I understand that this post is pretty close to the deadline, so if no-one feels like posting its cool. This is for anyone who has read the Song of Fire and Ice books by George Martin, or have watched the HBO series "Game of Thrones". There is a clear use of "magic/wizardry" in the series by certain peoples and characters. I'm curious as to what those of you who have watched/read it think of the treatment of magic users within the T.V. series or the fictional novel. Does Martin depict it favorably? Is it met with hostility? What do you think of the general progress of the series/sage. Thanks.
I have been watching the series and they seem to make magic revolve around the existence of dragons. This isn't the first time I've know of different books and or movies doing this so I wonder if it was an actual belief; like how fairies were believed in? there also seems to be a clear use of "dark" magic within the series but that seems to be all that appears. So does that mean dragons are Evil?
ReplyDeleteI have been reading A Song of Ice and Fire, and I just finished the second book! From what I've been seeing, the people in these books are very skeptical about magic being real, or at least in their current time. They talk about legends of magic and days when dragons existed, but whenever someone suggests the idea of magic being in their lives, being very real, they dismiss it. For example, one of the characters has really vivid dreams that generally end up coming true, and when he voices his questions about his dreams relating to the myth of "children of the forest", the maester tells him that he's just dreaming like everyone else and that those children are only from stories. Another example would be in the HBO series (an episode I watched today actually), when the dwarf Tyrion is concerned about bottled wildfire and how it can't be trusted as something that will help the Lannisters without burning their city. His bodyguard, Bronn, is skeptical about the "magical" properties of the wildfire, and believes it will only be bad for them. These are only two of many examples of how people see magic in Martin's universe, but it's very interesting to compare it to the conversations we've been having in class about magic.
ReplyDeleteWow im happy that I had some people comment on that, you right though Julia aside from the main theme of killing every character off, magic is often a remnant of the old times. Northerners seem to acknowledge its existence and are a bit more adverse to the use of it, while most in the south either ignore it or don't acknowledge it in dialogue. Now on the other side of the narrow sea the peoples revere it. I guess you can tie it into the theme that some cultures are more accepting of its use in society than other cultures. That fact is seen with the comparison of Europe to Africa or Russia to Persia. I think elements such as that can be seen well in the song of fire and ice
DeleteI would say something to the effect that magic seems in the show to be actually quite downplayed. instead of most shows where magic always defeats armies and cripples nations, those who hold the most power currently in the show have absolutey no magic power. It is those who are slowly rising that have small, mysterious powers. But it seems that those who have the "magic" are very slowly trying to come to power. It is almost refreshing, showing that even though some have magic on their side, the show says that it is much more than that- that armies and men and hearsay can influence power much more. Magic has also attributed to the death of Khal Drogo, and his wife's abomination of a birth. Therefore, the use of magic is also something that is still dangerous if not used in the right situations. those who control magic still must be political and use their armies and political pull in order to win the war-- and while the magical creatures are powerful, the dragons in the show currently are weak hatchlings, only just harnessing their power to spit flames. The dire wolves prove helpful, but they can be killed if sent into war. Magic in Game of Thrones proves to be influential and helpful in the war... But it must be accompanied by much more than just that.
ReplyDeleteMichael Schmidt
I agree with you that it is quite refreshing to have a show that downplays magic.I think in the second series they are starting to incorporate magic more in the power struggle between the kings but it still doesn't overpower other contributing factors. They are good about making no one person two powerful by giving them all something over the other; whether it be a dire wolf, dragons, a demon shadow child, or riches. Either way they are making it known that it is a world with magic but that magic isn't the defining thing that gives you power, this is what I think makes things more believable within the series. I also like that in the series they say something like "power is where people believe it is" which is a big factor throughout everything, and ends out being very important to the manipulation of people.
DeleteI think magic is depicted quite favorably in the show. Though most of the instances of the use of magic on the show could be considered 'black magic' (thus resulting in bad outcomes), the fact that the characters do not fear or look down upon those who practice it helps me reach my conclusion. I think the show also slightly attacks the spread of the church and Christianity in the British Isles. It constantly speaks of the conflict between the 'new' and the 'old' religion, with both having similarities to Christianity and the pre-christian religion around the british isles respectively.
ReplyDeletePetra Mourany (mourany.4)