LampreyPie Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Just finished the Brienne chapter where a maester explains the Defiance of Duskendale for us. It's been referenced in previous books but I think this is the first time we get any details about it. It's said that the Defiance of Duskendale is what drove Aerys mad.I can only assume that this is important background information we will need to know later, otherwise the whole exchange was kind of clunky and pointless. I'm wondering, are we going to feel some sympathy for Aerys? What happened to him in Duskendale, if it drove him mad?It's entirely possible that just the facts, on their face, would be enough--the humiliating experience of being a king held hostage and looking weak, and facing, well, defiance from his subjects. It would be pretty stressful. But maybe something darker happened to him. It doesn't need saying that this series views even its terrible characters with complexity and I wouldn't be surprised if we get a little bit of sympathetic insight into why he behaved the way he did. Or maybe he just went mad because he was incredibly inbred and kind of a dick, and I'm just reading too much into it.Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchaza Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 He was most likely bought up being told he is Untouchable and that no one can hurt him nor defy him, so when he was captured and tormented in Duskendale, the world came crashing down for him, which no doubt during his stay in duskendale he was promising to Burn them all for what they done to him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free Man Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Torture alone is probably sufficient reason for a person to go mad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LampreyPie Posted June 21, 2012 Author Share Posted June 21, 2012 Was he tortured? I must have missed that part. Yes, I think torture would be enough.Also, if he did have Aerys tortured, Denys was an exceptionally stupid man. I understand why he would have panicked and held Aerys hostage in the first place, given he was facing possible execution, but to torture him and then think anyone would consider giving him mercy when the whole sorry episode was done with? How could Aerys have done anything less, really? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LampreyPie Posted June 21, 2012 Author Share Posted June 21, 2012 Also it does sound like Aerys showed signs of being pretty rage-y before that, but I still wonder if the DoD had never happened, if he would have been a moderately OK king, if given to anger from time to time.(My posts are edited because I use a touchpad mouse thing and I often accidentally hit "post" before I've fixed typos. Sorry.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free Man Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Also it does sound like Aerys showed signs of being pretty rage-y before that, but I still wonder if the DoD had never happened, if he would have been a moderately OK king, if given to anger from time to time.(My posts are edited because I use a touchpad mouse thing and I often accidentally hit "post" before I've fixed typos. Sorry.)I actually am not certain he was tortured, but after reading the book it seems the normal folk of Westeros usually do to that to their guests or captives :). Even if they did, I doubt the people would know of it (the king being to proud to admit it, and them not being fools to risk the wrath of entire Westeros, they claimed they had some cause to justify themselves) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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