I was curious to do a class analysis of https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/POV_character
The books keep passing the narrative baton from one landlord to another landlord.
322 of 354 chapters (91%) are narrated by a Lord or Lady or their immediate family:
- Tyrion Lannister 49
- Jon Snow 42
- Arya Stark 34
- Daenerys 31
- Catelyn Stark 25
- Sansa Stark 25
- Bran Stark 21
- Jaime Lannister 17
- Eddard Stark 15
- Theon Greyjoy 14
- Cersei Lannister 12
- Samwell Tarly 10 (son of a Lord as a comment below said)
- Brienne of Tarth 8
- Victarion Greyjoy 5
- Arianne Martell 4
- Asha Greyjoy 4
- Aeron Greyjoy 3
- Jon Connington 2
25 more chapters are narrated by Knights (who under the feudal system were landlords):
- Davos Seaworth 13 (who wasn’t born a knight, was socially mobile)
- Barristan Selmy 6
- Quentyn Martell 4
- Arys Oakheart 1
- Kevan Lannister - 1
The remaining chapters are also mostly narrated by high-ranking professionals, nominal exceptions:
- Areo Hotah 2 (Captain of the Guard)
- Melisandre 1 (former slave who became an influential Rasputin)
- Cressen, a maester of Stannis Baratheon 1
- Chett, a steward of the Night’s Watch - 1
- Pate, a novice at the Citadel 1
- Varamyr, a skinchanger 1
Is this surprising? The book series centers around the struggle for political control of a kingdom and as a result is told by the people involved in that struggle. What would the perspective of an uninvolved peasant or stevedore add?
thousands or millions of people get “involved”
like you said, it’s for “control of a kingdom”
The question is not whether a peasant, servant, or commoner could be an interesting character. Obviously they could. A talented writer could make almost anyone’s life compelling. The question is whether that perspective serves the story being told.
ASOIAF is a story about political power. The people who have the ability to affect those outcomes are the obvious focus.
A peon’s POV would be telling a different story and shift the focus from the people competing to the people living with the consequences of the competition. That could be a great novel, but it would not advance the retelling of the dynastic struggle for control of Westeros.
This is why I asked why you find the absence of lower-class POVs surprising. It is a consequence of the scope and focus of the story.
I agree the class-bias is “unsurprising” as you say.
Sam’s father is also a Lord
Well, historically the nobility and clergy made up a mere ~1% of the populace, and almost no records survive that were written by peasants since they were (essentially) all illiterate and had no time to write. [Comes from acoup by Bret Devereaux]
Samwell Tarly is a noble prior to taking the Black as he was the son of Lord Randyll Tarly of Horn Hill.
Ser Piggy probably belongs in the list of lords, ladies and their get.
Holy shit, wait, are you saying the common folk live and die while the highborne play their game of throneds?
I appreciate this! Very fascinating information. (Tho I’m still waiting til the whole series is finished).
I do recommend books from David Gammel if you like humanly flawed heroes.
