Okay...Dany is a tease

[Michael Stephen Bell Jr.]

In rereading the series before reading ADWD I am now going through ASOS and I have just finished the first Dany chapter (around page 86-99 or so) and with the fear of being anachronistic as well as unchivalrous, I have to say that Dany was a complete tease at the end of this chapter. She knows Jorah is "in love" with her and yet invites him into her cabin covered with nothing but a sheet that she repeatedly has to adjust to remain covered and in the end abandons entirely. Not to mention the scene Jorah walks into with three apparently comely females all lying naked together etc. So shock of shocks, her bear succumbs to temptation behaves very unknightly.

Actually Dany uses her sexuality quite a bit, and repeatedly gauges others reactions to her appearance or sexuality etc. In some of her chapters I can almost hear the song "I know what boys like" playing in the background. For shame young lady! :blushing:

[Lucreel]

I can't completely disagree with you - that's not unreasonable, however, I would also point out that she's spent the last couple years among the Dothraki who are very comfortable with nakedness and would not expect one of the Khal's underlings to try to come on to the Khaleesi despite seeing her naked. The Khal's men would routinely see the Khaleesi naked and even see her bedding the Khal.

You might point out that she grew up with a bit more of the culture of Westeros and the Free Cities (We've never heard that much about the Free Cities culture, so it's hard to infer what impact that would have on her expectations for behavior) than the Dothraki, but I would also point out that she was what, 14 when she married Drogo? You tend to be more influenced by the culture you spend time in as a teen, I think, than the culture you are in when you are very young - for one thing, small children often spend much time at home and other places where they wouldn't have a full view of the culture around them, though they would certainly have some view, particularly of the dress and behavior of the people raising them; not sure who raised Dany and Viserys - I think they mostly grew up without parent figures.

Anyhow, I think she was very much influenced by her 3 years or so with the Dothraki, and that goes some way to explaining her trusting Ser Jorah to behave himself around her. She seemed genuinely surprised at his kiss.

[Michael Stephen Bell Jr.]

The only problem with that interpretation is that Dany is well aware of how Jorah looks at her (given the multiple times she mentions it in her chapters going all the way back to AGOT) and finds herself completely uncomfortable about the situation but doesn't have much difficulty in egging it on or at least making Jorah exceptionally uncomfortable. Back in ACOK she noted the difference between Xoros' reaction (disinterest, presumably due to implied homosexuality) to her single bare-breasted attire (in keeping with the culture)and Jorah's inability to take his eyes off it ("it" being her breast)and yet this doesn't prevent her from teasing him with possible nudity and then rewarding/punishing him with nudity realized.

It comes off as a young woman who is either highly inconsistent (hardly a first, and less this be interpreted as misogyny, I am referring to youth not sex ) or one who enjoys having power over men. Not that I am condemning that as she has been a victim most of her life and so discovering that her sexuality can be a weapon (as Cersei so bluntly explained to Sansa) is probably rather liberating. An interesting wrinkle in her character I think.

[Lucreel]

It comes off as a young woman who is either highly inconsistent (hardly a first, and less this be interpreted as misogyny, I am referring to youth not sex ). . .

Won't here any argument from me. I do sometimes think some of these things are just GRRM trying to keep the character true - she *is* a teenager, and while much more mature than most, it would not be out of place for her to have "teen moments".

[Mattyp]

You're right she is such a cock tease. :laugh:

[MyDogIsNamedDanerys]

I do think that Daenerys is quite naive in this situation and had no ulterior motives. We are in her head, so we know that to be the case. She was totally shocked when Jorah kissed her. If she was somehow using her sexuality to tease him (which would be very out of character - how often does she jest or tease with Ser Jorah?) surely she would have been thinking something along those lines?

Yes she's aware that Jorah wants her... But she's known that for over a year by this point, and still he has remained chaste. In fact his devotion to her is useful and while she is sad, she is also grateful. And he has seen her in various states of undress. Why should it be different this night? And she is quite careful to remain covered (several times she tugs her blankets back into place) until the moment when she jumps up, having forgotten herself in her excitement about the new plan they just made together. Her mind, as it usually is, is on her future, her birthright, and her people. Yes naive is the word, but too naive for a 15 year old, I think not.

