Full Description
Game of Thrones, one of the hottest series on television, leaves hundreds of critics divided on how "feminist" the show really is. Certainly the female characters, strong and weak, embody a variety of archetypes--widow queens, warrior women, damsels in distress, career women, priestesses, crones, mothers and maidens. However, the problem is that most of them play a single role without nuance--even the "strong women" have little to do besides strut about as one-note characters. This book analyzes the women and their portrayals one by one, along with their historical inspirations. Accompanying issues in television studies also appear, from the male gaze to depiction of race. How these characters are treated in the series and how they treat themselves becomes central, as many strip for the pleasure of men or are sacrificed as pawns. Some nude scenes or moments of male violence are fetishized and filmed to tantalize, while others show the women's trauma and attempt to identify with the scene's female perspective. The key is whether the characters break out of their traditional roles and become multidimensional.
Contents
Table of Contents
Introduction
Part I: Controversial Issues in the Series
Gratuitous Sex?
Rape
Male Gaze
Fake Lesbian Scenes
Race
Independent Action versus Acting for Others
Part II: Exploring Archetypes and Tropes
Female Archetypes
The Strong Females
The Warrior Woman Archetype
The Warrior: Arya and Brienne
The Bodyguard: Osha and Meera
The Pirate: Asha/Yara
The Career Woman: Talisa
The Warrior-Anima
The Feminized Females
Widows and Mothers: The Chatelaines and Queen Consorts
Maidens: The Innocent, the Orphan, and the Femme Fatale
The Prostitutes
The Crones
The Seers
Tricksters: The Sand Snakes
Great Goddess: The Heart Trees
Monstrous Woman: Stoneheart
The Hero Queen: Daenerys
Part III: Gender Roles in Westeros
Women in Westeros
Men in the Gender Biased System
Women Despise Men by Despising Women
Men's Attitudes Toward Women
Fan Reactions
Conclusion
Appendix 1. Cast
Appendix 2. Episode List
Appendix 3. Archetypes
Works Cited
Index
