Elements of Feudalism in Game of Thrones

This article explores the portrayal of feudalism in Game of Thrones and how it reflects the society of the Early Middle Ages. It covers various aspects of the feudal system, including entertainment, women's roles, courtship, medicine, and technological advancements.

Running head: ELEMENTS OF FEUDALISM IN GAME OF THRONES
ELEMENTS OF FEUDALISM IN GAME OF THRONES
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1ELEMENTS OF FEUDALISM IN GAME OF THRONES
The Early Middle Ages between the 9th and 15th century saw the establishment of the
feudal system, structured around the holding of land in exchange for service or labour. A
feudalist society first evolved in medieval Europe and it stresses on the use of combined legal
and military customs (Blaydes, Lisa and Chaney). Game of Thrones, the TV series based on
the fantasy novel by George R. R. Martins, uses the backdrop of the Early Middle Ages and
offers an insight on the contemporary feudal society.
The Medieval Ages used various forms of games and entertainments that were aptly
portrayed in the HBO series. Use of violence and aggression was a vital element in the
popular games and entertainment. Hunting, gambling, feasting were the common forms of
entertainment for the general masses; the warrior nobilities enjoyed word fighting, hunting
dogs, royal hunts and more. Game of Thrones critically explores use of blood and gore as a
form of enjoyment by the people belonging to various classes. According to (Fahoffer and
Hans) Trial by Combat was a popularly cultured practice, often used to execute captives as
well as used as a source of entertainment.
Women of the Early Middle Ages mainly played the second role to men in all spheres,
with the only exception of the queen (Crosby and Alfred). Their role in the society limited to
the positions of wife, mother, midwife, peasant and nun. None of the leadership roles was
open for women, including the strongest cultural force back then, the Roman Catholic
Church. The TV series makes use of a number of strong women character to capture the
versatility and strength amongst the contemporary women and uses the character of a
powerful woman as the Queen.
The practices of courtship, in the Early Middle Ages, not only reflect the perceptions
and understandings on the concept of love, marriage and reproduction, but also reflect the
practised laws and customs (Roper and Lyndal). The instances of courting portrayed various

2ELEMENTS OF FEUDALISM IN GAME OF THRONES
messages ranging from resistance to arranged marriage to the question of free consent to
choose one’s own partner. They enthusiastically adopted the concept of consensual marriage,
though violation of consent was not rare (Karras and Mazo). The culture was to emphasise on
the importance of heredity, blood relationships and used the woman’s body as a means of
reproduction and prolonging of bloodline. As explored in the Game of Thrones series, there
was presence of homosexual relationships, though highly suppressed by the feudal mindset.
Knowledge of medicine in the Early Middle Ages was chiefly derived from the
leftovers of Greek and Roman texts mixed with ancient ideas and practices, spiritual
influences and the consensus of the contemporary society. The Order of Maesters in Game of
Thrones was the organization for most learned men, including healers and scholars. Apart
from the use of lethal poisons, several other natural substances, like the milk of poppy,
essence of nightshade and shade of the evening were commonly used Pycell as sedatives,
anti-anxiety drugs and magical potions. Great emphasis was laid on literature and knowledge
in general; the learned were respected highly (Ong and Walter). The relationship amongst the
warrior nobilities based on the transaction of labour in lieu of land; breach of loyalty faced
the most severe punishment, even execution. Adoption of gunpowder, advent of windmills
and much other advancement were made in the technological area in this age. The lever was
extensively used to build machines that significantly reduce labour. This period also
experienced the advent of the first mechanical clocks, water mills, spectacles and later, the
mechanical printing. The farming practices included a home-oriented setup, usually near the
streams, where they would grow food, graze the cattle and harness the river water
abundantly. The advancement in farming techniques included the arrival of heavy wheeled
plow, horseshoes, tandem harnessing of horses and crop rotation.

3ELEMENTS OF FEUDALISM IN GAME OF THRONES
To conclude, the society of the Early Middle Ages was essentially based on feudalism
and feudalist practices. Game of Thrones withholds the appropriate essence of daily lives,
struggles and entertainment of the contemporary people.

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References
Blaydes, Lisa, and Eric Chaney. "The feudal revolution and europe's rise: Political divergence
of the christian west and the muslim world before 1500 ce." American Political Science
Review 107.1 (2013): 16-34.
Crosby, Alfred W. Ecological imperialism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015.
Fahoffer, Hans. Medieval Combat: A Fifteenth-Century Manual of Sword-fighting and
Close-Quater Combat. Frontline Books, 2014.
Karras, Ruth Mazo. Sexuality in medieval Europe: Doing unto others. Taylor & Francis,
2017.
Ong, Walter J. Orality and literacy. Routledge, 2013.
Roper, Lyndal. Oedipus and the devil: Witchcraft, religion and sexuality in early modern
Europe. Routledge, 2013.