior spirit, fighting for the ones she loves (cf. Jones, 2012:

17). In the end, she meets her own death, knowing that she failed protecting her

children and, as far as she knows, all of them are dead. “Our children, Ned, all

our sweet babes. Rickon, Bran, Arya, Sansa, Robb […] please Ned, please, make

it stop hurting.” (Martin, 2000: 704). In her eyes, she failed in her most important

task: Ensuring the safety of her children.

68

5.3.4.3 Sansa Stark

“There are no heroes […] In life, the monsters win” – Sansa Stark (Martin, 1996: 681)

Sansa Stark is the oldest daughter of Lord Eddard Stark and his wife Catelyn.

Sansa, matching the beauty of her mother, truly wants to be a lady and a princess.

She enjoys being tutored by her Septa in traditional womanly activities, such as

dancing and sewing. She is the perfect girly girl as “she did everything prettily”

(Martin, 1996: 72). Sansa represents the essence of a chivalric princess. The

notion that she wants “things to be nice and pretty, the way they were in the

songs.” (Martin, 1996: 141) is the sort of idealism that causes characters misery

in A Song of Ice and Fire. Accordingly, Sansa’s misconceptions, concerning

Joffrey, eventually result in her betraying her father before his death. Her

character is reminiscent of classic female stereotypes in fantasy novels, who

passively await the men’s return from battle or being rescued by said men (cf.

Jones, 2012: 17). Sansa fits the archetype of a fairy tale princess or ingénue.

Those innocents have the believe that they will be cared for by the universe and

or other people, because they think themselves special and deserving. In the

beginning, Sansa is unthreatening and a passive character, who wants to

accommodate others and expects to be saved in return (Frankel, 2014: pos.

1626). But opposed to the fairy tale princesses, Sansa does not get rescued, but

is forced to awaken to the harsh reality surrounding her. She has to acknowledge

the fact, that reality, is far viler than the one in the songs and fairy tales. Her story

is a coming of age plotline, as Sansa is forced to leave her childhood innocence

behind. Starting out as the perfect young girl, even naming her direwolf Lady, she

slowly realizes, that she has to be strong in order to survive the patriarchal system

of Westeros (cf. Jones, 2012: 17). When she is introduced, Sansa is portrayed

as a girl who is naïve and who trusts superficial beauty and social status, rather

than actual character. She is charmed by Joffrey’s appearance and is not able to

see beyond his looks. She is thrilled that she is going to be his wife, because he

fulfills her concept of the perfect handsome prince. Her devotion to him goes so

far, that instead of protecting her sister Arya, she lies for him, because her

allegiance lies with the prince she fancies. This action is immediately punished,

as her direwolf Lady is executed (cf. Martin, 1996: 152ff), and with the wolf, her

69

belief, that all princes are perfect, dies as well (cf. Frankel, 2014: pos. 1758).

According to Valerie Estelle Frankel (2014: pos. 1758), Sansa’s direwolf

represents her “inner magic and fierceness”, which is forced to diminish very early

in the story. However, her infatuation with Joffrey holds, until her perfect little

prince calls for her father’s head. “The girl was wet with love. She would have

done anything for Joffrey, until he cut off her father’s head and called it mercy.

[Cersei Lannister]” (Martin, 1999: 59). At this very moment, Sansa loses her

childish love for Joffrey and her feelings for him are replaced with disgust. (cf.

Jones, 2012: 18) In her perception, he changes, from him being handsome, to

him having an “ugly face” (Martin, 1996: 681). Immediately after the beheading

of her father, she wishes that “some hero would throw him down and cut off his

head. But a voice inside her whispered, There are no heroes,” (Martin, 1996:

681). This serves to show that her education and her notion of what a woman

should or can do, are carved into her identity. She wishes to actively hurt him, but

at the same time hopes for a man to do her bidding. She still anticipates for a

prince to come and save her. Deep inside her, she still wants life to be a song,

though she grows stronger. At the end of A Game of Thrones (1996) there is a

moment when she considers throwing Joffrey over a parapet, even if it means

she would go down with him. “Do it right now. It wouldn’t even matter if she went

over with him. It wouldn’t matter at all.” (Martin, 1996: 685). Her intentions reveal

the evolution of Sansa’s character. She is changing from a passive good girl into

a young woman, who considers active self-sacrifice to take revenge. She is

starting to take matters into her own hands, or at least, she is contemplating it. It

takes a little longer, before she actually becomes an active character. For now,

Sansa starts wearing a mask, realizing that if she is to keep her head, she has to

deceive Joffrey and everyone at court. This is what differs the character of Sansa

from the typical ingénue, as those stereotypes would not be able to accomplish

such a feat (cf. Jones, 2012: 18).

Although Sansa’s eyes are opened concerning Joffrey, she later on falls

again for the Prince of Flowers, Loras Tyrell, based on his looks. Almost every

other character in the books seems to realize that Loras would make a bad

husband, as he prefers the company of men, Sansa is smitten. She sees in him

her true prince that finally came to rescue her from a horrible situation. Of course,

her romantic perspective is destroyed as she is forced to marry Tyrion Lannister.

70

Both of them are opposed to the wedding and he even offers to refuse to marry

her, as she then could marry Lancel Lannister. “I don’t want any Lannister, I want

Willas […] and sons named Eddard and Bran and Rickon.” (Martin; 2000: 385)

This quote emphasizes Sansa’s hatred for the Lannisters and therefore is literally

blind to Tyrion’s kindness. The fact that she only thinks of sons, also shows that

Sansa still believes the proper part of a woman in the androcentric system of

Westeros, is bearing sons. Sansa and Tyrion get married, but she gets one

moment of defiance during the wedding. Tyrion is supposed to cloak her, but as

a dwarf he is not able to do so without her kneeling. Sansa refuses, forcing Tyrion

to step onto a fool in order to complete the ritual.

He wants me to kneel […] I was not supposed to be this way. She had dreamed of her wedding a thousand times, and always she had pictured how her betrothed would stand behind her tall and strong, sweep the cloak of his protection over her shoulders, and tenderly kiss her cheek as he leaned forward to fasten the clasp. […] I won’t. Why should I spare his feelings, when no one cares about mine? (Martin,2000: 386) This one moment of defiance gives Sansa the first chance to stand up for

herself. By refusing to kneel, she is demonstrating that she is not agreeing to this

wedding, and although she cannot stop it, she is not going to make it easier for

anyone. She chooses to protest this alliance by refusing to participate in it,

therefore enjoying one little moment of empowerment and strength. This

marriage causes Sansa to surrender her childhood dreams of wedding a

handsome young prince who is able to protect her. Tyrion, not being able to cloak

her properly, leads her to the conclusion that he will not be able to protect her,

either. Tyrion does shield her though, by not forcing her to physically consummate

the marriage. He does not want to completely destroy her spirit (cf. Frankel, 2014:

pos.1821). Out of all the point of view characters in A Song of Ice and Fire, Sansa

is probably the weakest of them all, at least in the beginning, but she starts to

transform from a romantic ingénue hoping for her prince, into a woman who has

been taught by reality, that live is not like a song or a story, but it is cruel and she

has to adapt, if she wants to survive.

71

5.3.4.4 Arya Stark

“Swift as a deer. Quiet as a shadow. Fear cuts deeper than swords.

Quick as a snake. Calm as still water. Fear cuts deeper than swords. Strong as a bear. Fierce as a wolverine. Fear cuts deeper than swords. The man who fears losing has already lost. Fear cuts deeper than swords.” – Arya Stark

(Martin, 1996: 495)

Arya Stark is the youngest daughter of Lord Eddard and Catelyn Stark. She is

introduced to the reader as a tomboy. She looks like her father, as she has a long

face and grey eyes. As opposed to her sister, Arya is considered to be plain, and

is often mistaken for a boy, but sometimes she is compared to her late aunt

Lyanna, who was beautiful. Arya’s direwolf is named Nymeria, after a warrior

queen (cf. Martin, 1996). Like Sansa’s direwolf, Arya’s is also her spirit animal,

and by naming her direwolf Nymeria, she is foreshadowing her own path.

Arya is the opposite of Sansa in every way. While Sansa is the chivalric

embodiment of traditional feminine roles, Arya conforms more to a modern

feminist standard for women. She actively fights for equality among boys and girls

and she is not interested in being a lady, but rather wants to be allowed to do

what men do (cf. Jones, 2012: 18). The “one thing Arya could do better than her

sister was ride a horse. Well, that and manage a household. Sansa had never

had much of a head for figures.” (Martin, 1996: 73). This description of Arya

establishes her being associated with masculine traits, such as riding and math,

both things connected to boys, rather than girls. At the same time, Arya is

incompetent concerning everything feminine. Her yearning for doing male

activities is not always received well by her family, especially not by Sansa, but

not even by her father. Eddard does realize that Arya is not like Sansa in any

way, but he still wants to push her into female roles (cf. Jones,2012: 18). He

thinks it an “impossible task of making [her] a lady.” (Martin, 1996: 212), to which

Arya replies that she does not want to be one. Arya does have a clear grasp of

who she is and she does not want to pretend to be someone else.

