The Abject In A Song Of Ice And Fire And Game Of Thrones.

The Abject in A Song of Ice and Fire and Game of Thrones.

The abject status of Tyrion Lannister in his relationship with his father and sister (Cersei and Tywin).

His physical appearance is frequently used by his family to belittle and humiliate him. Tywin, in particular, is disdainful of Tyrion's physical disability and sees him as a stain on the Lannister family's reputation and his own personal curse.  He blames him for the death of his mother in childbirth, even though Tyrion is the only one that is completely blameless.  He did not ask to be brought into the world.  In one scene in A Clash of Kings, Tywin tells Tyrion, "You are an ill-made, spiteful little creature full of envy, lust, and low cunning." This shows how Tyrion's abject status is linked to his physical deformity, as well as his position within the Lannister family.

Cersei also uses Tyrion's abject status to undermine him, portraying him as weak and powerless. In A Storm of Swords, Cersei says of Tyrion, "He is a dwarf, a stunted twisted little monkey who's no fit consort for a queen." Cersei's use of animalistic language here further emphasizes Tyrion's abject status, as she portrays him as subhuman and less than fully human by representing him as a monkey.  This is similar to her father’s treatment of Tyrion in calling him a “creature.”  

Despite his family's efforts to marginalize and exclude him, Tyrion is a character who refuses to be defined by his abject status. He is highly intelligent and resourceful, and often uses his wit and cunning to outmaneuver his enemies. In A Clash of Kings, and on the show Game of Thrones in the Battle of the Blackwater, for example, he manages to repel an attack on King's Landing by using a hidden cache of wildfire to destroy a large portion of Stannis Baratheon's fleet.

By representing Tyrion as abject, Martin is able to highlight the often cruel and arbitrary nature of social hierarchies. Tyrion's exclusion from society is not based on anything he has done, but rather on factors outside of his control, such as his physical appearance and his family background. This serves as a critique of the unjust nature of social systems and the way in which they marginalize and exclude certain groups of people.

By portraying Tyrion as both abject and heroic, Martin is able to challenge the dominant narratives of heroism and villainy in fantasy literature. Instead of being a typical hero who embodies strength and perfection, Tyrion is a flawed and vulnerable character who is forced to navigate a hostile world in order to survive. Through his character, Martin is able to explore the complexities of power, politics, and identity, and to challenge readers' assumptions about what it means to be a hero or a villain.

Further Reading:

Young, J. R. (2021). Useful little men: George R. R. Martin's dwarfs as grotesque realists. Mythlore, 39(137), 77-95,77A

Felluga, D. (2011) "Modules on Kristeva: On the Abject." Introductory Guide to Critical Theory.  Purdue U.

A Little World: A new chapter of Walk Through Fire.  It is not my longest chapter. I struggled with it slightly.  But it is done, and here it is. Hope it is enjoyable. 

Excerpt:

 “He blinked his eyes, to adjust his vision. His strange dreams as of late made him less likely to trust his eyes.  He took a sip from the flagon of wine on his hip, muttering to himself with a tinge of bitterness “The gods always find a way to meddle in matters of the heart.  Just as I began to get a glimpse—a glimmer of happiness—the gods cruelly snatched it away.”  He almost wanted to laugh.  He had been stupid to believe that his marriage to Sansa Stark would ever take place. ”

There was a twitter poll asking who was hotter young DeNiro or young Pacino. I know my vote.

Both of these are really interesting snippets. 

FREAKS!!

More or less...we welcome our new overlords..in that case. 

“When the Old Gods returned, they were surprised how easy it was to amass an army of followers. Turned out all they had to do was offer fair wages and good benefits, with reasonable deadlines and working conditions”

Top moment.  Also how---much I miss this show at this time in the show.  It was so good.  Joffrey was the villain you loved to hate.  Tyrion was still witty and charismatic...I guess the charisma never changed.  I am still reconciling book and show Tyrion in my mind.  Both have their merits.  

Side note: Peter <3<3<3<3  “Helloooooo nurse” 

GAME OF THRONES 1.02, The Kingsroad