The extremely popular HBO show Game of Thrones has brought in 114 award wins and 214 nominations in its concurrent four year lifespan. The show is based in a medieval age full of dragons and an iron throne everyone is trying to get their hands on. Game of Thrones is not only a nerdy fun night time show, but it also portrays feminist and non feminist ideas. This fictional world closely resembles the world today. Game of Thrones is feminist because of the way it breaks female stereotypes by using some female characters who do not represent the “norms” of the time. These characters simply are outside the box. In having these characters there are also non feminist ideas. These include objectifying women in the brothels of Kings Landing, and trying to force the women back into the box of “true” female stereotypes.
Arya Stark the daughter of Nedd Stark the King of Winterfell is a pivotal role player in the feminist movement within Game of Thrones. Arya is feminist in this show because she loves to sword fight. Arya can be called a tomboy if you were to be judging. Her role starts almost instantly in season one in the episode “Lord Snow” when her father sees that she had been given a sword and has been attempting to learn how to use it on her own. Nedd Stark as a father takes a great leap into the feminist realm when he decides not to oppose Arya’s ambition to learn how to sword fight. Even though others who had noticed her hobby had already questioned her femininity decided to get Arya a teacher, the master swordsman Syrio teaches Arya to use her new sword who she ends up naming Needle. Arya is feminist in this case because of the breaking of the domesticity, and submissiveness. Later in the show, during season four, Arya breaks free from all stereotypes. An example of this is when she slaughters three men in a bar fight while traveling with The Hound. The Hound as a man in Arya’s storyline plays a critical role. Although he is interpreted as a stereotypical male, gigantic, strong and dominating, for the most part he helps Arya master her swordsmanship and encourages her to be herself even though his character would never say it to her face in certainty that his manhood would be tainted. This is a reflection of today's world because there are women out there who are trying to be themselves and are both opposed and helped in achieving uniqueness.
The second most feminist character is Brienne of Tarth. Brienne of Tarth although similar to Arya Stark has a harder time in breaking the female stereotypes. Brienne is a woman knight who throughout the show is criticized for her appearance and title. Brienne is very tall, and rocks short hair, this gets her mistaken for a man more than once. In the episode “What is Dead May Never Die” Brienne makes her first appearance and is made a knight. King Renly is one of her supporters by knighting her, he sees that she can take down all the men that he has thrown her way. Brienne by taking the knighthood automatically breaks the wife and mother stereotypes because you cannot marry or have children once knighted. In the fourth season while Arya and The Hound are traveling come upon Brienne, and Brienne ends up killing The Hound. This is very feminist because it shows how Brienne a woman is more powerful than The Hound a man.
Brienne VS The Hound
While all the great feminist ideas unfold in Game of Thrones, so do the non feminist ones. Some of the non feminist showings are the objectification of women, and seductress stereotypes. In the brothels of Kings Landing, the capital of the seven kingdoms, many women are the subject of sexual objectification. These women are usually abused and even killed. An example of the seductress stereotype is the Queen, Cersei, she always seduces people into giving her what she wants. Although these non feminist idea seems to contradict the feminist ones, they actually do the opposite. They help make the feminist characters more powerful because the people seen with the whores make you see them as scummy people.
To wrap this up Game of Thrones is making a leap forward in presenting an audience with critical female characters who actively show feminist ideas. Game of Thrones is both feminist and non feminist at points, however these closely reflect the real world of today. Game of Thrones manipulates the non feminist points of the show into making the audience see that they are bad, then serves them with a strong feminist lead. Overall the complexity of the show is hard to capture in one single essay I think the show is making gains and empowering people to think differently.
Brienne VS The Hound
While all the great feminist ideas unfold in Game of Thrones, so do the non feminist ones. Some of the non feminist showings are the objectification of women, and seductress stereotypes. In the brothels of Kings Landing, the capital of the seven kingdoms, many women are the subject of sexual objectification. These women are usually abused and even killed. An example of the seductress stereotype is the Queen, Cersei, she always seduces people into giving her what she wants. Although these non feminist idea seems to contradict the feminist ones, they actually do the opposite. They help make the feminist characters more powerful because the people seen with the whores make you see them as scummy people.
To wrap this up Game of Thrones is making a leap forward in presenting an audience with critical female characters who actively show feminist ideas. Game of Thrones is both feminist and non feminist at points, however these closely reflect the real world of today. Game of Thrones manipulates the non feminist points of the show into making the audience see that they are bad, then serves them with a strong feminist lead. Overall the complexity of the show is hard to capture in one single essay I think the show is making gains and empowering people to think differently.
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