Jon Snow is the only one in the family who truly accepts Arya’s personality.

This becomes apparent when he gives her a skinny sword as a goodbye gift,

which he had especially made for her. ““First lesson,” Jon said. “Stick them with

the pointy end.” (Martin, 1996: 98). This lesson will prove most convenient in

Arya’s future. In a world where empowered women such as Cersei or Catelyn are

72

not allowed to carry a sword, little Arya now has one. This is empowering in itself,

but she has to keep it a secret, which makes it even more exciting. Jon and Arya

do have a special relationship. They bond over their similar looks, both having

the Stark’s long face, and both of them feel left out, though due to different

reasons. ““The woman is important too!” Arya protested. […] Besides, if a girl

can’t fight, why should she have a coat of arms?” Jon shrugged. “Girls get the

arms but not the swords. Bastards get the swords but not the arms.”” (Martin,

1996:75) By drawing this comparison, the similarities between the discrimination

of women and bastards is demonstrated. Both of them find themselves as

outcasts in society. The way Arya treats Jon is one reason why she is such a

loveable character. She loves Jon and sees him as her brother, not caring about

the fact that they do not share the same mother, as opposed to her sister Sansa.

Also, unlike Sansa, Arya has no illusions about life. Neither does she judge

people based on their looks or social standing. She does not discriminate against

others, unless their actions ask for it. Thus, Arya immediately dislikes Joffrey and

Cersei, as she thinks them cruel (cf. Jones, 2012: 18). Her father does accept

Arya’s true personality eventually. When he finds her sword, he does not take it

away from her, but arranges for sword lessons. (cf. Martin, 1996: 214) Arya is

excited, but annoyed when her new “dancing master” calls her boy. ““It was the

third time he had called her “boy”. “I am a girl,” Arya objected.”” (Martin, 1996:

215). All the desire to be able to learn the things a boy is allowed to learn, Arya

is not willing to deny her gender. She is more than once mistaken for a boy, but

she always corrects the ones who do not recognize her as a girl (cf. Jones, 2012:

18). As much as she wants to behave and be treated like a boy, she does not

actually want to be one. She only wants equality. Still, her dancing master

responds to her correction: ““Boy, girl, “Syrio Forel said. “You are a sword, that is

all.”” (Martin, 1996: 215). According to Rebecca Jones (2012: 19) aforementioned

statement serves to emphasize that gender “does not matter in reality, so it

should not matter in society”. Arya is the perfect equalizer to Sansa’s extreme

femininity, as she is a girl who relishes in masculine activities and shudders at

the perspective of being married off at some point. Yet, no matter how much she

enjoys fighting and riding, she never compromises her own femininity, until it

becomes necessary for her survival. After her father’s death, she escapes King’s

Landing with the help on one of her father’s friends from the Night’s Watch. He

73

cuts her hair and keeps calling her boy. ““I’m not-” she started. […] “- not a smart

boy, that what you mean to say?”” (Martin, 1996: 666). Arya realizes at that point,

that from now on she truly has to become a boy, in order to survive, according to

stereotypical warrior woman manner. (cf. Jones, 2012: 19).

The warrior woman is another stereotype in fantasy literature. She is

usually career driven, not married, without children and she is entirely

independent, as well as seemingly immune to romantic feelings. Such a woman

casts aside her feminine qualities (cf. Frankel, 2014: pos 762), and so does Arya

at the end of A Game of Thrones (1996).

In her case, the disguise as a boy is necessary, because otherwise she would be

the subject of rape or being killed. She further is in danger of being captured, as

she would be a political pawn. At first it seems that Arya’s new identity as Arry is

determined by others, but Arya starts to thrive. She is seen as a boy and finally

can act like one (cf. Frankel, 2014: pos. 794). While Sansa’s direwolf was killed,

and with it, Sansa’s spirit, Arya’s direwolf lives in the woods. “They say the pack

is led by a monstrous she-wolf […]no trap nor snare can hold her, that she fears

neither steel nor fire, slays any wolf that tries to mount her and devours no other

flesh but men. [Septon Meribald]” (Martin, 2005: 531-32). The life of Nymeria

mirrors Arya’s, as she begins to plot revenging her family and becomes a killer

herself. She is determined to succeed in killing everyone on her list, without

anybody knowing her identity, thus she leaves for Braavos, to become one of the

Faceless Men. She is accepted by the House of Black and White to become a

trained assassin. Arya has to abandon her old personality, including her

belongings, but far more important, she has to give up her identity, boy or girl. (cf.

Martin, 2005). Arya has completely transformed into a warrior woman, without

friends or family, only left with her quest to kill her enemies. In the books, she has

arrived at a point, where she becomes more like the Faceless Men, who are

shadows in the world rather than active players in the game of thrones. (cf.

Frankel, 2014: pos. 813) Arya deserts her femininity, but her masculinity as well.

She has to become no one, in order to reach her goals. The storyline of Arya

renders physical gender completely irrelevant for her goals. In the House of Black

and White, the notion of shedding one’s identity, seems to be the most important

goal. Yet, Arya’s conviction, to becoming a Faceless Man, is not strong enough

to make her forget who she truly is.

74

““Who are you? He would ask her every day. “No one,” she would answer

[…] but not for true, not in her heart of hearts. In there she was Arya of Winterfell,

the daughter of Lord Eddard Stark and Lady Catelyn […] In there she was

someone…but that was not the answer that he wanted.”” (Martin, 2005: 446).

Arya remains faithful to her true identity, which she is not willing to abandon. She

is Arya of Winterfell, a girl, who is able to fight and protect herself. A warrior

woman who does not need a man. Further, Arya’s plotline seems to convey that

gender does not comprise one’s identity.

5.3.5 House Targaryen

“Fire and Blood” (Martin, 1996: 756)

House Targaryen is the only one of the Great Houses of Westeros which

descends from the high lords of Valyria. The Targaryens are said to be the “blood

of the dragon” (Martin, 1996: 364), as their ancestors were able to domesticate

real dragons. Their physical features are described by some as almost inhuman

as they are beautiful with violet or indigo eyes and platinum white hair. The sigil

of the House portrays a three-headed dragon and their house motto says “Fire

and Blood” (cf. Martin, 1996, 756). House Targaryen was the only one surviving

the Doom of Valyria, as they fled their home before it was destroyed. Ancestors

of Aegon I. escaped the Doom of Valyria by fleeing to Dragonstone, an island in

the narrow sea. After the fall of Valyria, Aegon, his two sisters and their dragons,

set sail to conquer the Seven Kingdoms, which they did and therefore started the

reign of the Targaryen dynasty, which fell after Robert’s Rebellion. In order to

preserve their purity of blood, House Targaryen furthered the Valyrian tradition of

marrying brothers and sisters. Aegon himself, married his two sisters and had

children with both of them. Over time, the dragons of House Targaryen became

extinct, but their rule was never challenged. Their reign over the Seven Kingdoms

ended after the death of Aerys II. It had lasted for nearly 300 years. During

Robert’s rebellion, all the family members of House Targaryen were killed except

for two of Aerys’ children, namely Viserys and Daenerys Targaryen. Allegedly,

one of his grandchildren is also still alive. (cf. Martin, 1996, 756f)

75

5.3.5.1 Daenerys Targaryen

“I am khaleesi, heir to the seven Kindgoms, the blood of the dragon […] It is not for you to tell me what I cannot do” – Daenerys Targaryen (Martin, 1996:

613)

Princess Daenerys Targaryen, one of the last remaining family members of

House Targaryen, is the younger sister of Viserys Targaryen and youngest child

of the late King Aerys II. Her appearance is in accordance with the typical Valerian

features. She has violet eyes and pale skin, with long silvery hair. (cf. Martin,

1996) She is one of the major point of view characters in A Song of Ice and Fire.

After their father was killed, Daenerys and her brother were forced to flee

into exile. She grew up with her brother Viserys, who constantly reminds her that

they have to return home and claim their right to the Iron Throne. He is trying to

acquire an army, and in order to do so, he is plotting to sell Daenerys into

marriage. “I’d let his whole khalasar fuck you if need be, sweet sister, all forty

thousand men, and their horses too if that was what it took to get my army.”

(Martin, 1996: 43). Daenerys is dominated by her brother in every way. He sees

her as his means to reach his goals and he does not consider her feelings. This

trade of women for male purposes does occur frequently throughout the novels,

as for “women, definition comes through abduction, forced marriage and rape.”

