Description
Book SynopsisThis book explores the connections between history and fantasy in George RR Martin's immensely popular book series A Song of Ice and Fire' and the international TV sensation HBO TV's
Game of Thrones. Acknowledging the final season's foregrounding of the cultural centrality of history, truth and memory in the confrontation between Bran and the Night King, the volume takes full account of the TV show's conclusion in its multiple readings across from medieval history, its institutions and practices, as depicted in the books to the show's own particular medievalism. The topics under discussion include the treatment of the historical phenomena of chivalry, tournaments, dreams, models of education, and the supernatural, and the different ways in which these are mediated in Martin's books and the TV show. The collection also includes a new study of one of Martin's key sources, Maurice Druon's
Les Rois Maudits, in-depth explorations of major characters in their medieval contexts,
Trade ReviewThis new collection brings together a series of rich, insightful studies which dissect the work of George R.R. Martin and its wider impact and legacy. The contributions to this collection demonstrate how so many vital elements of the medieval world from the mundane aspects of religion, trade, finance, and academia to the glories of chivalry and tournaments, resonate in A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones. From analysing the role of key characters like Cersei Lannister and Sandor Clegane to exploring underlying elements such as masculine sexuality and violence, issues of disability or the role of emotionality, this collection has something for every reader including both fans of Martin’s writing and the wider works which it has inspired or scholars and student of the Middle Ages. * Ellie Woodacre, Reader in History, University of Winchester, UK *
The power of this collection lies precisely in its breadth and inclusivity, offering valuable perspectives from a range of disciplinary homes and national traditions in order to present a vibrant and diverse exploration of George R.R. Martin’s world. The 12 essays take us from Kings Landing to Essos, and from Castle Black to Dorne, to understand what happens when memory comes into conflict with memories. From Targaryen Kings to peripatetic Septons, the collection addresses not just the inhabitants of the Seven Kingdoms, but their differing voices, taking in questions of disability, toxicity, gender theory, and queerness along the way. The power of these essays, then, lies not only in the depth of the scholarship at work, but in the variety of the voices which the editors have assembled to offer broad and capacious meditations on questions of power, legitimacy, gender, agency, leadership, and fantasy. As Jon Snow reminds Maestor Aemon in his reminder of the need for diversity: A chain needs all sorts of metals, and a land needs all sorts of people.” (GoT: ASOIAF, p. 435) Let it be said that the many metals of this collection make for a very strong chain indeed. * Andrew Elliott, Associate Professor, University of Lincoln, UK *
The essays in this collection create a fascinating parallel scholarly universe in response to the palimpsest of history, memory, and fantasy that is
A Game of Thrones. Tackling issues of democracy, faith, scholarship, jurisprudence, medicine, economics, chivalry, emotion, violence, and misogyny, the contributors to this volume offer smart critical commentary on the traditionalist medievalist world imagined by George R.R. Martin, David Benioff, and Daniel Weiss. * Richard Utz, Professor in Medievalism Studies, Georgia Institute of Technology, US *
Table of ContentsIntroduction
Part I – Memory 1. On Medieval Dream Tradition in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire
Bartlomiej Blaszkiewicz (University of Warsaw, Poland) 2. The Medievalist Emotional Economy in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire
Anna Czarnowus (University of Silesia, Poland) Part II – Reimagining History 3. George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire and Maurice Druon’s Les Rois Maudits (The Accursed Kings)
Carolyne Larrington (University of Oxford, UK) 4. Broken Bodies, Broken Kingdoms, Broken Promises: The Revolutionary Failure of A Game of Thrones
Robert Rouse (University of British Columbia, Canada) and Cory Rushton (St Francis Xavier University, Canada) Part III – Faith and Salvation 5. The Dog, the Cynic, and the Saint: The Case of Sandor Clegane
Thomas Honegger (Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Germany) 6. The Figure of George R.R. Martin’s Septon Meribald and the Franciscan Legacy
Maria Blaszkiewicz University of Warsaw, Poland) Part IV – Key Institutions 7. The Citadel and the Ivory Tower: Academia and Education in Westeros
Mikayla Hunter (University of Oxford, UK) 8. The Iron Bank Will Have Its Due: Trade and Economics in Game of Thrones
Caroline Batten (University of Oxford, UK) Part V – Chivalry: Theory and Practice 9. The Warrior(s) in Crisis: The Knights of Westeros and the Process of Civilization
Anja Müller (Siegen University, Germany) 10. Tournaments and Judicial Duels in George R.R. Martin’s The World of Ice & Fire and A Song of Ice and Fire
Przemyslaw Grabowski-Górniak (Independent Scholar, Poland) Part VI - The HBO Effect: Violence and Misogyny 11. From Romance to Rape: The Portrayal of Masculine Sexuality in Game of Thrones
Kristina Hildebrand (Halmstad University, Sweden) 12. The Case of Cersei Lannister: Neomedievalist Misogyny in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire
Sylwia Borowska-Szerszun (University of Bialystok, Poland) Index
