Fictional World of George R.R.

Martin’s
A Song of Ice and Fire
Prof. Dr. U.S. Wadekar
Kesharbai Lahoti mahvidylaya amravavati
ulkaspatil@gmail.com
Prashant N. Kamble
Matoshri Subhadrabai Patil Art. and Late Pandrangaji Thakare commerce college Manora
prashantnkamble@gmail.com

Abstract
Literature is a mirror to the society and society is reflected in the literature of the particular era.
George R. R. Martin though writing a multifaceted story has not forgotten to encompass the
present society in his writing. The story of Ice and Fire is a historical narrative with a dominant
political interview but it has engulfed various contemporary issues like global climate change,
the post feminist perspective. He also tries to explore the much complex nature of humans and
the consequences of their actions, especially global leaders. The Fantasy and Horror genre are
used effectively to handle such a grand narrative. A born storyteller has hinted at the possible
consequences of the actions of people at global level.

Many fantasy writers create fantasy worlds of their own. There are magic magicians and
supernatural elements in the fantasy world fantasy writers like Tolkien have created fantasy
worlds of their own.
Every fantasy writer wants to tell something which cannot be told in an ordinary way therefore
they use fantasy art form.The genres horror, fantasy and science fiction are used to predict
something to make fun of scientific advances as in Gulliver's travels. George R.R. Martin has
also created his fantasy world Westeros and Essos. The continents Westeros and Essos are
peculiar in features. Men living in Westeros are fighting for the political dominance of the
region. When the story opens we are introduced to a calm World after the Targyarean dynasty
has come to end and King Robert Baratheon established peace in the realm. He has formed
various alliances and relations to keep the realm in control. Though overtly cool the world is
burning for political dominance and everyone is prepared to fight others. Jon Arryn the hand of
the king died mysteriously in Kings Landing the Lannisters are suspected of his death and
Catelyn's sister writes to her about the incident in the North. Bran becomes handicapped by
falling from the wall in this connection and subsequent attack on Bran by Tyrion Lannister is
suspected. Ned Stark moves to kings landing and becomes king’s hand reluctantly. He takes
with him his two daughters Sansa and Arya.Sansa is a romantic girl who thinks that she would be
married to Joffrey and become Queen of the realm.
Ned Stark enquires into Jon Arry’s death and becomes the object of hatred from Cersei and
other Lannister men. He also discovers that Joffrey is a product of incestuous relationship
between Cersei and Jaime Lannister. Tension grows between Ned Stark and Lannister Men, he
is even attacked by Jaime Lannister and becomes injured. In such a situation King Robert
Baratheon dies while hunting a bore. Ned Stark wants to expose Cersei and support the real heir
to the throne. In the process he is imprisoned and executed for treason in the north Robb Stark
prepares to attack Lannister army to avenge wrong done to his family. Catelyn Stark also takes
step to arrest the attacker of her son Bran. Visreys and Daenerys are the last living Targaryen in
the realmVisreys sells his sister Daenerys to the war lord Khal Drogo in exchange of his army
to reclaim his iron throne. He is killed by Khal Drogo for offending his sister who is now wife to
war lord Khal Drogo and who is about to become mother to his heir. Khal Drogo receives Fatal
injury and is treated by a god's wife who saves him by conducting blood magic in which his
horse is sacrificed and his son also dies in Daenerys womb.When Daenerys wakes up after
many days, she finds her husband brain dead and her son dead. She puts her husband and her
son on fire and the God’s wife is also burned in the same fire. After sometime she also puts
three dragon eggs as her marriage gift and herself walks into the fire when the fire clears
Daenerys comes out alive with three Dragons on her body. The story advances and there is a rise
of many kings like Joffrey , Stannis, Robb Stark the Greyjoys and many more. The kings are
against each other in a Clash of Kings. A Storm of Swords takes us to a different fighting place.
A Feast for Crows is dedicated for the people who also want power and who can lower to any
level for making their position. A Dance with Dragons takes us to the battlefield where
Dragons are the key players.
