Analyzing Literary Concepts and Classical Themes in Game of Thrones

Innovative storytelling has the power to breathe new life into ancient themes, and this is notably evident in Game of Thrones. A spectacular showcase of cinematic grandeur, ethereal creatures, and intricate political strategizing, Game of Thrones exemplified how a story based on early modern times can be transformed into a pop culture phenomenon. This essay will delve into how the series intricately blends concepts such as mourning, melancholy, the uncanny, intertextuality, anagnorisis, catharsis and assemblage into its narrative. By utilizing the series as a tool, we can examine these concepts across different works and their significance in revisiting age-old legends and ideas.

In his 1917 essay Mourning and Melancholia, Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud argued that there was a key difference between mourning and melancholia. He categorized mourning as a conscious acceptance and processing of a loss. In other words, a healthy reaction where you acknowledge the loss and move through the stages of grief. Melancholia, on the other hand, is focused more on unconscious grieving. This is where the loss might not be clearly identified or acknowledged, but it still affects the person deeply, often showing up as profound sadness, anxiety, or even anger at times. This type of grieving is considered less healthy because it's not as conscious or straightforward.

These concepts are particularly useful for exploring the complexities of character development. For example, the Stark children, particularly Arya and Sansa who were present, experienced the devastating loss of their father, Lord Eddard Stark. While each of the Stark children’s responses were somewhat unique to their personality, for the most part, they actively accepted and processed their father’s death. They allowed themselves to experience the stages of grief, but eventually channeled their energy into actions like Bran pursuing his newfound abilities or Robb asserting his claim to the throne. While one would assume Arya and Sansa, the only daughters, would continue to grieve, it was the opposite. Sansa learned how to adapt and survive in the harsh reality of King’s Landing before eventually becoming a politically savvy player in the overall game of thrones. Arya, who was always the tomboy, would use the traumatic event to go on to become an assassin, checking off names on her hit list one by one. These experiences reflect a more conscious engagement with their loss, akin to the healthy process of mourning.

Melancholia, meanwhile, could be seen in Jaime Lannister, particularly in his relationship with the label "kingslayer" for his assassination of the Mad King Aerys II. Initially, Jaime vehemently resented being branded as such, and his reaction suggested a deeper psychological turmoil. Although Jaime may not have openly grieved the loss of the Mad King, the weight of the act lingered beneath the surface, manifesting in profound sadness and a complex emotional landscape. The term "kingslayer" became a source of internal conflict, reflecting Jaime's struggle with societal judgment and self-perception. This melancholic undercurrent contributed to Jaime's evolution into a morally grey character, as he navigated the tension between societal expectations, personal identity, and the consequences of his past actions. The ambiguity surrounding his motivations (which we later learn were good as he essentially saved King’s Landing) and the internal strife over his role as a kingslayer added layers to Jaime's seemingly brash and cocky character. As he told Brienne when asked why he didn’t tell anyone why he killed the Mad King: “You think the *honorable* Ned Stark wanted to hear my side? He judged me guilty the moment he set eyes on me. By what right does the wolf judge the lion?” Essentially, the lens provided by these Freudian concepts can help deepen the psychological dimensions of a story’s characters and narratives, even one with an older setting as demonstrated in Game of Thrones.

Another Freudian concept comes from his essay The Uncanny where he explores the feeling of eeriness or discomfort that arises when the familiar becomes strange. This concept is vividly portrayed through the character of Bran and his experiences with the Three-Eyed Raven. As Bran delves into his newfound abilities as a greenseer, a being with the ability to see past, present, and future events in their dreams, he encounters a world that blurs the boundaries between the familiar and the unfamiliar. The weirwood trees, which are a symbol of the familiar in the Stark family's culture as well as the north as a whole, take on an uncanny quality as Bran perceives visions through them.

The shift from the ordinary use of the weirwood trees as sacred symbols to the unsettling experience of witnessing events through their eyes creates an uncanny atmosphere. Bran's ability to interact with the past and observe events that he couldn't have witnessed in his current timeline also introduces an unsettling element to the familiar landscape geographically and narratively. After all, the series only introduced flashbacks later on in the story and Bran’s visions occupy the bulk of them with the added dimension of time travel. In the process, the uncanny enriches the storytelling by adding complexity to the characters — Bran’s entire personality takes a dramatic shift upon unlocking this ability — deepening the symbolic layers, and contributing to the overall mystical and fantastical atmosphere of the series.