(Jones, 2012: 19). She is sold to Khal Drogo, a leader of the Dothraki people, and

consequently pushed into the stereotypical female role of being a wife in a male

dominated world. The two of them get married, and although in the novel their

first intercourse seems to be consensual, the continuing physical relationship

between the two of them, becomes more violent. “Yet every night […] Drogo

would come to her tent and wake her in the dark, to ride her as relentlessly as he

rode his stallion.” (Martin, 1996: 218). Her only purpose seems to be to fulfill her

husband’s sexual needs and to bear his children. However, Daenerys is provided

with a source of empowerment and strength, her dragon eggs. In the novel A

Game of Thrones (1996), she has frequent dreams about her eggs and the

dragons inside them, whose fire burns and strengthens, as well as purifies her

(cf. Martin, 1996: 218). Those dreams provide her with the power she needs to

endure her current life, but also give her the strength to actively change her

situation. She grows more accustomed to the way of living of the khalasar,

76

adapting to their lifestyle. Her brother does not. Her first act of rebellion goes

against her own brother. She slaps him after he hurts her, and she further shames

him, as she takes away his horse and forces him to walk. In this moment, she

realizes that she is fiercer than her brother and that he is no “true dragon” (Martin,

1996: 222f). Her true emancipation though, follows the next night. She does not

allow Drogo to take her like every night, but she leads her husband outside and

mounts him, instead of the other way around. “She rode him as fiercely as ever

she had ridden her silver, and when the moment his pleasure came, Khal Drogo

called out her name.” (Martin, 1996: 226). By taking charge of her own sexuality

and dominating Drogo, as opposed to him dominating her, she feels empowered

for the first time. Through this act of empowerment, she finds her true self and

her strength as a woman. She grows bold, accepts her role as khaleesi, she loses

her fear of her brother, and moreover, the relationship between her and Drogo

becomes a loving one (cf. Jones, 2012: 19). Her falling in love with Drogo could

be seen as problematic from a feministic point of view. She is only thirteen at this

point, and she did not originally consent to their wedding, less even so to the

sexual acts happening within their marriage, and yet, she falls in love with him.

(cf. Frankel, 2014: pos. 2492). She trades a brother who oppresses her, for a

husband who initially dominates her, but comes to love her. She grows fiercer

with every day and takes pride in being the khaleesi of a khalasar. The khalasar

are a tribe of raiders and pillagers, raping women and killing men for sport.

Daenerys does not conform to this tradition and she actively tries to prevent the

men of her khalasar to rape women. On one particular occasion, she claims, after

a successful raid, all the women for herself.

“You cannot claim them all, child,” Ser Jorah said the fourth time they stopped, while the warriors of her khas herded her new slaves behind her. “I am khaleesi, heir to the seven Kingdoms, the blood of the dragon,” Dany reminded him. “It is not for you to tell me what I cannot do” (Martin, 1996: 612)

In this very moment, Daenerys does not only assert her power and

authority over her own men of the khalasar, but Ser Jorah alike. She is truly

emancipated in this instant, fighting for other women. A few moments later

though, her husband Drogo claims credit for her fierceness. “It is my son inside

her, the stallion who mounts the world, filling her with his fire.” (Martin, 1996: 614).

77

He attributes her newly found strength to her being pregnant with a son,

simultaneously Drogo denies her womanly power of her own. This action belittles

Daenerys’ strength. Her actions of defiance are credited to another man, rather

than herself (cf. Jones, 2012: 19). Daenerys’ true emancipation takes place after

she loses her husband and her son. After Drogo’s death, she is abandoned by

the khalasar, as their male leader is dead, and her status as khaleesi only holds

as long her husband is alive. On her own, she is nothing to them, because she is

a woman. Daenerys decides to burn Drogo’s corpse, with him her dragon eggs

and herself. “She was naked, covered with soot, her clothes turned to ash, her

beautiful hair all crisped away …yet she was unhurt.” (Martin, 1996: 735).

Daenerys walked into the fire as a woman who has lost her family, and she came

out of the flames as the mother of dragons, and the first female leader of the

remainders of a khalasar. “Dany had only to look at their eyes to know that they

were hers now, today and tomorrow and forever, hers as they had never been

Drogo’s.” (Martin, 1996: 735). Daenerys has lost all of her shackles made by men.

She first had to defy her brother, had to win the love of Drogo, but now she was

her own. From this point on, Daenerys is the most independent woman in the

novels. She “wakes the eggs, turning them and herself from potential sources of

power to living, fiery ones prepared to reclaim her royal birthright.” (Frankel, 2014:

pos.2563). Her three dragons have awoken her emancipated feministic side and

thirst for power. She will never be dominated by men again. She changes from

wife and potential mother, to become a powerful conqueror queen. Daenerys is

the only female character in A Song of Ice and Fire who cannot be defined by a

single literature archetype. She starts her journey in the novels as a child bride

who is defenseless, but she evolves into a warrior woman, and finally, a

conqueror queen. She does embody the role of a mother for her dragons, and for

the people under her protection. She is a very well-rounded character and not

just the stereotype of the pretty princess (cf. Frankel, 2014: pos. 2656). She is

expecting to be rescued, but she saves herself. She does compete with her male

pendants, Stannis or Joffrey, but as opposed to her male competitors, Daenerys

decides to win her people over, not by force, but by freeing slaves and becoming

their mother. She uses her charm to warm people to the idea of a queen, but she

also cautions people that she is the last dragon, and she can be dangerous.

Daenerys takes the place of a man in a man’s world by leading with the charms

78

of a woman. A woman with dragons. They are her identity. They remind her that

she is a Targaryen, the blood of the dragon runs through her veins, therefore she

has to be fierce.

“I am the blood of the dragon, she thought. If they are monsters, so am I.”

(Martin, 2011: 185). According to Tasker and Steenberg (2016: 188), Daenerys

is portrayed in many ways as a Lady-Object, surrounded by chivalry and courtly

love. She is no such person, as she exercises considerable power and shows

herself to be willing to commit violence against those who disobey her.

5.3.5.2 Viserys Targaryen

“That was all I wanted,” he said. “What was promised. “– Viserys Targaryen (Martin, 1996: 462)

Viserys is the oldest living son of Aerys II. Like his sister, he had to flee into exile

after their father’s death. He sees himself as the rightful heir of the Iron Throne,

and he calls himself “Viserys of the House Targaryen, the Third of His Name, […]

King of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven

Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm” (Martin, 1996: 41). To the rest of the world

he is known as the “beggar king” (Martin, 1996: 114). Like his sister, Viserys looks

like a true Targaryen, with lilac eyes and silvery hair. He is a living representation

of the patriarchic system. He is selfish and thinks himself entitled to be king, but

the only one he can exercise any power over, is his little sister. His main character

traits are being greedy, ambitious and short tempered. He is reminiscent of a child

who wants back what was taken from him, but he has no idea how to lead or even

rule (cf. Frankel, 2014: pos.2531). He keeps threatening Daenerys to not “wake

the dragon” (Martin, 1996: 36), meaning his own temper. He prides himself with

being the last remaining dragon, but it soon becomes clear, that he only pretends

to be. He rules over Daenerys and is quite frustrated that no one else will treat

him like a king. When he sells Dany to Khal Drogo, he does not realize that he

has sold his only treasure. Whily she grows at ease with being part of a khalasar,

and therefore becomes increasingly empowered, Viserys continuously loses his

own power and faces emasculation. ““You dare!” he screamed at her. “You give

commands to me? To me? […] Have you forgotten who you are?”” (Martin, 1996:

220) Viserys, who was always the one who gave commands to Daenerys, is not

79

able to comprehend that she is now the one in power. He wanted to gain an army

by selling her to the Dothraki, but instead, he gave the Dothraki a queen, and his

sister an opportunity to thrive. As she is the wife of the leader, Daenerys is now

the one with the army at her command. After Viserys attacks her in front of some

of the khalasar, one of the riders asks Daenerys if she wants him dead, but she

denies to let him be killed. At that moment, Daenerys’ eyes are opened

concerning her brother. She realizes, that he is no dragon. Viserys at that moment

realizes, he has not only lost his power over his sister, but everything he ever

lived for. Viserys starts to drift towards mental illness. In one last attempt to claim

what he traded Daenerys for, he makes his final mistake.

“I want what I came for,” he told her. “I want the crown he promised me. He bought you, but he never paid for you. Tell him I want what I bargained for, or I’m taking you back. You and the eggs both. He can keep his bloody foal. I’ll cut the bastard out and leave it for him.” The sword point pushed through her silks and pricked at her navel. Viserys was weeping, she saw; weeping and laughing, both at the same time, this man who had once been her brother. (Martin, 1996: 461)

Daenerys used to protect her brother, but her sisterly love dies the moment

he threatens her unborn child. It is apparent that Viserys has grown more and

more desperate. Weeping and laughing at the same time could be a hint that he

not only lost the little power he once had, but his sound mind as well. He dies

soon afterwards, when Drogo gives him the golden crown, Viserys has always

craved so much. He was truly his father’s son. The idea that he was betrayed out

of his kingdom festered in him and turned him mad. His greedy and selfish

behavior, as well as his tendency for cruelty, cost him his life in the end. “He was

no dragon, Dany thought, curiously calm. Fire cannot kill a dragon.” (Martin, 1996:

462).

Viserys uses physical force to exercise his masculinity and dominate his

sister, as he is no natural born leader, but thinks himself to be. He does not

consider the possibility that his sister might be a dragon, simply because she is

a woman. In his chauvinistic mind, he is the last male heir of House Targaryen,

and therefore he must be the one, who wields power. Viserys is punished for his

androcentric behavior, by a gruesome death. Once more, Martin rids the story of

a character, who thinks himself superior, simply because he is male.