Martin has explored various themes in this narrative he use historical narrative and combine it
with fantasy elements and horrifying scenes in doing so he wishes to explore various
contemporary theme including human nature, human attitude toward warfare, the alliances, the
climatic condition, technological development, religion sexuality and feminism let us analyze
how Martin has handled every issue and what does he want to express. Martin's fantasy world is
historical where the King rules land with the power and strength of alliance. King Robert
Barathein is married to Cersei in order to rule the realm and keep the seven Kingdom under one
banner but the marriage is not the union of mind but political adjustment. She was supposed to
marry the Targaryen king who was killed by king Robert Baratheon. The king Robert Baratheon
was supposed to marry Lyanna Stark who is sister to neD Stark and Cersei was supposed to
marry the Targaryen as the consequences changed and as the result of the war Cersie is married
to Robert Baratheon whom she doesn't love Robert Baratheon is also not much in love with her.
Cersie instead develops intimacy with her twin brother Jaime. Political dominance is more
important than family relationships in Westeros, where ladies are used as a pawn much against
their will. The same case also happens with Catelyn who was supposed to marry Ned’s elder
brother but his death caused Catelyn to Marry Ned Stark
Realism
Martin works are praised for the realistic portrayal of the world. Child marriages were common
place thing in those days. Daenerys’s marriage with Khal Drogo is not a shock for the readers
because story is told from historical point of view. Magic or Dragons were the part of mediaeval
world. Martin has taken such thing to interwine the problems of extinction this world has faced
there are number of species on this earth which has extincted. We only have reminiscence of
the species. Dragons birth in the narrative suggests return of magic but Martin says that he has
used magic in very little sense. He will introduce his magic and fantasy element gradually so that
readers will be accustomed to it. He says that he will reveal a little in every upcoming volume.
What has come forward there is a much back story then he has revealed . Martin's characters are
realistic in nature; there are people like Ned Stark who die for the sake of truth. There are people
like Cersie and Jaime who are manipulating things to their advantage Tyrion Lannister is a
great figure who opposes his own family to support what is right Jaime Lannister undergoes
transformation, he shows consideration of other people around him. The Atrocities on the slaves
are depicted realistically in Dothraki culture. The culture is barbaric and people are exploited in
that culture there are attack on the villages and violence and sexual abuse is a common place
thing is such culture. Death scene of the great war lord Khal Drogo is portrait with great detail
as we feel his death. Loss of the Khal Drogo is explain in detail the funeral scene in A Game of
Throne is awful death is a commonplace thing in the series people die fighting for the sake of
other people there are faithful common men and cunning politicians
World of a song of ice and fire
Most of the story of A Song of Ice and Fire takes place on continent Westeros and Essos. The
maps of various places are given by Martin in his book but the complete picture of the world is
vague. The value picture presents opportunity for the reader to create the world of their own and
character of the story belong to middle ages they too exactly knew not the exact distance they
travelled. The final map of the world of Ice and Fire will be available after release of final
installment in the series. The ice and fire story can be considered to be set in post magic world
where people no longer believe in Dragons and the Others. George R.R. Martin from a poor
family background of formal wealth felt attracted to stories of fallen civilization and lost
Empire. The lost Empire of Valleria in Ice and Fire was once a high civilization similar to Rome
before the dark ages.
The gigantic wall to the north in Westeros is the boundary between the people of Westeros and
the creatures living beyond the wall like the Others. The size, length and magical power of the
wall were adjusted according to the need of the genre. The seasons in Westeros are out of tune.
There are summers that last more than a decade and winters longer than that. Martin has
associated summer with life and abundance and winter with lack and fear of death. The species
inhabiting Westeros are humans, giants, Others and the children of the forest. There are normal
animal cats, dog horses and some uncommon species such as auroch direwolves, mammoth
direwolves and mammoths are only found in extreme north of the wall. mythical creatures such
as mermaid, unicorn Kraken leviathan's and most prominently Dragon are mentioned.
Children of the forest are presented as the original inhabitants of Westeros . They are short
humanoid, beautiful creatures with mysterious powers. The children of the forest fought a
number of wars against the first men until the pact of isle of faces. the first man obtained the
control of the open land and children that of the forest then came others and the children of the
forest disappeared gradually they were presumed extinct
others
The others are mysterious creatures that live in the north region of Westeros beyond the wall
they are tall gaunt graceful humanoid with glowing blue eyes and pale skin they carry weapons
that change color with their every step and their crystal sword are capable of shattering Steel
Dragons
In the first book of the series three Dragons are hatched by Daenerys Targaryen who is supposed
to be the last descendant of the Targaryen dynasty; she received those three dragon eggs as her
wedding gift. When her husband and son died she kept those three Dragon eggs on fire along
with her son’s and her husband’s dead bodies.The three Dragon eggs come to life in the hot
temperature and Daenerys’ presence.
