Becoming No One: Rereading Arya IV

[Lyanna Stark]

Hi guys, sorry for the delay with the recap. We've had some family issues (husband has been worse, baby has been teething, heat wave, meaning nobody slept, especially not me!). The long text I was working on I scrapped since with my sleep deprived brain, it's going nowhere currently. Instead I thought I'd rely on a short, mostly bullet-pointed list of important themes and let you amazing readers do the rest!

• Justice/injustice: has been a theme with Arya from the very start. She rants against injustice, she experiences a *lot* of injustices made to people and herself, in ACOK especially perhaps, and she herself acts as an arbiter of possible justice at times. The Faceless Men claim to not care about justice or injustice, just that the Many Faced Gods will be done. Does this "match up" with how Arya sees the world?
  
• Power/powerlessness: This ties into the above. This theme began early on and we see Arya as the mouse, which she hated. She was powerless to save her parents, powerless to help her siblings, even powerless to scare the horse trader in Saltpans to pay her a decent price for Craven. In Braavos, she steels herself against being a powerless scared mouse. Is this perhaps one of the underlying driving forces for Arya: the need to not be powerless again?
  
• Identity: Arya takes on numerous identities during her journey. In late AFFC and ADWD, it seems at first glance as if her old identity is fading, and she talks about "Arya Stark" as if it were somebody else. On the other hand, we have a lot of "name drops" of various Starks and of people from Winterfell, for example. How is the Arya Stark identity faring? Is she still Arya Stark "in her heart" (as Littlefinger asked Sansa to be Alayne) or has she become No One? Lummel wrote an interesting post above on the denial of personhood which may tie in here, as well as with power/powerlessness and agency. Like Sansa, Arya has had her agency restricted and often taken away. The Stark identity seems to initially restrict their agency, but later on it becomes one of the underlying drivers to survive and eventually perhaps to take action?
  
• The Night Wolf: Tied into the above as well, Arya identifies as the Night wolf a lot, and despite the geographical distance between Arya and Nymeria, they seem closer than ever when it comes to warging and their mental bond. Arya uses it to twart the Kindly Old Man and it certainly has an impact on her, but how much, and is it positive/negative? In which direction is it driving her?
  
• The Faceless Men and their agenda: they certainly seem to have an agenda for Arya, and seem to both fast track her and punish her for "uppity" behaviour. It's still as of ADWD unclear what exactly the FM want of Arya. Perhaps Arya's time at Izembaro will give us the direction they mean to take her in, or can we already guess?
  
• Skinchanging, magic, oh my! Contrary to Sansa's story line, Arya's has more magic in it. Like Bran and unlike Jon, she seems to have an easier time embracing her magical skills of warging and of face changing, even if the experience of taking on the Ugly Little Girl's face was disturbing to Arya, it was not the magic itself that was upsetting her, but the girl's memories.
  
• The Descent: the descent into the Face room seems rather symbolic. Is this Arya's journey into the underworld/ into the Belly of the Whale? Blisscraft wrote something very interesting in that Arya does not only transform physically, but psychologically as well after her descent.
  

I'm going to rework the Gender section of the long recap and post it separately. Hopefully this recap will give you a couple of things to debate/consider further! Thank you to everyone who participated (and welcome to the new posters, great to have you!).

Keep an eye out for this thread as there may be a couple of thematic longer posts coming later, too.

[Lummel]

...

• Identity: Arya takes on numerous identities during her journey. In late AFFC and ADWD, it seems at first glance as if her old identity is fading, and she talks about "Arya Stark" as if it were somebody else. On the other hand, we have a lot of "name drops" of various Starks and of people from Winterfell, for example. How is the Arya Stark identity faring? Is she still Arya Stark "in her heart" (as Littlefinger asked Sansa to be Alayne) or has she become No One? Lummel wrote an interesting post above on the denial of personhood which may tie in here, as well as with power/powerlessness and agency. Like Sansa, Arya has had her agency restricted and often taken away. The Stark identity seems to initially restrict their agency, but later on it becomes one of the underlying drivers to survive and eventually perhaps to take action?...
  