80

5.4 Additional Characters

Not all of the characters in A Song of Ice and Fire belong to one of the great

houses of Westeros, but nonetheless, some of them are worth examining within

the topic of gender representation. The vast reality of the world in Westeros

becomes apparent through the characters depicted in the novels, and the

following chapters will look at some of these characters, which are not necessarily

part of the social system portrayed within the context of the patriarchal structure

of Westeros.

5.4.1 Brienne of Tarth

“Young or old, a true knight is sworn to protect those who are weaker than himself, or die in the attempt” - Brienne of Tarth (Martin, 2005:665)

Brienne of Tarth is the only living child of the Lord of Evenfall and House of Tarth.

She is often mocked for her appearance, as she is not considered to be a

beautiful woman by Westerosi standards. She is quite masculine, with broad

shoulders, muscular body and abrasive features. Her nose has been broken more

than once, but she has large beautiful eyes (cf. Martin, 1999). Brienne becomes

one of the point of view characters of A Song of Ice and Fire in A Feast For Crows

(2005). She does not belong to one of the High Houses in Westeros, but she is

the daughter of a Lord.

Brienne is a female character which could be described as an “Artemis

woman” (Frankel, 2014: pos. 813). Those women represent feminine values and

fight for equality, trying to defy a patriarchal system and its orders. At the same

time, they tend to sacrifice and diminish characteristics, which are conventionally

considered feminine by society (cf. Frankel, 2014: pos. 813). Brienne learns early

that she is not one of the women in songs, and she chooses the path of a knight,

rather than being married off to someone, who does not love her. ““Men will

always underestimate you,” he [Ser Goodwin] said, “and their pride will make

them want to vanquish you quickly, lest it be said that a woman tried them sorely”

(Martin, 2005: 203) This shows that even Brienne, with all her masculinity is still

not taken seriously by men, because she is a woman. This makes it difficult for

81

her in both worlds. She is not seen as a true female, because of her appearance,

but at the same time she is not taken seriously as a knight, because of her gender.

Thus, Brienne’s life is not an easy one, but she continuous to go her way. Her

father seems to be fine with her becoming a knight, which comes to show his love

for his daughter and his respect for her feelings. Yet, despite her father’s support,

or maybe because of it, Brienne does feel inept. “I am the only child the gods let

him keep. The freakish one, not fit to be a son or daughter.” (Martin, 2005: 672).

This portrays beautifully Brienne’s inner dispute with herself. She is not quite

comfortable with herself, due to the fact that she suffered ridicule all her life,

whether she tried to be a woman or a knight. Brienne is not yet at ease with

herself, and is searching for a purpose in her life.

She is looking for this resolve by pledging her sword to people of higher

status. She is introduced as part of Renly Baratheon’s Kingsguard, but with his

death, she, additionally to her love, also loses her employment. After that, Brienne

pledges her sword and her life to Catelyn Stark, and later to her daughters Sansa

and Arya, therefore becoming the protector of only women in the novels. Although

she seems to fight for femininity, she abandons every feminine side in herself.

She has been hurt all her life by men. As a young woman, she tells her suitors

she would only marry a man who could best her in combat. No man succeeds,

but all of them mock her for her masculinity. Those experiences let to her

suppressing of her feminine side. Metaphorically speaking, her armor does not

only shield her physical body from harm, but it also shields her from her own

feminine feelings and her softer side. She truly conforms to her masculinity, at

least in the eyes of those surrounding her (cf. Frankel, 2014: pos. 833). Brienne

is equipped with an immense sense of honor, while she remains a little naïve in

her own way. When first introduced, she has never actually killed someone, and

when she eventually does, it affects her emotionally. She is not filled with pride in

this moment, but she recognizes what is required to take another’s life. This

differentiates her from the other knights in the novels, as they are seen to kill

frequently and without remorse. Brienne does not. Her honor commands her to

protect those, to whom she has sworn her allegiance in any way possible. “I will

find her my lady, […] I will never stop looking. I will give up my life if need be, give

up my honor, give up all my dreams, but I will find her.” (Martin, 2005: 200). This

honor and determination is what makes Jaime Lannister admire her. The two of

82

them meet after Lady Catelyn orders Brienne to bring Jaime back to King’s

Landing, defending him. This in itself is rather peculiar, as Jaime is the best

swordfighter in all of King’s Landing, but Brienne is ordered to protect him. He is

amused by her, continuously insulting her, but over time, the two of them start to

bond, as they confide in each other, and start to realize that they are both

outsiders from society, but in their own respective way. Jaime begins to admire

her conviction and sense of honor. “In this light she could almost be a beauty, he

thought. In this light she could almost be a knight.” (Martin, 2000: 610) Jaime is

the only one who begins to see both of her identities, thus accepting her for who

she is. When they first meet, Brienne’s sense of justice is absolute, there are no

grey areas. She despises Jaime, for he has broken his vows frequently, but

through him, she learns that not everything, especially morality, is always black

and white. On the other hand, Jaime’s moral compass is affected by Brienne,

because of her deep conviction to her covenants and her ability to fight for her

status in life, as nothing ever was given to her because of her birth or gender.

The two of them further each other, and they are able to develop their personality

by understanding one another’s position in life. (cf. Frankel, pos. 864). Brienne’s

categorization as an Artemis figure, establishes her as a woman, who does not

have physical relationships with men, but rather sees them as competition or

comrades. In the case of Jaime, a sort of friendship evolves between the two of

them, but it lacks the involvement of romantic feelings. “The queen [Cersei

Lannister] remembered the Maid of Tarth, a huge, ugly, shambling thing who

dressed in man’s mail. Jaime would never abandon me for such a creature.”

(Martin, 2011: 845). These thoughts of Cersei Lannister upon hearing that Jaime

was with Brienne, address perfectly, how Brienne is received, even by other

women. Cersei does not once refer to her as a woman, but as “Maid”, “thing” and

“creature”. She is not perceiving her as competition when it comes to Jaime, as

she is so much more beautiful than Brienne. In other women’s minds, Brienne

does not qualify as a true female, who evokes desire in men, because of her

physical appearance. Moreover, she chooses to fight for herself, rather than

letting men fight for her purpose, which again, repulses the men of Westeros. In

many ways, Brienne could be compared to Arya, but Arya is comfortable in her

role and does not completely abandon her feminine side, while Brienne probably

would have been much more comfortable in her skin, if she were born a man.

83

Brienne represents the inner struggle between masculinity and femininity.

While Arya seems to embrace both aspects, Brienne is not comfortable with

either one, as she does not conform to the rules of masculinity, nor to the rules

of femininity.

5.4.2 Khal Drogo

“what a handsome man the khal was, so tall and fierce, fearless in battle, the

best rider ever to mount a horse, a demon archer.” (Martin, 1996: 38)

The Dothraki are nomadic warriors who live in hordes, known as khalasars,

across the narrow sea. They are not under the rule of the Seven Kingdoms. Drogo

is an undefeated warlord and the leader of one of the khalasar. The title khal is

given to the leader of a horde who has proven to be the strongest man among

them, never been defeated in battle or combat. Thus, Khal Drogo is the toughest

and fiercest man among his khalasar. He is introduced, in A Game of Thrones

(1996), as the man Daenerys has been sold to, by her brother. Drogo is not one

of the point of view characters in the novel, as he is only characterized and

depicted by Daenerys Targaryen. Before he appears, he is talked about by

Viserys. He is wondering whether or not Daenerys will satisfy Drogo’s taste. “She

has had her blood. She is old enough for the khal,” (Martin, 1996: 39). It becomes

apparent how the Dothraki pick their women. Once they are physically able to

have children, they are seen fit for marriage. Consequently, the role of women

within the society of the Dothraki is to get pregnant, and birth sons. Khal Drogo

picking a woman like Daenerys Targaryen, with her silver hair, lilac eyes and

white skin, emphasizes his own status as khal. He, the independent leader, picks

Daenerys as a trophy wife, for she looks nothing like a Dothraki woman. She is

different and therefore special. The khal thinks he is entitled to have a special

wife, separating himself, once more, from the rest of his men. Drogo himself is

the epitome of masculinity, within the context of the Dothraki people.

