References and Homages

[SerShakey]

Does anyone else see a physical resemblance connection with Gandalf and Ser Barristan Selmy (particularly as Artsan Whitebeard?...)? If this notion has been brought up before, I apologize: the search feature for the forums is down again :(

[serdog]

the Reyne of Castamere's arms are an invertion (with the Lion regardent) of those of the Simon de Montfort Earl of Leicester

[Patchface12]

Does anyone else see a physical resemblance connection with Gandalf and Ser Barristan Selmy (particularly as Artsan Whitebeard?...)? If this notion has been brought up before, I apologize: the search feature for the forums is down again :(

Its possible. Another one I wonder about is the Stormcrows mercenary company. Could this likewise be a reference to Gandalf?

Possessed Theoden -"Why should I welcome you Gandalf Stormcrow?"

[Patchface12]

I think I found another Tolkien reference, tho I'm not 100% sure.

The d-bag singer Daeron has the same name as the d-bag singer Daeron from the tale of Beren and Luthien, who snitches on Beren to Thingol when he enters Doriath, then snitches on Luthien when she wants to go after Beren after Sauron has captured him.

Could be a coincidence, tho.

From an earlier post, coolbeans on Pyp=Pippin. Can't believe I missed that what with Sam.

[schrecklich]

ADwD (though not at all revealing):

At some point (haven't found it yet on reread), one character is describing an array of wild creatures (maybe owned by one of the Yunkai'i?) and lists lions, tigers, and bears in succession -- probably a little Wizard of Oz reference there.

[Patchface12]

the Reyne of Castamere's arms are an invertion (with the Lion regardent) of those of the Simon de Montfort Earl of Leicester

To add on to that, Castamere might be named after Castamir the Usurper, the Gondorian rebel slain in the Gondor civil war. Heh, Martin loved him some Tolkien.

Tho yeah, when I read about Simon de Montfort and Edward Longshanks, I immediately thought Tywin and Reynes and Tarbecks.

[Patchface12]

To add on to that, Castamere might be named after Castamir the Usurper, the Gondorian rebel slain in the Gondor civil war. Heh, Martin loved him some Tolkien.

Tho yeah, when I read about Simon de Montfort and Edward Longshanks, I immediately thought Tywin and Reynes and Tarbecks.

Somebody got this one already. Still agree w/ it tho.

[Ser George]

Septon Cellador at Castle Black might possibly be a reference to the famous compound noun "cellar door", considered by several famous wordsmiths to be one of if not the most beautiful word or phrase in the English language due to both semantics and phonaesthetics. You can read more about it here Cellar Door if you like.

I only picked up on it when I was reading the book on my kindle (I am normally an audiobook listener), and it hit me right away when reading it instead of just hearing it.

I picked up on this as well. In addition to being such a delightful turn of words, both Larry Niven and Ursula K. Le Guin have used variations of cellar door as nouns and I can imagine that GRRM was tipping his hat to them as well.

[CrypticWeirwood]

I picked up on this as well. In addition to being such a delightful turn of words, both Larry Niven and Ursula K. Le Guin have used variations of cellar door as nouns and I can imagine that GRRM was tipping his hat to them as well.

The people who can’t see how “cellar door” might sound euphonious are likely rhotic speakers. Try dropping the r’s with an English accent.

[Defengar]

Hmmmm.

Crasus (i.e. richest man in history, and the guy that basically owned the senate before Pompii and Cesaer rose to power) underestimated the parthians during a battle and thought of them as weak minded savages.

Of course he got his ass beat and taken prisoner during the fighting, then upon realizing who he was, for stories of his greed were known throughout the world, they poured molten gold down his throat.

Visery`s underestimates Drogo`s peeps, and thought of them as weak minded savages, and tried to start crap with them, only to get gold poured on his head.

I wonder if Crasus`s death inspired Visery`s.

Oh and as someone pointed ut above me, Edward the Longshanks is very similar to Tywin. On an interesting not, apparently Edward was only friendly to one person during his adult life, his wife. But she died of sadness after hearing of the atrocities he had commited on the Welsh when they were revolting.

Edward had pallbearers carry her coffin back to her home, and every time they stopped he had a silver cross erected on the spot.

They say he lost the last of his soul after that, and his eyes looked like those of a greek statue.

Edited August 31, 2011 by Defengar

[Timur Khal]

has anyone posted on Brave, Brave captain of the Tully guard, Ser Robin? (Whom Jaime calls a craven, chases them in a boat shooting arrows, and in the end, is forced to run away?). (Sir Robin reference, Monty Python)

[The Oncoming Storm]

Actually, with Crassus... wasn't it like he fell in battle, they cut off his head and presented it to the King during a play (where bacchants tear apart some hero and a head is brought in)? Gold might have come afterwards.

But the gold thingy happened to a Roman proconsul for sure, it was Persians too. Also, Mithridates built up an immunity to EVERYTHING and it hilariously backfired.

[Lady Jeyne Reyne]

Quite fascinating~

[Gloria]

Not sure this counts, since it's self-referential, but at the end of the scene where Jon sees Sam and company off from the Wall on their way to the Citadel, Jon says something like "you'd better get going, Sam. The snow's melting in your hair." This really reminded me of Jon's leaving Winterfell and saying goodbye to Robb. Made me a little misty-eyed, to tell you the truth :) I hope it doesn't mean Jon will never see Sam again.

[Damar]

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but I always thought that Bronn the sellsword(mercenary) taking the surname title of Blackwater(real life mercenary company) was a little suspicious.

Edited September 7, 2011 by Damar

[Stevonicus]

I don't know if anyone mentioned it but Melisandre's name is proabaly a reference to Melisende of Jerusalem, a twelfth century Frankish Queen of Jerusalem or possibly to the painting Melisande by Marianne Stokes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melisande_%28Stokes%29 which features a woman who is dressed in red.

I only found it about twenty minutes ago just random articling on wikipedia and found it interesting. I couldn't find a reference in the thread but only had a quick look through.

[Johnny The Longshanks]

I haven't read all 30 pages of this topic so they may have been mentioned but Aran Islands are a small group of islands off the coast of Western Ireland in Galway Bay, the name is pronounced very similar to "Iron". The culture of the people living there is basically centered around seafaring. They allegedly didn't cultivate the land much besides some basic crops and this was also one of the early places that the vikings landed in Ireland, both of which fit well into the House Greyjoy words "We Do Not Sow".

The drowned god sounds similar to the druids and other prehistoric religious orders in Ireland who were know to drown human sacrifices in the bogs.

[TehipiteTom]

has anyone posted on Brave, Brave captain of the Tully guard, Ser Robin? (Whom Jaime calls a craven, chases them in a boat shooting arrows, and in the end, is forced to run away?). (Sir Robin reference, Monty Python)

Speaking of Monty Python, there's a Monty Python & the Holy Grail reference in ADwd:

In the Windblown chapter, p. 325: "...the kind that don't break and run when you fart in their general direction."

[Gloria]

Not sure if this has already been pointed out (this topic is huge) but among the Ironborn there are (were) a few men named Dagon...which could be a reference to Lovecraft. I'd be really shocked if it weren't, since Dagon was closely associated with the sea.

[Starblayde]

Melisande was a character in the Rankin/Bass cartoon movie 'The Flight of Dragons' (wiki link) who had remote viewing powers. Instead of a redhead, though, she was a blonde with Princess Leia earmuffs.