Global climate change
The threat of global climate change is present throughout the series, the seasons are out of tune.
The seasons occur at unexpected times; they last for a decade or longer during such time;
thousands if not millions may die of starvation or the ravages of war and violence.
Despite the presence of this existential fear for human kind, people of Westeros deny them and
take interest in petty things. They fight with each other for political dominance and revenge.
Martin admits that when all men die then it doesn't matter who sits on the Iron Throne. The
Night watch and other people are aware of the threat of the Others but they fail to convince
others about its existence. Ned Stark in the north also fights for the legitimacy of the heir to the
iron throne then maintaining peace in the realm.
Damien G. Walter of London’s ‘The Guardian' saw a startling resemblance between Westeros
and England in the period of the War of the Roses. In the War of Roses the throne unified the
land but great houses fought with each other to sit on it with no true King. The land is beset with
corrupt money grubbing lords whose only interest is there in prestige. The king was seen as the
information of God so the legitimacy of the king was very important Martin wanted to show the
consequences of the leaders decision.
Adam Serwer of the Atlantic regarded A song of Ice and Fire as a story of politics rather than
one of heroism, a story about humanity wrestling with its basher obsession than fulfilling its
glorious potential. The war they are fighting are more of selfish nature than the struggle between
the good and evil every person in Westeros live their life using their love for those close to them
rather than the great interest of honor duty and the realm those people who make noble choices
pay with their lives as is the case with net stark.
Moral ambiguity
Martin's characters are not villains or heroes throughout, they undergo transformation just as
people in our world are capable of doing both good and evil acts. Laura Miller of the New
Yorker summarized that characters who initially seem likable commit reprehensible acts and
apparent villains become sympathetic villains over time. Martin’s war are multifaceted and
ambiguous as are the men and women who fight them.
Violence and Death
David Orr of the New York time praised Martin as unapologetically cold blooded saying the
book series was no children literature with a boy being thrown off a balcony, woman having her
face bitten off a man having his notes cut off, girl having her ear slice off multiple rape, multiple
massacre multiples snarfing of people by animals and multiple beheading. Though writing in a
fantasy Genre, Martin sees an honest necessity to reflect the real world where people die,
sometimes ugly death even beloved people. Martin wants his reader to fill that no one is safe as
the turn the page Martin prefer a hero sacrifice to say something profound about human nature.
The red wedding scene in A Storm of Sword is the hardest thing to write since several major
characters died in the scene. Martins says that the scene was painful to write and the reader must
feel the pain it should be seen that rips your heart and feel you with terror and grief
Feminism
Martin has provided a number of female characters in the series like Cersei, Daenerys ,Catelyn,
Arya Stark and Sansa Stark; each lady stands for a particular role. Cersei is a manipulative
political leader, Daenerys is an ambitious young princess. Catelyn represents family virtue Arya
is a tomboy and Sansa is a dreaming young girl. Martin is neither a misogynist nor a promoter
of feminine gender; his female characters emerge stronger after learning life lessons. Arya
turns out to be a faceless warrior. Sansa turns out to be a shrewd politician. Cersie is humiliated
for her actions. Catelyn takes rebirth as a lady stoneheart for Revenge. sexuality plays a very
important role in A Song of Ice and Fire the ability to produce an heir to the king is a marker of
the ladies strength Daenerys becomes Khaleesi because of her ability. Cersei uses her feminine
strength to assert her own will that all the ladies who give birth to the heir to the realm are
valued and given importance.
Conclusion.
George R.R. Martin, a born storyteller has effectively handled this grand narratively in a very
efficient way. He has used historical background, he has used horror and fantasy genre in his
own way. He has told us a horrifying story in an interesting way. He has succeeded in
employing hsi skills to produce the world’s best seller books. And change the people's attitude
towards the fantasy genre and television industry. Though medieval in nature the world of
Westeros resemble our own world and the people of our world.
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