Drogo’s braid was black as midnight and heavy with scented oil, hung with tiny bells that rang softly as he moved. It swung well past his belt, below even his buttocks, the end of it brushing against the back of his thighs. “You see how long it is?” Viserys said. “When Dothraki are defeated in combat, they cut off their braids in disgrace, so the world will know their shame. Khal Drogo has never lost a fight. (Martin, 1996: 42)

84

Drogo is the most skilled and powerful man in his khalasar, and that, within

the context of the Dothraki being tribes of fighters and raiders, makes him the

most masculine male among men. His depiction through Daenerys’ point of view

changes as their relationship evolves. In the early stages, Daenerys is afraid of

him. “Her brother hurt her sometimes, when she woke the dragon, but he did not

frighten her the way this man frightened her.” (Martin, 1996: 42). Her perception

of him changes over time, as Daenerys grows to love him, and he grows to love

her. At the beginning of their marriage, Drogo ignores her during the day and

visits her at night, only to conceive a child with her. Eventually, she is pregnant

with his child, and he takes pride in his wife and his unborn offspring. “Her

pregnancy only seemed to have inflamed Drogo’s desire for her, and of late his

embraces left her exhausted.” (Martin, 1996: 363). The value of a child, especially

a son, is highly important to Drogo. He begins to appreciate Daenerys because

of her pregnancy. He begins to learn her language, as Drogo is only able to speak

the Dothraki tongue and communication with Daenerys proved to be difficult, until

she starts to speak his language. His learning, of her mother tongue, also gives

Drogo a voice in the novels, as he is never shown speaking before. Or at least,

Daenerys does not convey his utterances, and therefore the prejudice of him

being a savage, is furthered. As their plotline evolves though, it becomes

apparent that Drogo is not just a raiding savage, but also a man with feelings and

fears. Learning her language renders him able to voice those emotions, thus

showing his human side to Daenerys and the reader.

His respect for her is additionally shown by the nickname he uses for

Daenerys. He calls her “moon of my life” (Martin, 1996: 456), and considering

that the Dothraki believe, that everything important in a man’s life has to be done

under the moon, this nickname represents extreme value for his wife. He is willing

to break with his own tradition because of his spouse. The prospect of someone

threatening his wife and even almost succeeding in killing her, leads to his

decision to cross the narrow sea. This has never been done by any of the Dothraki

hordes before. This shows how deeply he loves her, and he appreciates

Daenerys being at his side. As much as he values his own wife, he is not as

compliant with other women. He lets his men rape and kill them without a second

thought. “This is the way of war. These women are our slaves now, to do with as

85

we please.” (Martin, 1996: 613). The way he is treating his wife is special, and

has nothing to do with his respect for women in general. He is a child of his tribe,

where only strength and physical power is respected, and those, who do not

possess those powers, are meek. Eventually, Drogo does not survive the plot of

the first novel. He is injured by an arrow, and a woman who has been enslaved,

is ordered to heal him, but instead she purposely worsens his infection. After he

falls from his horse, most of his khalasar abandon him, as they only follow

strength. “A khal who could not ride could not rule, and Drogo had fallen from his

horse.” (Martin, 1996: 646) Drogo, the man among men, who has been portrayed

as invincible by his wife, the embodiment of true masculinity and physical power,

loses his strength. The mighty khal, who has not been defeated by any other man,

is defeated by a slave woman in the end. One could argue that the death of

Drogo, is another way of George R.R. Martin to show the obvious weak spots of

patriarchal systems. Drogo’s way of dying is definitely an argument for A Song of

Ice and Fire being a fantasy series incorporating feministic elements. The mighty

khal has been defeated by an oppressed woman.

Of course, Drogo’s fate was clear the moment Daenerys’ path became

apparent. Although, the two of them loved each other, Drogo had to die, in order

for Daenerys to truly emancipate herself and be free of any man.

5.4.3 Ygritte

“You know nothing, Jon Snow.“ – Ygritte (Martin, 2000: 412)

Ygritte is a wildling, as well as a warrior woman who is introduced in the second

novel of the series, A Clash of Kings (1999). The wildlings, or free folk, are people

who live beyond the Wall and are not part of the feudal system of the south. They

pride themselves of being free, nor having to obey any king or queen. On one

hand, they are free to do as they please, while at the same time they struggle to

guarantee their survival. They pity the people living south of the Wall, using the

expletive “kneelers”, meaning they are not truly free, as a ruler decides their fate.

The people of the south on the other hand, see the wildlings as savages and

primitives (cf. Martin, 1999).

Ygritte is eighteen when she is first introduced. She is not given her own

point of view, but is depicted through Jon Snow. Her character falls into the

86

category of a warrior woman, but in a different way as Brienne’s or Arya’s. Those

two struggle for their right to be seen as equals to men, while Ygritte seems to be

motivated by her love for Jon Snow (cf. Frankel, 2014: pos. 1060). It is apparent

that Ygritte does not have to fight for equality. She is a wildling woman, and the

laws of the wildlings are different from those of the Seven Kingdoms. Ygritte is

able to defend herself and stand her ground, therefore she is respected by her

peers. The wildlings do not differentiate according to gender, but conferring to

strength. Ygritte is strong and accordingly has no problem with her being a

woman. She owns her character traits, as she is depicted as aggressive, brash

and sexually experienced, all of which are traditionally male characteristics in

fantasy novels. Yet, she does not fight for honor or duty, as those are not issues

the wildlings concern themselves with. They need to survive (cf. Frankel, 2014:

pos. 1060). Upon reading the scenes in which Ygritte appears, it seems, as if her

sole function is to influence Jon Snow. The two of them meet during a fight, which

ends in Jon being supposed to kill Ygritte. “Something about her made him think

of Arya, though they looked nothing alike.” (Martin, 1999: 742). Looking upon

Ygritte, Jon is reminded of Arya’s spirit, emphasizing the similarities those two

women share with each other. He lets her live, and thus the start of their romantic

evolvement is marked.

In many ways, Ygritte is depicted as the masculine part of their

relationship. She is older than Jon, and moreover, more sexually experienced, as

he is a virgin. In picking Jon as her mate, she conforms to the warrior woman

archetype, who, like Asha Greyjoy, chooses a gentle man, rather than a typical

masculine stereotype (cf. Frankel, 2014: pos. 1069). She is the one who protects

Jon, and not the other way around. When Jon’s true allegiance is questioned by

the wildlings, she lies for him, by telling the other wildlings that the two of them

are sexually involved.

“I never asked you to lie for me.” “I never did,” she said. “I left out part, is all.” “You said-” “-that we fuck beneath your cloak many a night. I never said when we started, though.” […] “Find another place for Ghost to sleep tonight, Jon Snow. It’s like Mance said. Deeds are truer than words.” (Martin, 2000: 219)

Ygritte is the one who initiates a physical relationship, moreover, she is the

one who first thought of sleeping with Jon and not the other way around. This

87

confirms that she has appropriated the true masculine role in their relationship,

though for Ygritte, this seems nothing unusual, but something she has done

before.

The further their love story progresses, the more Ygritte seems to conform

to her feminine side. They become equals, and it comes to the point where Jon

needs to rescue Ygritte, while climbing the Wall. “Jon grabbed Ygritte and pulled

her down to shield her,” (Martin, 2000: 410) Thus, he becomes the one to protect

her. Further, Ygritte truly falls in love with Jon. ““Jon Snow,” she told him […]

“don’t move now, sweet. […] Let’s go down inside, and join up with Gendel’s

children. I don’t ever want t`leave this cave, Jon Snow. Not ever.”” (Martin, 2000:

366). Ygritte is willing to leave her tribe to be with Jon. Her feminine side comes

through, as she is considering giving up her life in order to be with her love. Jon

is not so willing to abandon the Night’s Watch, forcing him suddenly into his

masculine role. Although Jon is in love with Ygritte as well, he chooses to remain

with the Night’s Watch and leaves Ygritte. Something she repays him with an

arrow in his leg. The fact that Jon leaves her and not the other way around, forces

Ygritte even more into her feminine role. Women get left and not the other way

around. In the end, Ygritte dies in Jon’s arms. ““You’ re not going to die, Ygritte.

You’re not.” “Oh.” Ygritte cupped his cheek with her hand. “You know nothing,

Jon Snow,” she sighed, dying.”” (Martin, 2000: 754). After succumbing to her

feelings for Jon, she regains her power by reminding him that she is the one who

taught him. Everything he has become is due to her. She dies in battle, like a true

warrior. Her role is to teach Jon the way of living of the wildlings, thus eradicating

his view of the wildlings as being savages. Her purpose is to humanize the

wildlings and she succeeds. Moreover, Ygritte teaches Jon the merits of being in

a relationship with a woman, showing him how wonderful it can be to love and

care for someone, and be loved back. She toughens him up, while at the same

time, making him more vulnerable. Although, Ygritte is feminized through her

storyline, she remains the warrior woman until the end, dying a warrior’s death.

She embodies a true empowered woman, who is accepted for who she is, while

not having to fight for her rights. She simply takes what she desires. Her gender

has no role in her way of life or her society. She is one of the few truly free

characters in A Song of Ice and Fire.

88

5.5 Sex and Sexual Abuse in A Song of Ice and Fire

The issue of sex and sexual violence are major themes in A Song of Ice and Fire.

Almost every female character faces at least once, sexual threat in their daily

lives, while every single male character is shown to have regular sex with

someone, with the sole exception of the male characters who have been

physically neutered. Whether it be consensual, rape or in order to manipulate

someone, sex is one of the main components in the game of thrones. Most

commonly, sex is equated with violence, especially against women. A depiction

of a truly consensual sexual act between two parties, rarely appears. On the other

hand, sexual seduction is a way for women to assert their power over men, but

this only occurs with women in high social positions. Either way, it cannot be

denied that sex plays a major part in the world of Westeros, and therefore it is

worth being examined.

