Post by eyesofmist on Feb 18, 2015 19:25:50 GMT
I think horses are given a symbolic meaning in this series.
we can start talking about Drogo,the horse-lord. He has a favourite horse but gives him no name because the Dorthraki don't do that. The horse is a lean red stallion and when Drogo is so ill,dying, Mirri Maz Duur makes a strange ceremony where the horse's life is taken to bring Drogo back to life when he's burning with fever.
They take the horse's blood to save Drogo from death. It's a blood sacrifice, life for life.
Everything goes wrong and Drogo doesn't die but is soulless,he feels nothing. Dany also loses her child as if the baby's life was the one taken in the sacrifice instead of the horse's.
The horse was like Drogo himself, strong (it takes three men to keep him under control) but lean, powerful, he was reddish and Drogo's skin was copper. He was a stallion to represent his rider's virility. Both of them died more or less at the same time.
This makes me think of Sandor and Stranger. Stranger is very much like his owner too. He is mean and fierce but also loyal and he is also nearby when he is burying with fever,like Drogo, about to die like Drogo, and in a state beyond a healer's skills. We know that the elder brother treated him and saved him but maybe there was some supernatural power in his capacity to kill. This is suggested in the text. The supernatural didn't work for Drogo because Mirri MD betrayed Dany to take revenge on the Dorthraki, with Sandor it was different and the elder brother cured him.
What is clear is that the stallions represent the virility of their owners,their indomitable personality and fierceness, but also their sexual drive and capacity to beget children. his stallion dies and soon later Drogo dies too. Stranger is in the QI kicking and biting anyone who tries to geld him and turn him into a work horse. This is a symbol telling us that Sandor is also alive and kicking,full of sap and life force and will not let anyone geld him or tame him. He may learn to control his outbursts and his anger but his essence will not change.
Other horses in the story are also important,like Dany's Silver, who makes her so happy and helps her feel free and strong. It's a female horse,a mare (Drogo's was a Stallion) with silver hair like Dany's and may reperesent freedom and instinct as regards her owner.
We also have Jaime owning two horses, Honour and Glory. These names remind us of what he is seeking now, he is in a quest for glory and for his lost honour. Jaime, as well as Ilyn Payne ride geldings at some point, which makes me think they are heading on a journey with no return, a last journey where Jaime will achieve honour and glory but will have no more children and will eventually die.
As I have explained in my meta, I think ser Ilyn represents death in the story, so he could only ride a gelding,a horse that can't provide life.
Arya leaves Sandor Clegane dying alone an she flees riding a horse called Craven. Sandor would say it is craven not to give a man the gift of mercy,but she can't bring herself to kill him. The horse called Craven travelled with a deserter (Sandor)and a girl who couldn't kill her companion. The name could be hinting at either of them. Sandor also considers himself a coward for standing in his white cloak while Sansa was being abused.
we can start talking about Drogo,the horse-lord. He has a favourite horse but gives him no name because the Dorthraki don't do that. The horse is a lean red stallion and when Drogo is so ill,dying, Mirri Maz Duur makes a strange ceremony where the horse's life is taken to bring Drogo back to life when he's burning with fever.
“And now you must save him,” Dany said. “Please.” “You do not ask a slave,” Mirri replied sharply, “you tell her.” She went to Drogo burning on his mat, and gazed long at his wound. “Ask or tell, it makes no matter. He is beyond a healer’s skills.” The khal’s eyes were closed. She opened one with her fingers. “He has been dulling the hurt with milk of the poppy.” “Yes,” Dany admitted. “I made him a poultice of firepod and sting-me-not and bound it in a lambskin.”
“It burned, he said. He tore it off. The herbwomen made him a new one, wet and soothing.” “It burned, yes. There is great healing magic in fire, even your hairless men know that.” “Make him another poultice,” Dany begged. “This time I will make certain he wears it.” “The time for that is past, my lady,” Mirri said. “All I can do now is ease the dark road before him, so he might ride painless to the night lands. He will be gone by morning.” Her words were a knife through Dany’s breast. What had she ever done to make the gods so cruel? She had finally found a safe place, had finally tasted love and hope. She was finally going home. And now to lose it all... “No,” she pleaded. “Save him, and I will free you, I swear it. You must know a way... some magic, some...”
“It burned, he said. He tore it off. The herbwomen made him a new one, wet and soothing.” “It burned, yes. There is great healing magic in fire, even your hairless men know that.” “Make him another poultice,” Dany begged. “This time I will make certain he wears it.” “The time for that is past, my lady,” Mirri said. “All I can do now is ease the dark road before him, so he might ride painless to the night lands. He will be gone by morning.” Her words were a knife through Dany’s breast. What had she ever done to make the gods so cruel? She had finally found a safe place, had finally tasted love and hope. She was finally going home. And now to lose it all... “No,” she pleaded. “Save him, and I will free you, I swear it. You must know a way... some magic, some...”
They take the horse's blood to save Drogo from death. It's a blood sacrifice, life for life.
The maegi drew it (the blade) across the stallion’s throat, under the noble head, and the horse screamed and shuddered as the blood poured out of him in a red rush. He would have collapsed, but the men of her khas held him up. “Strength of the mount, go into the rider,” Mirri sang as horse blood swirled into the waters of Drogo’s bath. “Strength of the beast, go into the man.”
Everything goes wrong and Drogo doesn't die but is soulless,he feels nothing. Dany also loses her child as if the baby's life was the one taken in the sacrifice instead of the horse's.
The horse was like Drogo himself, strong (it takes three men to keep him under control) but lean, powerful, he was reddish and Drogo's skin was copper. He was a stallion to represent his rider's virility. Both of them died more or less at the same time.
This makes me think of Sandor and Stranger. Stranger is very much like his owner too. He is mean and fierce but also loyal and he is also nearby when he is burying with fever,like Drogo, about to die like Drogo, and in a state beyond a healer's skills. We know that the elder brother treated him and saved him but maybe there was some supernatural power in his capacity to kill. This is suggested in the text. The supernatural didn't work for Drogo because Mirri MD betrayed Dany to take revenge on the Dorthraki, with Sandor it was different and the elder brother cured him.
What is clear is that the stallions represent the virility of their owners,their indomitable personality and fierceness, but also their sexual drive and capacity to beget children. his stallion dies and soon later Drogo dies too. Stranger is in the QI kicking and biting anyone who tries to geld him and turn him into a work horse. This is a symbol telling us that Sandor is also alive and kicking,full of sap and life force and will not let anyone geld him or tame him. He may learn to control his outbursts and his anger but his essence will not change.
Other horses in the story are also important,like Dany's Silver, who makes her so happy and helps her feel free and strong. It's a female horse,a mare (Drogo's was a Stallion) with silver hair like Dany's and may reperesent freedom and instinct as regards her owner.
We also have Jaime owning two horses, Honour and Glory. These names remind us of what he is seeking now, he is in a quest for glory and for his lost honour. Jaime, as well as Ilyn Payne ride geldings at some point, which makes me think they are heading on a journey with no return, a last journey where Jaime will achieve honour and glory but will have no more children and will eventually die.
As I have explained in my meta, I think ser Ilyn represents death in the story, so he could only ride a gelding,a horse that can't provide life.
Arya leaves Sandor Clegane dying alone an she flees riding a horse called Craven. Sandor would say it is craven not to give a man the gift of mercy,but she can't bring herself to kill him. The horse called Craven travelled with a deserter (Sandor)and a girl who couldn't kill her companion. The name could be hinting at either of them. Sandor also considers himself a coward for standing in his white cloak while Sansa was being abused.
