84 pages • 2 hours read

A Game of Thrones

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1996

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Summary

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-10

Chapters 11-20

Chapters 21-30

Chapters 31-40

Chapters 41-50

Chapters 51-60

Chapters 61-67

Chapters 68-73

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Index of Terms

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

Beta

Discussion Questions

Symbols & Motifs

Swords

In the Seven Kingdoms, swords are more than just a weapon. They symbolize the heritage and values of a family that can be passed along from one generation to the next. Many families have special swords that are sometimes hundreds of years old. The names of these swords reflect the values or circumstances of the house, such as the Starks’ longsword Ice, whose name reflects both the northern region and the impartial, objective mindset required to deliver justice. Just as descendants wield these blades with familial honor, there is dishonor inherent in being denied the possession of an ancestral blade, such as when Commander Mormont gives his family sword to Jon instead of Jorah.

Even common swords are used symbolically. A sheathed sword is a common addition to standard daily dress, but an unsheathed sword is brandished for a reason. Robb Stark, for instance, sits on his lord’s chair in Winterfell with a naked blade across his lap to greet Tyrion Lannister. This is a symbol of Robb’s mistrust and willingness to bring things to violence should Tyrion step out of line in Robb’s realm. A naked blade being laid at someone’s feet has the opposite message—trust that the blade won’t be used against them and loyalty because of that safety. An unsheathed blade presented is a promise of action either toward an enemy or as an oath of fealty to a lord or ally.

The Iron Throne

The Iron Throne is a symbol not only of the king’s power but of the nature of that power. The throne is made from a thousand swords, all acquired from those who surrendered or were defeated in battle by Aegon the Conqueror when he united the Seven Kingdoms under his control, and many of these swords have retained their edges. This stands as a threat to the monarch’s enemies and a reminder of the prowess that gained the throne. The monarch is not exempt from the throne’s symbolic elements, however, since the seat is notoriously uncomfortable and still has sharp edges, which symbolizes the sometimes unpleasant reality of the responsibility of ruling.

The Iron Throne also functions in a more abstract way; it is used synonymously with the concept of ruling the kingdom and becomes shorthand for the objective of characters who wish to claim it. It is an embodiment of the power that they hope to wield. Only the monarch or their Hand is permitted to sit on the throne, so just the act of sitting on it or threatening to do so becomes treason. This is illustrated in the moment Ned arrives in the throne room to secure the Iron Throne for Robert Baratheon but finds Jamie Lannister casually lounging on the throne instead with the bodies of the former king and his children at Jamie’s feet. There is tension and hesitation because Ned is unsure whether Jamie intends to take the throne or if he’s just trying to communicate that he could should the opportunity arise.

Winter

The Stark House motto is “Winter is Coming,” and though they mean this literally, as the seasons are long and unpredictable in Westeros, these words are also symbolic of looming danger and hardship. The idea of winter is ominous. In A Game of Thrones the longest summer ever recorded so far—one lasting a decade—is coming to an end, and the longer the summer the longer the winter is expected to be. Though the phrase is abstract, there is literary irony in the phrase since the reader is aware that there is even more danger than the characters expect in the coming winter.

Winter represents a mounting sense of dread throughout the novel. Winter is more than just cold weather; the practicalities of winter mean that food cannot be grown or harvested, and people must struggle to keep warm. Winter represents death and famine for those who are not adequately prepared. This lack of preparation and the ease with which people dismiss the prospect of winter is emphasized by the hints of the magic returning to the world. The Others are the embodiment of winter; not only do they bring cold and death, but they have been mythologized in the Seven Kingdoms to the point of being forgotten.

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Amid the symbolism of the winter, the Starks are somewhat unique. The winter is a reminder of what sets the Starks apart from the southern houses: the north is a harsh place, but there is always something worse lurking beyond the Wall. The Stark’s symbolic understanding of winter is a reminder that their innate pessimism may seem bleak but, in the cruel world of A Game of Thrones, they are ultimately proven right.