Commoners Bleed while Dragons Dance
Equality in House of Dragons
By Efe Günay Değirmencioğlu and Egemen Ege
George R. R. Martin and Ryan Condal produced the HBO fantasy drama television series House of the Dragon. The first season was directed by Condal and Miguel Sapochnik. Based on Martin’s 2018 novel Fire & Blood, the series takes place around 100 years after the Targaryen Conquest unites the Seven Kingdoms.The series shows the events leading up to the beginning of the decline of House Targaryen, a horrific conflict of succession known as the “Dance of the Dragons”.
First, the series shows the Targaryens of ancient Valyrian blood ruling the people of the seven kingdoms with an iron fist. The Targaryens are the only people who can control dragons, and even among them, people with silver hair and purple eyes are considered the best. However, King’s brother Daemon is not punished for killing his wife, and Princess Rhaenyra has several children out of wedlock and is not subject to the law. Throughout the series, viewers see various situations illustrating the level of racial equality in Westeros. And these situations make viewers think about how much racial equality is in Westeros throughout the series. This inequality is even mentioned by the Rhaenyra herself, “Everyone says Targaryens are closer to gods than to men, but they say that because of our dragons.”This quote shows Targeryens better than all races. As the story unfolds, King Viserys nears death and names his daughter as successor to the kingdom. Everyone in the seven kingdoms is surprised by this circumstance since no ruler has ever announced his daughters as heirs when he had male heirs. This shock, as well as the nobility’ behavior, demonstrate to the viewer that Westeros has a prejudiced society and mindset, similar to medieval Europe. Following this pronouncement, the King’s cousin delivers a word to warn the female heir, and while Rhaney’s speech appears exaggerated, it reveals a horrible reality about gender equality in Westeros.”Men would sooner put the realm to the torch than see a woman ascend the Iron Throne” (Rhaenys Velaryon) As the series proceeds, the viewers realizes that Rhaenys’ predictions are true, and the nobility of Westeros back the heir’s brother, Aegon, in order to prevent a woman from taking the throne. As a result, countless dragons, Targeryans, and thousands of people who have nothing to do with the war will perish because some man did not want a woman sit a throne.
All in all, “House of Dragon” is a production that shows the audience how important ethnic, sexual and all-round equality is and how dark and cruel the world is in the absence of equality. Simultaneously, the series’ depiction of this horrific circumstance through the perspectives of several different status people, rather than a single person, makes it successful in this sense. Each character suffers from different parts of an unequal environment and fights against it.
George R. R. Martin and Ryan Condal produced the HBO fantasy drama television series House of the Dragon. The first season was directed by Condal and Miguel Sapochnik. Based on Martin’s 2018 novel Fire & Blood, the series takes place around 100 years after the Targaryen Conquest unites the Seven Kingdoms.The series shows the events leading up to the beginning of the decline of House Targaryen, a horrific conflict of succession known as the “Dance of the Dragons”.
First, the series shows the Targaryens of ancient Valyrian blood ruling the people of the seven kingdoms with an iron fist. The Targaryens are the only people who can control dragons, and even among them, people with silver hair and purple eyes are considered the best. However, King’s brother Daemon is not punished for killing his wife, and Princess Rhaenyra has several children out of wedlock and is not subject to the law. Throughout the series, viewers see various situations illustrating the level of racial equality in Westeros. And these situations make viewers think about how much racial equality is in Westeros throughout the series. This inequality is even mentioned by the Rhaenyra herself, “Everyone says Targaryens are closer to gods than to men, but they say that because of our dragons.”This quote shows Targeryens better than all races. As the story unfolds, King Viserys nears death and names his daughter as successor to the kingdom. Everyone in the seven kingdoms is surprised by this circumstance since no ruler has ever announced his daughters as heirs when he had male heirs. This shock, as well as the nobility’ behavior, demonstrate to the viewer that Westeros has a prejudiced society and mindset, similar to medieval Europe. Following this pronouncement, the King’s cousin delivers a word to warn the female heir, and while Rhaney’s speech appears exaggerated, it reveals a horrible reality about gender equality in Westeros.”Men would sooner put the realm to the torch than see a woman ascend the Iron Throne” (Rhaenys Velaryon) As the series proceeds, the viewers realizes that Rhaenys’ predictions are true, and the nobility of Westeros back the heir’s brother, Aegon, in order to prevent a woman from taking the throne. As a result, countless dragons, Targeryans, and thousands of people who have nothing to do with the war will perish because some man did not want a woman sit a throne.
All in all, “House of Dragon” is a production that shows the audience how important ethnic, sexual and all-round equality is and how dark and cruel the world is in the absence of equality. Simultaneously, the series’ depiction of this horrific circumstance through the perspectives of several different status people, rather than a single person, makes it successful in this sense. Each character suffers from different parts of an unequal environment and fights against it.