Generally speaking, the world of A Song of Ice and Fire created by George

R.R. Martin is definitely a war-ridden, brutal one. Characters are being flayed

alive, decapitated, tortured and burned to death. Life in Westeros is brutal and

harsh, and sometimes short. One of the most common threats to women, and

sometimes men, is the omnipresent danger of sexual assault. An issue so

prominent in the books, that it has become the most criticized one by readers and

critics alike, being referred to as gratuitous. Martin himself addressed such critics

and readers by saying that “if I’m guilty of having gratuitous sex, then I’m also

guilty of having gratuitous violence, and gratuitous feasting and gratuitous

description of clothes […] because very little of this is necessary to advance the

plot.” (Brown, 2011: July 11). Martin defends his choices, by saying that they do

not advance the plot, but it expands the realism of the world he is portraying.

Interestingly enough, in the novels exist distinctions between various types of

sexual assault. The physical assault within a marriage, the physical assault as an

act of war and the verbal threat to women. Rape within marriage is most

prominently represented with Cersei and Robert as well as with Daenerys and

Drogo. Both women suffer by the hands of their respective husbands. Cersei was

frequently raped by Robert during their marriage, and although he seemed to

regret the act itself, he continued to do so. ““You hurt me,” she complained. He

89

had the grace to look ashamed. “It was not me, my lady, […] It was the wine. I

drink too much wine.”” (Martin, 2005: 868) Robert, apparently ashamed of the act

of raping his wife, takes no responsibility for it and rather blames it on his drunken

state, meaning he was not himself. Although Cersei is one of the most powerful

women in the books, she is helpless against her bodily abuse. She cannot defend

herself physically against her husband, and he is never punished for the act. The

same goes for Drogo raping Daenerys, during the early stages of their marriage.

He takes advantage of his wife, and he goes unpunished for it, further, it seems

to be expected of him to act in such a way. As opposed to Cersei, Daenerys

decides to take matters into her own hands, and she changes her nightly

encounters, by showing her husband, how the physical act of sex is supposed to

be, between husband and wife. In both cases, the men are not punished or even

called out for their brutal behavior, rendering marital rape normal, or even the

husband’s right, within the world of Westeros.

Rape as an act of war is another major depiction of sexual assault in the

novels. The Dothraki riders maintain a culture of raiding and raping. When

Daenerys sees those acts committed against women, she is appalled.

““Princess,” he said, “you have a gentle heart, but you do not understand. This is

how it has always been. Those men have shed blood […] Now they claim their

reward.”” (Martin, 1996: 611) The raping of women from other tribes is a reward

for the Dothraki and not a crime. Moreover, the raping of conquered tribe women

is seen as tradition, which even the women of the Dothraki seem to approve of.

“She is nothing, Khaleesi. The riders do her honor.” (Martin, 1996: 611) The act

of rape is elevated to honor the victims. Looking upon that aspect of the Dothraki

people, they truly are savages roaming the free cities.

In Westeros, the Dothraki equivalent are the inhabitants of the Iron Islands.

They believe that the “Drowned God had made them to reave and rape” (Martin,

1999: 169). By presuming the right to reave and rape is god given, the iron born

consider both malpractices as something justified, and the right of the conqueror.

In their minds, sexual assault is not something criminal but a privilege of the

strong. This attitude opposes the common law of Westeros, as rape is considered

to be a crime, and is punished by law. ““Rapers,” Yoren said with a cold look at

his charge. Tyrion understood. Life on the Wall was said to be hard, but no doubt

it was preferable to castration.”” (Martin, 1996: 119). This example shows that

90

men raping women can be punished by law. They are faced with the choice of

joining the Night’s Watch and commit to a life of chastity, while at the same time

being hidden away in the north, disconnected from society. The other choice

consists of being physically maimed to ensure they are not able to commit such

a crime again. Those choices though, only apply to low born people in Westeros,

because on the other hand, not all known rapists are prosecuted. The character

of Gregor Clegane is well known for raping and consequently killing the wife of

the late Targaryen heir to the Iron Throne, Rhaegar. Clegane was ordered to kill

the children of Rhaegar, by Tywin Lannister, but he was not ordered to kill his

wife. “The rape . . . even you will not accuse me of giving that command, I would

hope.” Tywin is still shaken by the sheer brutality of his hangman. Almost

everybody in the kingdom condemns Clegane for his action, but he is not

prosecuted for his crimes, as he is a knight in the service of House Lannister.

Condemned among the high houses of Westeros, sexual assault is not

considered a right, but little is done to confine such acts. In Caroline Spector’s

essay Power and Feminism in Westeros (2012: 184), she suggests that rape and

sexual violence are omnipresent threats to the women in Westeros. Whether it

be marital rape or verbal threats of sexual abuse, as the characters of Sansa,

Arya and Brienne are repeatedly confronted with. According to Spector (2012),

this imminent danger of sexual abuse creates an environment of sexual

oppression. At the same time, this issue is rarely addressed by the female or

male characters in the novel, which comes to depict just how established sexual

violence is within the culture of Westeros (cf. Spector, 2012: 184).

Although rape seems to be frowned upon among the high houses, the

concept of the “lord’s right to the first night” (Martin, 2011: 500) has not completely

vanished among the lords of Westeros. Especially not with one particular cruel

example of such a lord: Roose Bolton.

“This miller’s marriage had been performed without my leave or knowledge. This man had cheated me. So I had him hanged, and claimed my rights beneath the tree where he was swaying. If truth be told, the wench was hardly worth the rope. […] A year later this same wench had the impudence to turn up at the Dreadfort with a squalling, red-faced monster that she claimed was my own get.” (Martin, 2011: 500)

91

The tale of how he conceived his bastard born son is testament towards

his evaluation of women. He does not see them as human beings, but as

something he has a right to. Moreover, the tale of Ramsay’s conception does

make a statement: Nothing good can come from rape. Ramsay is one of the most

deranged and cruel characters in the books, and he was conceived by his father,

by raping an innocent woman.

This furthers the conclusion that sexual assault leads to destruction and it

can produce psychotic “monsters” which can destabilize cultures and societies

(cf. Frankel, 2014: pos.245), and thus, it should be acknowledged that Martin

does not glorify sexual assault, but uses it to refine the portrayal of his society.

The physical act of rape is mostly used by men against women. The use

of sexuality to assert power however, is used by both genders alike, though in

different ways. While most of the times, men engage in sexual acts with women,

they do so in order to exercise their physical superiority over women. They remind

them that they are the ones who have the power and can do as they please with

their women. The two male characters who are known for treating women like

pieces of meat, would be Gregor Clegane, as well as Ramsay Bolton. It has

already been established that Gregor Clegane is known to be a rapist, but

Ramsay enters whole new levels of cruelty towards women.

“He is a great hunter,” said Wyman Manderly, “and women are his favorite prey. […] When Ramsay catches them he rapes them, flays them, feeds their corpses to his dogs, and brings their skins back to the Dreadfort as trophies. If they have given him good sport, he slits their throats before he skins them. Elsewise, t’other way around.” (Martin, 2011: 456)

Ramsay uses sex as a punishment and to degrade women. He uses social

status and male superiority to exercise power over women. Of course, Ramsay

is an extreme example. Other men, like Robert or Drogo, use their male

superiority to get what they want of their women, but they do not additionally

torture them.

While men narrow themselves to get sex by using their strength and

masculinity, some women in A Song of Ice and Fire have discovered their

sexuality as a means of succeeding in their own agenda. The most obvious

example of such a woman is Cersei Lannister. It is well established that Cersei

will do anything to gain influence and power, even using her own body to

92

accomplish her goals. She does so with her brother, but also with other men. She

seduces her own cousin, Lancel, in order to make him obey her. By seducing

him, she puts him in a very difficult position, as she is the woman and he is a

man. If he confesses that he slept with the queen, everyone would see him as

the perpetrator and not her. Eventually, Cersei uses his submissiveness towards

her, to make him play a part in Robert Baratheon’s death. “Have you given any

thought what Joffrey will do when I tell him you murdered his father to bed his

mother? [Tyrion Lannister]” (Martin, 1999: 446). He is completely dependent on

her will. This particular relationship between two characters takes an interesting

turn, when in A Dance with Dragons (2011), Lancel becomes the one who wields

power over Cersei, by confessing their incestuous relationship to the High

Sparrow, and Cersei is imprisoned. Lancel Lannister is not the only example of

Cersei’s use of sexuality but he is the most striking one, as he obeys her wishes

to kill the king.

Daenerys Targaryen is another instance of a woman who starts to use her

sexuality in order to emancipate herself. Like Cersei, she is oppressed by her

husband, at least at first. Daenerys soon realizes the secret to winning her

husband’s heart lies in the bedroom. The moment she starts to initiate their sexual

encounters and decides to be the one who takes charge, her relationship

changes from being abusive to being caring and loving. “This night I would look

on your face.” (Martin, 1996: 226). The act of looking into each other’s eyes while

sleeping with one another, is the first step in Daenerys’ marriage towards

empowerment, and forces her husband to accept her as a woman with needs,

and not just a wife to bear children. The discovery of her own sexuality empowers

Daenerys and leads her way to becoming an independent and fierce woman.