Another compelling example of the uncanny in Game of Thrones is manifested through the character of Melisandre, the Red Priestess introduced in the second season who serves as a confidant and advisor to Stannis Baratheon. Serving the Lord of Light, she fervently proclaims Stannis Baratheon as the chosen one, initially leaving viewers skeptical about her authenticity, as her claims appear to echo those of a mere charlatan. However, in a series predominantly grounded in political intrigue and medieval warfare, Melisandre introduces an early glimpse of the truly supernatural. This is mainly through her extraordinary ability to give life to a shadow baby, a mysterious and ethereal entity. This shadow assassin plays a pivotal role in the narrative by stealthily eliminating Stannis' brother, Renly, ultimately swaying the allegiance of Renly's army towards Stannis. This uncanny birth defies the natural order and introduces a supernatural threat to the world that feels strange and unsettling within the otherwise grounded political and military conflicts of Westeros. It is also one of the first instances — aside from the white walkers and dragons — of overt supernatural intervention in the series, adding an extra dimension of the uncanny while contributing to the overall sense of mystery and supernatural intrigue in the world of Game of Thrones.

Another prominent concept in storytelling is intertextuality, where one text can influence or reference another. It’s a concept central to postmodern literature which places a strong emphasis on acknowledging and exploring these intertextual connections. In Game of Thrones, one of the biggest events in the series is the Red Wedding where Robb Stark, his betrothed, his mother Catelyn, and his entire army is massacred at the hands of Walder Frey and Roose Bolton’s men. While one would assume this was a purely fictional narrative decision, the Red Wedding, among other plot points in the series, draws inspiration from historical events, mythology, and various literary works. According to author George R.R. Martin, the inspiration for the Red Wedding betrayal came from historical Scottish events — the Black Dinner of 1440, marked by the cold-blooded execution of young nobles, and the Massacre of Glencoe from 1692, characterized by a breach of hospitality resulting in the slaughter of a clan ."No matter how much I make up, there's stuff in history that's just as bad, or worse,” Martin was quoted as saying. Martin's acknowledgment that history provides atrocities even more sinister than his imagination underscores the interconnectedness of literature and the human experience. Through this form of intertextuality, the series was able to craft a compelling narrative that resonated with audiences on multiple levels.

That said, intertextuality doesn't necessarily imply a direct influence or impact; rather, it encompasses the ways in which texts engage in a dialogue with each other. And so, another example of intertextuality as well as a way of enhancing a narrative is the overarching theme of solitude and its effect on characters. This is represented in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's 1967 novel One Hundred Years of Solitude where the Buendía family grow to be increasingly solitary and selfish in the remote fictional town of Macondo. Drawing parallels with the narrative complexities of Game of Thrones, particularly through the character of Cersei Lannister, reveals a striking intertextual connection. As Macondo's geographical isolation symbolizes a historical period in Latin American history, Cersei's growing isolation mirrors the turbulent political landscape of Westeros. She gradually loses her children while her relationship with her brothers Tyrion and Jaime rapidly deteriorates. This is particularly seen with Jaime, her lover, who as aforementioned, endures a character transformation and slowly becomes turned off by Cersei’s selfish and politically motivated actions. This loss of family along with general political struggles and Cersei’s overall selfishness echo the thematic resonance between the two works, illustrating how the exploration of solitude can transcend narratives.

Expanding our exploration of intertextuality, we can turn to biblical narratives such as The Book of Esther, which introduces a compelling parallel with Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones. Esther, an ordinary Jewish orphan, rises to royalty through unexpected circumstances by participating in a beauty pageant where she is ultimately selected for her beauty and grace, and ends up becoming the queen of Persia — a nation that is not her own. This is similar to Daenerys, who, although hailing from a family of exiled royalty, emerges as an unlikely but formidable leader of the Targaryen lineage despite being the youngest child and a powerless character lacking any volition at the start of the series. Both women eventually find themselves in positions of power where they must confront oppression and save people. Esther, despite her royal status, identifies with the plight of the Jewish people and risks her life to intercede on their behalf. Similarly, Daenerys, looking to return to Westeros with her dragons and armies, becomes a liberator in Essos, aiming to free the oppressed from tyranny and slavery. This intertextual connection further illustrates how Game of Thrones, far from being a standalone narrative, engages in a rich dialogue with historical and mythological texts.

