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Game of Thrones versus History
Written in Blood
Brian A. Pavlac (Edited by), BA Pavlac (Author)
9781119249429, Wiley
Paperback / softback, published 7 April 2017
320 pages
22.4 x 15.2 x 2.8 cm, 0.363 kg
Since it first aired in 2011, Game of Thrones galloped up the ratings to become the most watched show in HBO’s history. It is no secret that creator George R.R. Martin was inspired by late 15th century Europe when writing A Song of Ice and Fire, the sprawling saga on which the show is based. Aside from the fantastical elements, Game of Thrones really does mirror historic events and bloody battles of medieval times—but how closely?
Game of Thrones versus History: Written in Blood is a collection of thought-provoking essays by medieval historians who explore how the enormously popular HBO series and fantasy literature of George R. R. Martin are both informed by and differ significantly from real historical figures, events, beliefs, and practices of the medieval world. From a variety of perspectives, the authors delve into Martin’s plots, characterizations, and settings, offering insights into whether his creations are historical possibilities or pure flights of fantasy.
Topics include the Wars of the Roses, barbarian colonizers, sieges and the nature of medieval warfare, women and agency, slavery, celibate societies in Westeros, myths and legends of medieval Europe, and many more. While life was certainly not a game during the Middle Ages, Game of Thrones versus History: Written in Blood reveals how a surprising number of otherworldly elements of George R. R. Martin’s fantasy are rooted deeply in the all-too-real world of medieval Europe.
Find suggested readings, recommended links, and more from editor Brian Pavlac at gameofthronesversushistory.com.
Notes on Contributors ix Foreword by William Irwin xiii Acknowledgments xv Introduction: The Winter of Our Discontent 1 Part I Kings, Queens, Knights, and Strategy 17 1 High and Mighty Queens of Westeros 19 2 A Machiavellian Discourse on Game of Thrones 33 3 Chivalry in Westeros 47 4 Of Kings, Their Battles, and Castles 57 Part II Slaves, Barbarians, and Other Others 71 5 Barbarian Colonizers and Postcolonialism in Westeros and Britain 73 6 A Defense against the “Other”: Constructing Sites on the Edge of Civilization and Savagery 85 7 The Eastern Question 97 8 Slaves with Swords: Slave‐Soldiers in Essos and in the Islamic World 111 Part III Women and Children 123 9 Rocking Cradles and Hatching Dragons: Parents in Game of Thrones 125 10 “Oh, my sweet summer child”: Children and Childhood in Game of Thrones 137 11 Writing the Rules of Their Own Game: Medieval Female Agency and Game of Thrones 147 12 The Power of Sansa Stark: A Representation of Female Agency in Late Medieval England 161 Part IV Religion 171 13 Continuity and Transformation in the Religions of Westeros and Western Europe 173 14 Religious Violence in Game of Thrones: An Historical Background from Antiquity to the European Wars of Religion 185 15 Coexistence and Conflict in the Religions of Game of Thrones 195 16 “I shall take no wife”: Celibate Societies in Westeros and in Western Civilization 209 Part V The Background 225 17 By Whisper and Raven: Information and Communication in Game of Thrones 227 18 What’s in a Name? History and Fantasy in Game of Thrones 241 19 Setting up Westeros: The Medievalesque World of Game of Thrones 251 Appendix: List of Books and Episodes 261 Index 265
Brian A. Pavlac
Kavita Mudan Finn
Jacopo della Quercia
Steven Muhlberger
Brian A. Pavlac
Shiloh Carroll
Brian de Ruiter
Mat Hardy
Robert J. Haug
Janice Liedl
Helle Strandgaard Jensen and Magnus Qvistgaard
Nicole M. Mares
Danielle Alesi
Don Riggs
Maureen Attali
Daniel J. Clasby
Kris Swank
Giacomo Giudici
Sara L. Uckelman, Sonia Murphy, and Joseph Percer
Gillian Polack
Subject Areas: Society & culture: general [JF]
