Game of Thrones- Feminist Critique - SPOILERS FOR SEASONS 1-4

The HBO television series Game of Thrones has been nominated twice for Golden Globes best drama. The show mostly takes place in the fictional country known as Westeros where many people fight to become king and sit on what is known as the iron throne. Through out the show there are many examples of women being seen as sex objects and people who should not be allowed to fight. “My father said that fighting was for men.” While there are many women who are slaves, prostitutes, or nothing more than a wife, there are  many main characters who become much more than that. Although Game of Thrones can portray women as sex objects, it breaks gender stereotypes by showing women as people who can be as powerful as any man in the show.

One of the main characters in season four is Brienne of Tarth who shows that a women can easily be as strong or stronger than most men that she would have to fight. “My father said that fighting was for men.” “Mine said the same thing, but I kept fighting the men and eventually he said if you're going to do it you might as well do it right.” Another character in the show is Sandor Clegane, known as The Hound for his extreme brutality and loyalty to his master similar to the male stereotype. The Hound is one of the strongest characters in season four and protects Arya Stark. In the last episode of season four, The Children, during her mission to bring Arya Stark back to kings landing, Brienne of Tarth ends up crossing paths with Arya and The Hound. The Hound does not believe that Aryas mother sent Brinne to rescue Arya and ends up fighting her. At the end of the suspenseful battle Brienne of Tarth ends up slaying The hound. There are many other scenes in the show where Brienne defeats men who you would otherwise suspect would easily kill her. This proves that women can be better fighters than men. (Click here for the video)

Arya Stark is first seen as a woman stereotype however as the story progresses she turns into a headstrong woman who does not follow traditional gender roles. After her father was betrayed and executed Arya flees kings landing with the help of a night's watch recruiter and is forced to act like a boy named Arry. Once Arya is taken into The Nights Watch she immediately becomes more like the male stereotype and fights back when she feels threatened.However, She is then taken prisoner working as a slave to Tywin Lannister but quickly makes an escape. Soon after escaping she gets kidnaped by The Hound who takes her across the country to try to ransom her to her aunt. After some time of traveling with The Hound Arya becomes good at doing what she needs to do for herself, including killing the man who stole her sword from her. Later in the show Arya admits to The Hound that he is on her list of people who she wants kill because he killed one of her friends. However throughout their “adventures” it is clear that they both enjoy being with each other and The Hound tells Brinne that he is the only one who should be watching over her. After Brinne severely injures The Hound Arya takes all of his supplies and leaves him to die, crossing him off her list. Arya Stark is a perfect example of an independent and headstrong woman who does not follow a typical women role, and although she became good friends with The Hound she never forgot what he had done. (Click here for the video)

Daenerys Targaryen is one of the most feminist characters in the show. Daenerys story begins when her brother forces her into marriage with Khal Drogo the leader of a savage village known as the Dothraki. Her brother forced her into marriage with the hope that he could use their army to return to their home in kings landing and take the iron throne. He eventually becomes overdriven with power that Daenerys has him killed. Eventually Daenerys and Khal fall in love, however Khal soon dies leaving Daenerys to lead the Dothraki. Refusing to have a Women as their leader the Dothraki leave Daenerys. Saddened by her loss Daenerys burns herself at the stake along with the witch who killed her husband and three dragon eggs that were given to her as a gift. When the fire came to an end people were shocked to see her alive with three dragons. Daenerys then goes from city to city freeing every slave and building an army of her own so that she can one day sit on the iron throne. Daenerys truly shows that she is not a stereotype but much wiser than any man who she has come across. (Click here for the video)

Game of Thrones is a well made show that stars many female characters that refuse to follow traditional gender stereotypes. Many people are repulsed by how much women can be degraded in this show because many of them are prostitutes and are often nude in the show. However after finishing season four it is easy to see that it is a very feminist show and passes the Bechdel Test as well as the reverse Bechdel Test.