102 replies to this topic

[The Last Direwolf]

Out of all the characters in the ASOIAF world, who do you think has the most tragic story?

To me, it's obviously Lady Catelyn Tully. She's a born mother and a loving wife and throughout the last few years of her life she basically struggled to keep her kids alive 24/7 only to seemingly lose all of them and her husband too. The pain of your children being in danger and you being powerless to help them would be heartbreaking. The manner of her death and her subsequent resurrection into a half life of vengeance were cruelly unfair to Catelyn, who had only ever tried her best to achieve peace and stability for her family.

Another one who I think often gets overlooked is Aerys II. He started off his reign as a good king and looked to be bringing the Targaryen dynasty to new strengths after a good century of wars against rebellious bastards. However, the Defiance of Duskendale made him a little paranoid, a trait that was added to by the whisperings of Varys and the treacherousness of his vassals. It was Varys who finally tipped this man who had once had so much potential over the edge, hence it was not really his fault.

So, who do you think is the most tragic?

[Lady Arianne Martell]

Most tragic? I can say, without a doubt, it would be Elia Martell.

The manner of her death, her kids dying, etc. was all horrendous.

[Jolene Brown]

Ned and Robb were my first thoughts, but Elia is pretty tragic too.  I like Ned and Robb in the greek tragedy sense of the word, in which they are brought done by their own tragic "flaw," of excessive or misguided honor, although I don't think it's a flaw, really.

[Ser Hippie]

Of the characters alive at the start of the series...Catelyn.

[Sevumar]

The Last Direwolf, on 23 June 2012 - 06:55 PM, said:

So, who do you think is the most tragic?

For major characters, Theon is a good candidate. I don't like him much, but he has endured suffering far beyond what anybody should have to go through. Honorable mentions go to Catelyn, Tyrion, and Rhaegar.

In terms of minor characters, Jeyne Pool, without a doubt. A victim of circumstance, treated with unspeakable cruelty, and with only a broken turncloak for an ally.

[RoamingRonin]

Off the top of my head: Catelyn or Lady Hornwood.

[the Scorpion Knight]

tywin: he sacrifinficed His friends, his family and his children in his pride and greed and be got killed in a very humiliating way

[Lady of Long Lake]

Brienne
Theon
Tyrion
Robert
Jon
Gilly

[Grail King]

Cat
All the Stark kids
All the innocent civilians caught up in the war
Elia Martell
Lady Hornwood (may Ramsey burn or get eaten )
Theon only wanted to belong, with one bad meeting may have ended his life in the future



ETA: Adding Lord Eddard

Edited by Grail King, 23 June 2012 - 07:37 PM.

[Lady Kraken]

There are so many tragic characters that it's hard to say. For the main characters, I would probably say Theon. I know a lot of people despise him, but I've pitied him in a way since the beginning. I'm also tempted to say Catelyn because her final thoughts are so damn heartbreaking.

As for more minor characters, Lysa Tully, Gilly, and Jeyne Poole come to mind. And the smallfolk caught up in the war that we mainly see through Brienne's and Arya's POVs.

[The Scabbard Of the Morning]

Theon would be the top of my list, but if her story continues in the same trajectory it has been going, Arya.

I hope GRRM pulls on reversal on her soon, because her descent into a desensitized murder machine is most heartbreaking.

[Rickon the Reclaimer]

The commoners have it way worse off than any of the main characters. ( with the exception of jeyne poole and theon)
So of the ones we know of probably aryas friend weasel or a commoner winterfell women that ramsay hunted.

[Swordsaint]

My pick is Dany. She has never had a place to call home, never not been on the run. Each time she think's she's found a place she gets betrayed. People mock her sense of entitlement, but I would feel pretty entitled too if I was hunted my whole life. If Westeros had just left Dany alone after the rebellion. I could understand that being considered a greedy weakness but, Dany doesn't have a choice in the matter but to win back the Iron Throne which is tragic in itself.

[Helgar]

It has to be Elia Martell, although Catelyn has also suffered grievously. Elia's entire life was shattered because other people made bad decisions. Her husband ignored her and shamed her in front of the entire realm, her father-in-law kept her prisoner to ensure the Martells' allegiance, and Tywin Lannister forgot about her when ordering Gregor Clegane to kill her children. She was killed because Tywin Lannister had other things in mind.

Catelyn is also a very tragic figure. The war takes everything from her. But unlike Elia, Catelyn did make some poor decisions, even though I think this forum is going way too hard on her for it.

[jons nissa]

aren't they all in one way or another? if i had to pick one i'd say cersei. cersei seems to really be tragic on so many levels, both external and internal.

- she realized she was a victim of unfair gender expectations at a very young age.

- she lost her mother when she was 8 and was left with a father that focused more on building up the family name than raising the family.

- she fell in love with her twin brother because he was a mirror of herself.

- she was raised to think she was better than everyone and sadly thought that meant men too. alas, not in westeros.

- she wanted to be a queen and marry the crown prince but wound up married to a drunken lout. but hey, at least she became queen.

- she believes she is just in continuing to sleep with her brother and not give the prior mentioned drunken lout a chance because he was dumb enough to call out another woman's name on their first night together. the reality of the situation is she never intended to stop seeing her brother but robert's behavior makes it easy for her to justify her betrayal. after all, he is doing the same so it's ok, right?

- her marriage is full of anger, bitterness, disappointment and occasionally violence.

- she has given birth to 3 bastards which is tantamount to committing treason as well as creates a situation of ridicule, oppression and possibly death for said bastards if it is ever discovered.

- she had the bastards rather than give her drunken lout of a husband an heir, dooming them because of her own personal situation.

- she isn't taken seriously and wants desperately to be taken seriously. she truly believes she is greater, smarter and more powerful than she really is and has no idea how much she is being manipulated.

- she wants a completely different life than the one she is forced to live.

- her favorite son was murdered as well as her father and she believes it was at the hand of her brother. then she lost her brother/lover.

- she was imprisoned unexpectedly.

- she was forced to walk the streets of king's landing naked and have her hair shorn off.

- but perhaps the most tragic thing is she expects all her children to be murdered and has lived in fear of this ever since she learned of  the prophecy.

poor cersei. i can only imagine how things will end for her. truly tragic but a great character to read.

honorable mentions: lady hornwood, theon, ned, elia (although we don't know the whole story), and rickon (lost every family member he knows, one by one, all at the age of 3). i also think the way varys lost his family jewels was very tragic but he's bounced back from that rather well.

[RedBean]

I'm going with Catelyn Tully. She died after seeing her son betrayed and murdered, and believing that everyone else dear to her is lost as well. She even rips up her face with her fingers in her despair, and kills poor Jinglebell (which I think was her most evil action; being mean to Jon Snow was not as bad as that, even though Cat-haters seem to think it was). And when she does die, she's not even allowed to stay dead, but comes back as a vengeful undead. I hope she meets up with one of her children at least, and manages to die for certain so she can finally rest in peace.

[Gab]

,I'm with everyone saying Cat.

I think Tyrion is up there. His own father was ashamed of him ever since. His wife raped and paid in front him. Never got credit for trying to fix KL as hand.Then lost his only true friend in Jamie and a bunch other things.

Edited by Gab, 23 June 2012 - 08:47 PM.

[Pommes]

Theon.

He tries so hard, but fails.

[Elder Sister]

Ned Stark is my pick, but Elia Martell is also a tragic figure.

Ned tries so hard to do the right thing, but his 'goodness' is the very thing that does him, and his king, in...

[stannis halfelven]

Pycelle's beard.