George R.R. Martin uses sexuality as both, empowerment as well as

oppression, though the empowerment seems to lie with his female characters

and oppression with his male ones. Both of those applications are saying more

about the male mindset than the female one. Men oppress women by using

sexual assault, women use sexuality to empower themselves over men, thus men

can easily be influenced by the prospect of having sex, and women transform this

weakness of men to their advantage.

Besides the typically male and female characters, there are some

portrayals in the novel which, in the context of the current time, would be coded

93

as queer characters. This categorization does not necessarily mean that these

characters are homosexual, but they are not heterosexual in the common sense.

Queer, in this context, does refer to not conforming to the norm (cf. Frankel, 2014:

pos. 2861). One of the characters fitting this description is Lord Varys. He was

born in the free cities and sold as a slave. He worked his way up the social ladder,

to become a member of the small council in King’s Landing. He is a rather

feminine man, who likes to dress himself in fine silks. He is the master of

whispers, and seems to be omniscient due to his spy network of children. The

most common trait of him though, is the fact that he is a eunuch. “No, I am what

I am. The king makes use of me, but it shames him. […] such a manly man has

little love for sneaks and spies and eunuchs.” (Martin, 1996: 301). Eunuchs are

mistrusted, so is Varys. No one is able to assess what his true intentions are, and

this simply seems to be for his lack of genitals. He is no true man in the eyes of

the ones surrounding him, thus, they do not perceive him as reliable. A real man

is vulnerable to bribery, due to his physical desires, while Varys does not have

such a weak spot. Martin appears to say that a man who is not in possession of

his manhood, is in some ways superior to a man who is physically intact. Varys

is one of the distinguished characters in A Song of Ice and Fire, manipulating

many people around him, but his true intentions of why he is playing the game of

thrones, are never truly revealed. He claims to “serve the realm” (Martin, 1996:

582) and his actions confirm this claim, but because he is a eunuch, no one

believes him. This leads to the conclusion that a man without genitals is not

trustworthy, at least within the context of the androcentric system of Westeros,

because no one ever knows what he truly wants. Lord Varys seems to have

realized this, and turns this common distrust towards him, into his advantage.

Lord Varys is not the only eunuch in the books, as Martin has created a

whole army of them: The Unsullied. They are eunuch slave soldiers, who start

their brutal training, when they are five years old, including castration at a young

age. “A eunuch who is cut young will never have the brute strength of one of your

Westerosi knights, this is true. […] The Unsullied have something better […] they

have discipline.” (Martin, 2000: 315). The slave soldiers are sold to new masters

for war and defense. Daenerys Targaryen comes to buy an Unsullied army, but

is unwilling to do so, after she discovers what they are. “They sell eunuchs, not

men.” (Martin, 2000: 326). In Daenerys’ point of view, eunuchs are not men,

94

because what makes them men, has been taken away. She does not trust this

army. Interestingly enough, it is a man who speaks out for the Unsullied and

explains why they are preferable to any other army of unmaimed men.

There is a savage beast in every man, and when you hand that man a sword or spear and send him forth to war, the beast stirs. The scent of blood is all it takes to wake him. Yet I have never heard of these Unsullied raping, nor putting a city to the sword, nor even plundering, save at the express command of those who lead them. Brick they may be, as you say, but if you buy them henceforth the only dogs they’ll kill are those you want dead. (Martin, 2000: 329)

The Unsullied have lost their sexuality by force, but this loss has turned

them into obedient fighters, who will do as they are commanded. They will not

start to claim their fruits of war, like other men would. Again, being eunuchs is

described to have some advantages, at least for their owner. Basically, what is

uttered in the description above, is that men are slaves to their hormones, while

eunuchs do not have this disadvantage. The use of sexualization is again used

against men. In the books, men are portrayed as being easily influenced by their

fleshly desires. Of course, there are exclusions, like Stannis Baratheon or Eddard

Stark, but those exceptions seem to confirm the rule. Sexualization in A Song of

Ice and Fire is one of the means to convey realism in the novels, but it is further

used to humanize or dehumanize its characters. As in real life, sex per se, is

neither good nor evil, but it can be used to exercise power over someone. This

power is used by men and women alike, but in different ways of thinking and

acting.

Endorsed upon gender representation, the issue of sex is not restrained to

male or female characters, but applies to both.

95

Conclusion

A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin is a highly complex medieval

fantasy narrative, which establishes conventional fantasy tropes, only to destroy

them in the process. He does not confer to the narrative structure of traditional

fantasy literature, but uses normative believes of how certain characters are

supposed to be, and then changes the rules. If a knight is supposed to be gallant,

loyal and trustworthy, Martin undermines this image by presenting the reader with

a knight, who has broken every vow he has ever taken. In fantasy literature,

women are typically supposed to be virtuous and submissive to men, like the

character of Arwen in The Lord of the Rings, yet, Martin describes most of his

women as independent and strong, even adapting masculine traits, in order to

survive in a patriarchal system (cf. Spector, 2012: 170).

It becomes apparent, that all of the characters, whether they are male or

female, are entrapped in their traditional roles, which are predefined by their

society. They face significant predicaments, while trying to conform to their

expected behavior in society, but some are able to find a way to defy, what is

expected of them. The ones, who have the most trouble to conform to their social

environment, are those, who do not fit into the predominant gender roles.

Whether it be a masculine female, who struggles to be accepted in society, or a

girl, who fights for her right to be treated equally to boys, or even malformed little

men, who do not conform to traditional masculine gender roles.

The most striking aspect of the character’s depiction in A Song of Ice and

Fire is though, that the main characters in the books are not static, but they grow

with their experiences, and are forced to adapt to their surroundings. While in

other fantasy literature, such as Lord of the Rings, gender roles are depicted in a

very traditional sense, meaning the hero is always noble and honorable, while the

women are waiting for their men to return, George R.R. Martin chooses a different

path. It is apparent, that he reflects upon the real world and its western society,

whether it be historical or contemporary.

Martin does not use the classic good versus evil narrative. He does not

only explore the option that all individuals can incorporate both, but further, he

allows them to choose between the two. Thus, characters who are introduced as

96

morally questionable, can transform into honorable ones and vice versa. He does

the same with traditional gender expectations, by blurring the lines between the

traditional beliefs of what is masculine or feminine. Martin himself describes the

variety of his characters as follows:

The pitfalls of lots of other fantasy texts, he says is when writers stray into writing in stereotypes. But because Martin has a sprawling world with thousands of characters (and five books to do it in), he has the luxury of developing each one fully. “Male or female, I believe in painting in shades of grey,” he says. “All of the characters should be flawed; they should all have good and bad, because that's what I see. Yes, it’s fantasy, but the characters still need to be real.” (Salter, 2013: April 1)

This is exactly why the text is so appealing to its vast readership. The

breaking of traditional stereotypes, as well as the use of it, makes the narrative

so compelling. Readers are able to identify themselves with the characters,

because they represent humankind, with all its implications. It is a new means of

writing high fantasy fiction and hopefully, it paves the way for other authors to

take some risks with their own works. A Song of Ice and Fire essentially plays

with the prejudices of the readership. People expect certain characters to behave

in a particular way. Martin does sometimes conform to those prejudices, but he

also seems to enjoy to contradict them, by, for example, killing off main

characters.

He further destroys stereotypical archetypes for gender depiction, known

in traditional fantasy fiction, such as Lord of the Rings. It has to be mentioned

though, that Martin’s female characters are the appealing ones. They are more

complex and show more colors than his male individuals. The leading women of

A Song of Ice and Fire are carrying the narrative and pushing it forward, while

most of the main males, react to the events in the novel. Martin’s women actively

try to change their fate, which renders them more dynamic than their male

counterparts, which is unusual, as it is traditionally, the other way around.

The question remains, why George R.R. Martin did choose to write his

characters and his story the way he did. Unlike Lord of the Rings or even A Wheel

of Time, Martin surprises his readers by killing the heroes of his story, seemingly

letting the evil forces win. Further, he establishes sexuality and female

empowerment, as major themes of his medieval fantasy series. Both of which are

completely absent in Lord of the Rings. Of course, we live in a world where sex

97

sells, and maybe Martin had this in mind, when he wrote his story, but it is more

likely that he tries to truly provide the reader with a more realistic representation

of a medieval fantasy world, in which incest, marital rape and sexual assault exist.

It has been established that Lord of the Rings is a child of its time,

considering the representation of gender roles, known and lived by its readers at

the time. Robert Jordan started to write his A Wheel of Time in the early 1990, a

time where Gender Studies gained influence, and his work began to incorporate

more balanced gender roles. George R.R. Martin takes the issue of gender

representation in his novels even further. Not only does he portray females and

males as equals, but one could argue that his women are even more powerful

than his men. Therefore, it is no surprise that his work has been called “feminist”

(Salter, 2013, April 1).

