UCINTHON32

Raluca Stoican

Spring 2016 Daenerys Stormborn: Deconstructing (the) Myth

Daenerys is without any doubt one of the favourite characters of the fans of both the series of A Song of Ice and Fire, and the television series based upon it – but she is also one of the favourite characters of feminist scholars. Academic accounts of her focus not only on her own character development, but also on her particular role within the larger narrative. Feminist scholars describe Daenerys not merely as a heroine, but also the heroine of the story. The complexity of her character is also emphasized in contrast to the way other female characters are developed – especially in the series. The current inquiry will investigate and question these two particular issues as explained by feminist scholars, and will ultimately seek to merge the two issues. The analysis follows the character of Daenerys, as depicted in the series, up until the first episodes of the sixth season1.

Daenerys: the Hero(ine) Schubart offers two different accounts of the hero in a fantasy world and attempts to ultimately bring them together in the character of Daenerys. The first description of the universal hero is that of Campbell: “he is ‘the king’s son’ who has come to know who he is and therewith has entered into the exercise of his proper power – ‘God’s son” (as quoted in S, 108). According to Campbell, the hero’s adventure requires three stages: departing the world, accessing a source of power and finally returning – a return that elevates life. We can easily place Daenerys within this description. She is the daughter of King Aerys II Targaryen and she acquires her mythical power by stepping into the burning pyre of Khal Drogo, out of which she emerges symbolically reborn and with three hatched dragons. Her storyline also follows the stages of the universal hero’s adventure. She is forced to leave Westeros, ‘the world’, into exile because the rebellion that overthrew her father and family; she has accessed a source of power – the dragons, that lead to her acquisition of armies – and plans to return to Westeros and reclaim the Iron Throne.

The second account of the hero draws upon the difference between the male and female protagonists of fairy tales. Both of them must learn humility and compassion2, through three tests, yet the plot is widely different for heroes and heroines: both in the ‘what’ in particular and the ‘how’ they learn from the three tests.3 Thus, “the hero gains a kingdom, a princess, and the power to rule, and the heroine gains a husband, but loses her freedom. And their tests are different *…+ *as+ typically, a hero befriends a magical being which helps him solve the tests, while fairy tale heroines have to suffer.”4 Daenerys begins

1 Apologies for the possible spoilers. 2 Schubart, 110 3 Schubart, 109 4 ibid as the universal heroine, only she was already subjugated by her brother, she knew humility. Her brother marries her to Khal Drogo in exchange for an army – but whilst for the typical heroine marriage signifies the end of the story, through complete marital submission, for Daenerys, her marriage to Drogo represents the beginning of her story. Her marriage does not teach her humility and submission, but confers her power and pride. Schubart describes the process of empowerment of Daenerys as her learning ‘authentic pride’, a pride based on one’s achievements , to which she opposes ‘hubristic pride’, that is narcissistic and distorted.5 This explanation stands as Daenerys begins to realize her own value and potential, a realization that brings her agency and power. It would seem, however, that Daenerys is slowly leaning towards hubristic pride. She has presented herself as a messianic figure, and it would seem she is beginning to believe in the myth herself. This possible development will be discussed further.

Daenerys, The Breaker of Chains: The Messiah Figure

Queen of Meereen Much in line with Schubart, Frankel sees Daenerys as the heroine of the series, stating that “Daenerys is thus the prince who was promised, champion from over the sea, and the one female who could rule Westeros. She undergoes the full arc of the heroine’s journey.”6 For Frankel, the heroine’s journey is not the one described by Schubart, but follows very much the same structure as the one of the hero whilst also requiring one to embrace her femininity.7 About this last element, there is no doubt that Daenerys fulfills it as well. However, if the role of the hero implies the achievement of some sort of a happy- ending, as for example fairy tales do, then it is a fair observation that a hero, or the hero of the Game of Thrones must be able to rule – not only to conquer, but to be able to successfully manage the conquered people and lands. A reason cited by many characters in favour of Daenerys being the long-awaited ruler is that she acts in the interests of the people – this is definitely an important part of her myth, for she is not only the Mother of Dragons, but also the Mhysa [mother] of the former slaves. She recognizes and

5 Schubart, 112 6 Frankel, 148 7 ibid assumes this important function when she decides to remain in Meereen to secure both the city and the Slavers’ Bay:

Daenerys: How can I rule seven kingdoms if I can’t control Slavers’ Bay? Why should anyone trust me? Why should anyone follow me?

Jorah: You’re a Targaryen! You’re the Mother of Dragons!

Daenerys: I need to be more than that. I will not let those I have freed slide back into chains. I will not sail to Westeros.

Jorah: What then?

Daenerys: I will do what queens do, I will rule.8

This decision may or may not have been wise – but by her stay in Meereen, Daenerys shows that she is not (yet) capable of ruling. The sudden change in system that she brought created numerous issues in the new society – issues that Daenerys mainly sought to solve by executing both slavers and slaves. The failure of her choices is reflected in the fact that the Sons of the Harpy, an underground group of rebels that seek to remove her, grow stronger. They begin by killing some of the soldiers of her army; they manage to murder one of her closest advisors and reach the point where they directly threaten Daenerys’ own life, her only escape being flying away on Drogon.

