It's actually one of the things I like about the books...that GRRM doesn't give in to the protagonist privilege conceit.
In the first episode of Game of Thrones, S1, Ned Stark, oh-so-nobly chops off a terrified man's head. The man's crime is he ran from The Wall, screaming about how they are doomed. Instead of listening to him - Ned executes him - in front of his sons. Ned also considers killing the Direwolf pups that they find, with the dead direwolf mare (again not really questioning why the Direwolf is so far South below the Wall), but Robb and Jon Snow talk him out of it.
It's interesting that all three sons that he takes with him to witness the execution - are hurt in some way. Also, later, Robb decides to chop off/execute Lord Karstark for killing the two Lannister boys (son's of Kevin Lannister). Karstark had killed the boys, because Jamie had killed his son in battle.
There's a pattern emerging. No one is pristine in this war or noble. But we want people to be noble and heroic in War, we don't want to think that no one is. In GRRM's books - no one is noble in WAR, or heroic. WAR is WAR. There is no happy ending. Which is uncommon for most fantasy novels.
Later...when Robb's death is discussed. It is pointed out all things he did wrong - he slighted the Frey's, not once but twice, and his family had before him (Walder Frey is reluctant to take Catelynne's deal because he'd been slighted before by the Starks and by Catelynne's family in this regard, but she talks him into it, only to have Robb go off and marry Tailsa.) He is fighting a War, trying to be King, but he doesn't think like a King or take the responsibilities of one. He doesn't keep his promises - to his supporters or allies.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2013-06-07 12:24 am (UTC)In the first episode of Game of Thrones, S1, Ned Stark, oh-so-nobly chops off a terrified man's head. The man's crime is he ran from The Wall, screaming about how they are doomed. Instead of listening to him - Ned executes him - in front of his sons. Ned also considers killing the Direwolf pups that they find, with the dead direwolf mare (again not really questioning why the Direwolf is so far South below the Wall), but Robb and Jon Snow talk him out of it.
It's interesting that all three sons that he takes with him to witness the execution - are hurt in some way. Also, later, Robb decides to chop off/execute Lord Karstark for killing the two Lannister boys (son's of Kevin Lannister). Karstark had killed the boys, because Jamie had killed his son in battle.
There's a pattern emerging. No one is pristine in this war or noble. But we want people to be noble and heroic in War, we don't want to think that no one is. In GRRM's books - no one is noble in WAR, or heroic. WAR is WAR.
There is no happy ending. Which is uncommon for most fantasy novels.
Later...when Robb's death is discussed. It is pointed out all things he did wrong - he slighted the Frey's, not once but twice, and his family had before him (Walder Frey is reluctant to take Catelynne's deal because he'd been slighted before by the Starks and by Catelynne's family in this regard, but she talks him into it, only to have Robb go off and marry Tailsa.)
He is fighting a War, trying to be King, but he doesn't think like a King or take the responsibilities of one. He doesn't keep his promises - to his supporters or allies.