Post by sillierthings on Apr 13, 2015 15:00:25 GMT
I know other people have addressed this topic far more eloquently, but one of the major themes GRRM deals with is the nature and the evil of human bondage. The ways in which society and powerful individuals commodify human beings are many, but the end result is pretty much the same.
Dany's storyline covers this issue most explicitly, but it comes up in other story lines. Of course, I'm most interested in Sansa and Sandor--how both are commodities to be used and exploited by their masters and/or families. When Sandor flees, he's left without home, means of support, in danger of being dragged back and killed. The Brotherhood Without Banners are outlaws, unable to make money or have families or homes. If Sansa rejects the marriages being made for her, what options does she have?
So, any storylines of main characters, in my opinion, are not going to be resolved by having the "right" ruler on the Iron Throne, or in marrying the "right" kind of noble man. I don't think this is anything new that I'm saying, but more and more, it seems like the society of Westeros is going to go through some major upheaval, and while Dany's storyline shows us we can't just change things over night and expect it to be okay, on the other hand, just going back to the status quo isn't likely either.
Dany's storyline covers this issue most explicitly, but it comes up in other story lines. Of course, I'm most interested in Sansa and Sandor--how both are commodities to be used and exploited by their masters and/or families. When Sandor flees, he's left without home, means of support, in danger of being dragged back and killed. The Brotherhood Without Banners are outlaws, unable to make money or have families or homes. If Sansa rejects the marriages being made for her, what options does she have?
So, any storylines of main characters, in my opinion, are not going to be resolved by having the "right" ruler on the Iron Throne, or in marrying the "right" kind of noble man. I don't think this is anything new that I'm saying, but more and more, it seems like the society of Westeros is going to go through some major upheaval, and while Dany's storyline shows us we can't just change things over night and expect it to be okay, on the other hand, just going back to the status quo isn't likely either.