Returning to the Red Wedding, we can also draw concepts from Aristotle’s Poetics where he discusses anagnorisis and catharsis. Anagnorisis is specifically the moment of recognition or discovery when a character realizes a pivotal truth about themselves, another character, or a situation, leading to a crucial turning point. This becomes evident when Catelyn Stark perceives the treachery of Roose Bolton, recognizing him wearing chainmail under his garments, coinciding with the ominous rendition of the Lannister song "The Rains of Castamere." In response, Catelyn slaps Bolton and attempts to warn her son Robb, but tragically, her efforts are in vain, and the massacre unfolds. What follows after is the catharsis — the emotional purging or release experienced by the audience during or after the performance of a tragedy. While the event left viewers with shock, grief, and horror, it was cathartic in a way that the chain of events made sense narratively and it was a stunning payoff to what was the penultimate episode of the third season, still regarded by many today as arguably the greatest season of the series. However, most would ideally argue that catharsis consists more of an emotional resolution or relief and so, the cathartic moment following the Red Wedding comes a couple of seasons later when now-assassin Arya avenges her family by killing Walder Frey in the very same location. This catharsis was particularly a long time coming as the Red Wedding served as a cultural moment that reverberated globally due to its shocking and unexpected nature.

The final concept to be discussed is assemblage. According to Gilles Deleuze, a French philosopher, and Félix Guattari, a French psychoanalyst and political activist, an assemblage is a sophisticated interplay of diverse elements, entities, or components that combine to give rise to something novel and transformative. Unlike isolated entities, these individual elements within an assemblage might lack inherent meaning or value. However, it is within the dynamic interplay and synergy of these components that they acquire significance. Assemblages manifest in various facets of life, ranging from complex social and political configurations to the intricate tapestries woven in literary and artistic creations. As explained by Deleuze and Guattari, the fluid nature of assemblages allows them to evolve and adapt over time. This notion finds resonance in the sprawling and multifaceted world of Westeros, where characters, cultures, and storylines converge to shape the overarching narrative.

One example is the Night’s Watch, a band of criminals and misfits who are tasked with defending the Wall from the wildlings. However, as the series progresses, the Night’s Watch is essentially tasked with saving mankind by serving as the barrier between the civilized world and the white walkers. Among the Night's Watch are characters like Jon Snow and Samwell Tarly, who on their own may lack value in the broader political landscape, especially at the start of the series. But as they are brought together as a collective assemblage, they form a significant entity with a specific purpose, ending up as big players in the series. This narrative progression exemplifies how the collaboration and cohesion of characters within an assemblage can amplify their importance, leading to significant consequences within the overarching storyline.

Another example of assemblage comes in the aftermath of Eddard Stark's death. House Stark faces the challenging task of not only mourning their patriarch, but also navigating the intricate and perilous political landscape of Westeros as well as seeking revenge. The direwolf banner, symbolic of House Stark, becomes a rallying point for other Northern houses and bannermen. Robb Stark, driven by the desire for justice and retribution, successfully forges strategic alliances with these houses as he also seeks to become an independent King in the North. Each house, including House Stark, is individually vulnerable, but together, contribute their unique strengths and resources to the collective cause to create a formidable force challenging the dominance of House Lannister. This very assemblage moves the narrative forward drastically and sets a number of events in motion such as the capture of Jaime Lannister, the betrayal by Theon Greyjoy (and his subsequent capture and torture by Ramsay Bolton), and of course, he infamous Red Wedding — a tragic turning point in the narrative. All these events showcase the power of assemblage in Game of Thrones, where the collaboration of seemingly disparate entities results in significant narrative shifts and unforeseen consequences.

In conclusion, Game of Thrones transcends the realm of mere entertainment, evolving into a narrative interwoven with intricate concepts that echo through literature, psychology, and history. Through the lens of mourning and melancholia, characters like the Stark children and Jaime Lannister navigate the complexities of loss, offering a nuanced portrayal of grief's diverse manifestations. The uncanny, embodied in Bran's journey and Melisandre’s ability to birth a shadow baby, introduces an unsettling dimension that enriches the fantastical narrative. Intertextuality, whether drawing inspiration from historical events like it was done for the Red Wedding, or establishing parallels with biblical narratives such as The Book of Esther, illustrates the series' dialogues with broader cultural and mythological contexts. Assemblage emerges as a crucial force shaping the destinies of characters and entire houses, exemplified by the Night's Watch and the collective response of the Northern houses after Eddard Stark's death.

Through these diverse lenses, Game of Thrones emerges not merely as a cultural phenomenon, but as a profound exploration of universal themes. It demonstrates how storytelling, when executed with nuance and depth, can transcend time periods and genres, engaging in a profound dialogue with the collective human experience and creating a narrative that is arguably the most talked about in modern times.