Cersei Lannister and the Shallow Politics of Game of Thrones

[Zydrate]

I have not read the books. So this might explain why my interest for Game og Thrones took such a nosedive in season 5. I blamed myself, my lack of stamina or tension span as in: What has a beginning must have an end - otherwise it's just another Days of Our Lives.

I'd recommend powering through Season 5 and watch Season 6. It has so many payoffs, very satisfying.
Especially if you enjoyed most of it as it was, there's just the occasional slog. I feel most seasons have this beginner-season slump that usually bores me in particular.

 

[Hades]

I know where the author is coming from. What noticed and annoyed me when watching Cersei was how sane and rational she was in comparison to her book counterpart. She's by now means presented as a good queen but she also lacks the colossal screw ups and the pararels to her husband that could be so interesting.

But perhaps that's for the next season now that there is no one left that can prevent Cersei from going totally off the rails.

 

[hermes]

I know where the author is coming from. What noticed and annoyed me when watching Cersei was how sane and rational she was in comparison to her book counterpart. She's by now means presented as a good queen but she also lacks the colossal screw ups and the pararels to her husband that could be so interesting.

But perhaps that's for the next season now that there is no one left that can prevent Cersei from going totally off the rails.

I think the main reason for that is that, in the books, most of her paranoia and irrationality comes from her inner voice. On the outside, she conducts herself as the paragon of royalty, but we know she is paranoid, vile and complex because we have a glimpse into her mind every so often. It is a problem with book adaptations... We can't have a character think one way and behave another unless she talks her inner thoughts, at which point she becomes a different character too.

A really good article, just I wouldn't go with the conservative idea. Power corrupts is a universal trope, especially when given to people without the necessary training or abilities to wield it. There's also the disturbing fact that Daenarys acts very similar to Cersei once in power. While not evil as Cersei she also acts very short sighted.

They presented a one-dimensional conflict with the Faith clearly meant to equate them with judgmental Christians who denounce homosexuals and fornicators.

Correct me if im wrong, but wasnt there already a stigma against homosexuality and fornication among the nobility in Westeros before the Faith came along?

And wasnt the Faith supposed to represent an extreme fundamentalist faction that typically exists in all religions?

And wasnt the foundation of the fundamentalist movement based on the opposition to the opulence, decadence and corruption of the septons dictating the faith from Kings Landing? Which began extending to the nobility once the Faith installed itself?

At least the Homossexuals part was new to the show, only the fornications stuff was there and, to be honest, is a drop in the puddle of the horrible stuff Cersei does. For the Faith itself, it is a strange beast since we still don't know if it's bad or good. They are better than the corrupted establishment before it and actually gives a shit for the common man but is very militant and might just start a new war.

Was it new to the show? Correct me if I am wrong, but homosexuality was the specific reason they imprison Loras Tyrell in the books too. It wasn't adultery, or promiscuity, or having sex outside of wedlock, it was because he was openly gay (or as openly as you could be in such a society)

 

[Vahir]

Was it new to the show? Correct me if I am wrong, but homosexuality was the specific reason they imprison Loras Tyrell in the books too. It wasn't adultery, or promiscuity, or having sex outside of wedlock, it was because he was openly gay (or as openly as you could be in such a society)

Loras Tyrell was never imprisoned in the books, for homosexuality or otherwise. To be fair the Faith of the Seven is almost certainly against homosexuality given all its other views.

Very spot on article. They really missed out on a lot of opportunities with the TV show. Imagine if they'd had done scenes fleshing out these conflicts instead of the softcore pornography brothel filler.

 

[Talvrae]

Yeah that show really going down the drain since season 5... it started with Dorne but it'S not getting any better.
I'm no longer excited by the show like i used to... give me Winds of Winter and i will be happy

Correct me if im wrong, but wasnt there already a stigma against homosexuality and fornication among the nobility in Westeros before the Faith came along?

It was and it wasn't. The people said that kind of thing because it was socially required of them, even if they were engaging in it behind closed doors. For example, most people knew about Loris and Renly, but other than a snide joke here and there, people didn't really care. It wasn't until the faith became militarized that did actively persecuting them become the norm.

Yeah but that was only in the show... In the books the Faith is never shown discriminating agaisnt homosexuals. Loras seem to meet his faith during a siege of Dragonstone, nothing to do with religious perscecutions