The Mother of Dragons The issue of the complexity of her character was previously mentioned. This matter is mostly discussed by Frankel, as Daenerys is given as the example for a complex character, one that transcends stereotypes and archetypes (Frankel sees these two categories as equivalent9). She notes that “a fully formed character does this, slipping out of her cookie-cutter role to embody many through her life. Daenerys, more than any other character can be seen taking all the positions, growing from victim- princess into war leader, lover, and mother of slaves, all while having mystic visions of the future.”10 This description points at Daenerys possessing all the characteristics of Wolff’s Anima Archetypes - archetypes that Frankel describes and employs in her analysis. These are the Amazon, the independent fighter, the Hetaera, the lover, the Mother and the Medium. Although it would appear that indeed, Daenerys represent a unity of these four archetypes, this does not hold to a more in depth inquiry. Daenerys is not a Medium for despite having the power of surviving fire, the other instances of her involvement with magic, such as blood-magic or visions, found her in the position of the recipient of magic, not its initiator. Furthermore, for the Medium, the “primary relationship is to the other, the unknown, to God, or gods”11 – which is not the case of Daenerys, whose purpose and vision is of a very worldly nature. Daenerys is neither a Hetaera, as the lover is meant to act on the behalf of her consort12. Although she was loved and was committed to Drogo, her main goal was to return to Westeros to

8 Season 4, Episode 5 9 Frankel, 37 10 Frankel, 39 11 ibid 12 Frankel, 38 conquer the throne of her family back. She takes Daario Naharis as a lover, yet the power structure does not waiver: she is the Queen, he must serve – in bed and outside of it. She also chooses to take the Meereenese noble Hizdahr zo Loraq as her husband to ensure the peace of the city. Yet, this act is not done for his interest, nor does it actually involve his consent as Daenerys presents him with her decision, while he was kneeling, begging for his life.

Daenerys spares Hizdahr’s life: “I will marry the leader of an ancient family, thankfully a suitor is already on his knees”

We must also not be deceived by the title of ‘The Mother of Dragons’ – this title does not symbolize her status as a mother, but as the head of an incredible destructive power, one that at some point she cannot control herself. It is very important to note the fact that Daenerys loses the possibility of becoming an actual mother in the process of awakening the dragons. As the witch Mirri Maz Duur explains to her “only death can pay for life”13, the baby’s life was exchanged for that of Drogo and ultimately, for that of the dragons. As a result of using blood-magic, she will never be able to carry a child again: “when the sun rises in the west and sets in the east”14. She is also referred to as Mhysa [mother] by the freed slaves, but whether she fulfills that role is questionable. Although she did offer freedom to numerous slaves, she is incapable of actually securing this freedom or general peace. The Mother always acts on the behalf of the interest of her children15, and while Daenerys attempts to understand and ensure the needs of her people, her main drive is her wish to conquer Westeros. This drive is reaffirmed after she gains the command of all Dothraki, following another scene of emerging untouched from fire, after burning all the other Khals. It would thus appear that Daenerys is the Amazon, in her destructive state, as the fighter and dealer of death16. Daenerys has been cruel on various occasions, although she usually explained her acts as acts of justice. In the latest season, however, justice does not appear to be needed any more, as Daenerys kills all the Khals by burning them to death, noting their lack of power – and act performed as a means of obtaining the Dothraki army. The preview of episode ‘Blood of My Blood’ may be seen as a hint that her desire for more power seems will only continue to grow, unrestrained, uncontrollable:

13 Season 1, Episode 9 14 Season 1, Episode 9 but also restated in Season 6, Episode 1 15 Frankel, 38 16 Frankel, 37 (see figure) Daario: You are a conqueror, Daenerys Stormborn.

Daenerys: I take what is mine.17

Conclusion Daenerys follows the universal stages of the fantasy hero. She undergoes different challenges that she overcomes by finding her inner strength and magic. She is a heroine, not only by virtue of being a female character, but even more one that assumes her femininity. However, she is not the typical fairy tale heroine, as she is not subdued by her marriage, but through suffering acquires the power to conquer and rule. Whist she is a complex character, she does not transcend the four archetypes, as she is ultimately an Amazon. Daenerys is seen as the heroine of the series as “most of the feminism on the show must be attributed to her.”18 Yet she falls short of the abilities to bring and maintain peace for her people – for which she needs to transcend her function as an Amazon. Daenerys, indeed, may be the character who represents most the feminist ideals, for she does not only show that women can we powerful, but also cruel. She is indeed no Mother, she is a conqueror. As she herself states, she “is not a politician, *she+ is a queen”19. If Daenerys is to be the hero(ine) of this story, she must learn politics, she must learn to rule – she not only has to be able to obtain the throne, but also keep it. She must be able to either develop or die, for “when you play the game of thrones, you win or you die.”20

Bibliography Frankel, V. E. (2014). Exploring Archetypes and Tropes. and Strong Women. and Daenerys. In Women in Game of Thrones: Power, conformity and resistance. McFarland and Company

Schubart, R. (2016). Woman With Dragons: Daenerys, Pride, and Postfeminist Possibilities. In A. Gjelsvik, & R. Schubart (Eds.), Women of Ice and Fire: Gender, Game of Thrones and Multiple Media Engagements. (1 ed.). Bloomsbury Academic.

Benioff, David and Weiss, Daniel. Game Of Thrones (TV Series 2011– )

17 Season 6, Episode 6 (preview) 18 Frankel, 148 19 Season 5, Episode 7 20 Season 1, Episode 7