In conclusion it can be said, the book series is a new way of writing fantasy

literature, in which the characters are no longer restricted to their traditional

patterns or their conventional gender roles. Knights are allowed to fail, true

heroes can die, ingénues are allowed to transform into strong females, and

women play active roles within an androcentric system. The tale of A Song of Ice

and Fire is, as of this day, not yet finished, but hopefully George R.R. Martin

continues to surprise his readers with the portrayal of his male and female heroes.

98

Bibliography Primary Sources: Jordan, Robert (1990). The Eye of the World (The Wheel of Time, Book 1). New York: Tor Books. Martin, George R.R. (1996/2002). A Game of Thrones. [Online]. Not Human. https://www.nothuman.net/images/files/discussion/2/1815b71a2e633176b1c509f3a186605b.pdf [2017, September 29] Martin, George R.R. (1999/2011). A Clash of Kings. New York: Bantam Books. Martin, George R.R. (2000/2011). A Storm of Swords. New York: Bantam Books. Martin, George R.R. (2005/2011). A Feast For Crows. New York: Bantam Books. Martin, George R.R. (2011/2012). A Dance With Dragons. London: HarperCollins Publishers. Tolkien, J.R.R. (1954). The Fellowship of the Ring. [Online].US Archive. https://ia601308.us.archive.org/4/items/TheLordOfTheRing1TheFellowshipOfTheRing/The%20Lord%20Of%20The%20Ring%201-The%20Fellowship%20Of%20The% 20 Ring.pdf [2017, September 29] Tolkien, J.R.R. (1954b). The Two Towers. [Online].US Archive. https://ia601308.us.archive.org/4/items/TheLordOfTheRing1TheFellowshipOfTheRing/The%20Lord%20Of%20The%20Ring%202-The%20Two%20Towers.pdf [2017, September 29] Tolkien, J.R.R. (1955). The Return of the King. [Online]. US Archive. https://ia801308.us.archive.org/4/items/TheLordOfTheRing1TheFellowshipOfTheRing/The%20Return%20Of%20The%20King.pdf [2017, September 29] Tolkien, J.R.R. (1977/2006) The Silmarillion [1977] Ed. Christopher Tolkien. London: Harper Collins. Wylie, Phillip (1951/2004). The Disappearance. Nebraska: Bison Books. Secondary Sources: Attebery, Brian (2002). Decoding Gender in Science Fiction. New York: Routlegde. Beaton, Elizabeth (2016). “Female Machiavellians in Westeros” [2014]. In: Women of Ice and Fire: Gender, Game of Thrones and Multiple Media

99

Engagements. Eds: Anne Gjelsvik and Rikke Schubbart.1st Edition. New York: Bloomsbury Publishing. 193 – 218. Bloom, Harold (2008). Bloom’s Modern Critical Interpretations: The Lord of the Rings – New Edition. New York: Infobase Publishing. Bogaert, Stephanie (2015). It’s a man’s world: An analysis of gender and sexuality in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. Master Thesis: Ghent University. Chance, Jane (2001). Lord of the Rings: The Mythology of Power. Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky. Connell, R.W. (2001). “Masculinities and Men’s Health” [2001]. In: Gender in Interaction: Perspectives on femininity and masculinity in ethnography and discourse. Eds. Bettina Baron and Helga Kotthoff. 1st Edition. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company. 139 -153. Emig, Rainer (2014). “Fantasy as Politics: George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire” [2014]. In: Politics in Fantasy Media: Essays on Ideology and Gender in Fiction, Film, Television and Games. Eds: Gerold Seldmayr and Nicole Waller. 1st Edition. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc. Publishers. 85-97. Frankel, Valerie Estelle (2014). Women in Game of Thrones: Power, Conformity and Resistance. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc. Kindle Edition. Gurfinkel, Helena (2013). Outlaw Fathers in Victorian and Modern British Literature: Queering Patriarchy. Maryland: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press. Hotz-Davies, Ingrid (2004). “Feministische Literaturwissenschaft und Gender Studies“ [2004]. In: Literaturwissenschaft in Theorie und Praxis. Ed. Ralf Schneider. 1st Edition. Tübingen: Gunter Narr Verlag. 117-140. Jones, Rebecca (2012). “A Game of Gender: comparing depiction of Empowered Women between A Game of Thrones Novel and Television Series”. In: Journal of Student Research. Volume 1, Issue 3: 14-21. Jordan, Robert und Teresa Patterson (1997). The World of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time. New York: Tor Books. Kaiser, Rowan (2017). 100 Things Game of Thrones Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die. Chicago: Triumph Books. Kindle Edition. Kapp, Karl M. (2014). The Gamification of Learning and Instruction Fieldbook: Ideas into Practice. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Larsson, Mariah (2016). “Adapting Sex: Cultural Conceptions of Sexuality in Words and Images” [2016]. In: Women of Ice and Fire: Gender, Game of Thrones and Multiple Media Engagements. Eds: Anne Gjelsvik and Rikke Schubbart. 1st Edition. New York: Bloomsbury Publishing. 17 - 38.

100

Lewis, C.S. (1964). The Discarded Image: An Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Literature. New York: Cambridge University Press. Madill, Leanne (2008) “Gender Identities explored: “The Lord of the Rings as a Text of alternative Ways of Being”.In: The Alan review, Winter 2008, Volume 35, Issue 2. 43–49. Martin, George R.R., Elio M. Garcia Jr. and Linda Antonsson (2014). The World of Ice and Fire – The Untold History of Westeros and The Game of Thrones. New York: Random Housen LLC. Kindle Edition. Merrick, Helen (2003). “Gender in Science Fiction” [2003]. In: The Cambridge Companion to Science Fiction. Eds. Edward James and Farah Mendlesohn. 1st Edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 241-252. Meyer, Ursula (1999). Das Bild der Frau in der Philosophie. Aachen: ein-FACH-verlag. Neville, Jennifer (2005). “Women” [2005]. In: Reading the Lord of the Rings: New Writings on Tolkien’s Classic. Ed. Robert Eaglestone. New York: Bloomsbury.101-110. Porter, Lynette R (2005). Unsung Heroes of the Lord of the Rings: From the Page to the Screen. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. Sandqvist, Elin (2012). Politics, Hidden Agendas and a Game of Thrones: An Intersectional Analysis of Women’s Sexuality in George R.R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones. Luleå: Luleå University of Technology. Schößler, Franziska (2008). Einführung in die Gender Studies. Berlin: Akademie Verlag GmbH. Spector, Caroline (2012). “Power and Feminism in Westeros” [2012]. In: Beyond the Wall: Exploring George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire. Ed. James Lowder. 1st Edition. Dallas: BenBella Books, Inc. 169 – 187. Tasker, Yvonne and Lindsay Steenberg (2016). “Women Warriors from Chivalry to Vengeance” [2016]. In: Women of Ice and Fire: Gender, Game of Thrones and Multiple Media Engagements. Eds: Anne Gjelsvik and Rikke Schubbart. 1st Edition. New York: Bloomsbury Publishing. 171 - 192. Timmermann, John H. (1983). Other Worlds: The Fantasy Genre. Bowling Green, Ohio: Bowling Green University Popular Press. von Braun, Christina und Inge Stephan (2006). Gender Studien – Eine Einführung. 2.Aufl. Heidelberg: Springer Verlag GmbH. Yule, George (1985/2006). The Study of Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

101

Zimmer-Bradley, Marion (2004) “Men, Halflings and Hero Warship” [1973]. In: Understanding the Lord of the Rings: The Best of Tolkien Criticism. Eds. Rose A. Zimbardo and Neil D. Isaacs. 1st Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. 76 – 127. Online Sources: Baron, Zach (2010, Oktober) “The End of the Story”. The Believer Magazine [Online]. http://www.believermag.com/issues/201010/?read=article_baron [2017, July 15] Brown, Rachael (2011, July 11). “George R.R. Martin on Sex, Fantasy, and A Dance With Dragons”. The Atlantic [Online]. https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2011/07/george-rr-martin-on-sex-fantasy-and-a-dance-with-dragons/241738/ [2017, August 5] Gilmore, Mikal (2014, April 23). “George R.R. Martin: The Rolling Stone Interview”. Rolling Stone [Online]. http://www.rollingstone.com/tv/news/george-r-r-martin-the-rolling-stone-interview-20140423 [2017, July 12] Martin, George R.R. (2007, September 16th) “R.I.P Robert Jordan”. Livejournal [Online]. http://grrm.livejournal.com/21250.html [2017, July 12th] Martin, Tim (2011, July 22). “Game of Thrones: the phenomenon”. The Telegraph [Online]. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/bookreviews/8652234/Game-of-Thrones-the-phenomenon.html [2017, July 12] Salter, Jessica (2013, April 1). “Game of Thrones’s George RR Martin: ‘I’m a feminist at heart’”. The Telegraph [Online]. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/9959063/Game-of-Throness-George-RR-Martin-Im-a-feminist.html [2017, August 6]