One thing I've noticed about Dany is that she really is not the best when it comes to understanding and predicting the reactions and feelings of individuals. She thinks much more... big picture, and often forgets about individual struggles. She even minimizes her own pain. Which is suitable for her goal to become a queen - it's important to keep your eyes on the prize and do what's needed to make the many prosper, even if that's sometimes at the expense of the few. However it becomes an issue because of course "her people" are each a human being as well - and humans are complicated, Jorah not least among these.

[lanky316]

I think to some extent she IS using her sexuality on him as it keeps him close. By teasing him with those little glimpses she's relying on the idea of him staying by her side that one day something might happen. She knows he wants her and that tease keeps him loyal and at her side. I know a couple of members on here have mentioned how culture means she wouldn't care so much due to Dothraki conventions, partly agree with this BUT she's also very learnéd on cultures and knowing he's Westerosi will react differently to the indifferent nature of the Dothraki men.

She's a smart woman and learnt from a very young age the virtues of a womans body, after all she's traded to Drogo purely because she's young, attractive and can bare children. She then uses her sexuality to earn his respect and in turn that of members of the khalasar. It wouldn't be the first time she's done so if she continues this with Jorah I'm not surprised.

I am aware to some extent as it's POV we might have seen hints of her plans in that respect BUT there's no Roz in the books, GRRM is better at leaving little things unexplained see the double take over Theon and Bran/Rickon. I suspect this will come to a head at some stage in the books. (only at about p150 in pt1 ASoS)

[Silmarien]

In rereading the series before reading ADWD I am now going through ASOS and I have just finished the first Dany chapter (around page 86-99 or so) and with the fear of being anachronistic as well as unchivalrous, I have to say that Dany was a complete tease at the end of this chapter. She knows Jorah is "in love" with her and yet invites him into her cabin covered with nothing but a sheet that she repeatedly has to adjust to remain covered and in the end abandons entirely. Not to mention the scene Jorah walks into with three apparently comely females all lying naked together etc. So shock of shocks, her bear succumbs to temptation behaves very unknightly.

Actually Dany uses her sexuality quite a bit, and repeatedly gauges others reactions to her appearance or sexuality etc. In some of her chapters I can almost hear the song "I know what boys like" playing in the background. For shame young lady! :blushing:

To be fair to Dany.....she's, um, 14. And she isn't (in her head at least) thinking "LOLZ I'm such a hottie omg I'm totally gonna just toy with Ser Jorah haha"). I think she doesn't really understand sexuality at this point in her life (she was sold to a foreign Khal at age 13...all she knew of sex was with him).

I think your characterization was quite unfair.

[GreenxDreamer]

I don't believe that Dany is teasing Ser Jorah at all. She has grown accustomed to the cultures and dress of the Dothraki and the Quarths (forgive me if my spelling is off), of showing the one breast or being partially nude. When you are that young you are more influenced by others, you start to grow into the woman you're meant to be. The time before then she was walking around with her crazy power hungry brother who pretty much abused her, sexually, mentally, and physically. So surely she wouldn't know what teasing a man is. As she was sold for the Army of the Dothraki, she was a fresh teenager who doesn't understand, I would gather, what would tease a man or not. I mean she was taught on how to please Drogo, obviously right there that would tell you that Dany is absolutely clueless on how to please a man or even how to tease/lead them on. Later on she does understand the meaning of sex and what men would please a man but after being in that culture, being carefree of nudity acting the way she does or dressing the way she does is not a tease. It's the way of life.

Besides I can recall more than several times in the book where Dany firmly stands her ground and tells Ser Jorah what she expects out of him and her views on him, that she doesn't love him or feel for him the way he does her. She is a Khaleesi, she can do, say, and wear whatever she deems necessary and shouldn't have to worry about it. And Ser Jorah should remember his place and where he stands. In front of her and not beside her.