• Skinchanging, magic, oh my! Contrary to Sansa's story line, Arya's has more magic in it. Like Bran and unlike Jon, she seems to have an easier time embracing her magical skills of warging and of face changing, even if the experience of taking on the Ugly Little Girl's face was disturbing to Arya, it was not the magic itself that was upsetting her, but the girl's memories.
  

Teething! I thought your little monster would have been born with a full set of fangs! :)

There's a nice contrast there with the skinchanging between Jon and Arya, '"Skinchanger?" said Ebben grimly, looking at the halfhand. Does he mean mean the eagle? Jon wondered. Or me? Skinchangers and wargs belonged in Old Nan's stories, not in the world he had lived in all his life' Jon VII ACOK. Jon has to encounter skinchanging as an identity, one that has a set of associations - old nan's stories, "Warg. Demon. Shapechanger. Beastling. That is what thy will call you, if they should ever hear of your wolf dreams." as Jojen delicately and with tender subtly explains the attitude south of the wall towards warggies in Bran V ACOK. Arya is however experiencing this first in dreams, and very positive dreams of her lovely wolf being strong and eating bad people and then as a stranger in a strange land as a useful skill that helps her to survive and gives her an edge in her training in Braavos.

For Jon this fits into his ambiguous and awkward sense of identity, am I or aren't I a stark, I do and I don't want to associate myself with winterfell, I have this wolf but I'm not sure I want to be a wolf and I certainly don't want to be called a demon south of the wall. For Arya being weird amongst weirdos is no big thing and helps her both get by and is an anchor in westeros :dunno:

On identity I feel there is something similar happening with all the starks. Sansa 'I'm not a claim, I'm a person', Bran being told "A warg is what you are...You are the winged wolf" by Jojen (Bran V ACOK), or Jon in the night's watch and the sense that having sworn the oath the watchmen have forsworn their lives so it doesn't matter if you are Jon or Qhorin or Stonesnake if the service requires that you die on a mission so that one person gets back to the Black with a message, well that's all in a days work, as an individual you have no right to say but, you have to do what the oath requires you to do - so the identity of being a watchman trumps whatever identity you had before hand. But all of these new identities are put on top of the heroes and I think we see them squirm and rebel under the burden to varying extents :dunno:

[Mladen]

On identity I feel there is something similar happening with all the starks. Sansa 'I'm not a claim, I'm a person', Bran being told "A warg is what you are...You are the winged wolf" by Jojen (Bran V ACOK), or Jon in the night's watch and the sense that having sworn the oath the watchmen have forsworn their lives so it doesn't matter if you are Jon or Qhorin or Stonesnake if the service requires that you die on a mission so that one person gets back to the Black with a message, well that's all in a days work, as an individual you have no right to say but, you have to do what the oath requires you to do - so the identity of being a watchman trumps whatever identity you had before hand. But all of these new identities are put on top of the heroes and I think we see them squirm and rebel under the burden to varying extents :dunno:

I always compared Starks to that Greyjoy line - "what is dead, may never die...". In reality, Arya, Bran and Rickon are considered dead, Sansa is lost, and Jon is member of NW. But, the STark identity emerges from them from time to time... We see it in Arya's wolf dreams, Sansa's snow castle scene, Jon's moonlight ride to Robb, that was prevented by Ghost and his NW brothers (I believe that NW represent death of Jon being Stark, as his "death" at the end of ADWD will give him chance to be Stark again, until he of course sees who he really is - man of NW.) I agree completely with you and the fact how strong Stark identity is for each of them. On PTP we once discussed the comparison between LF's and Ramsay's methods of transforming the identity of their prey, and how Sansa, although uncomparably having easier way than Theon, hasn't renounced her identity for a second. I believe that we can find certain behavioral pattern of Stark pack, and how strong family ties are.

Also, after Lyanna Stark gratiously allowed me to write an essay about animal motifs in Arya's storyline for this thread, I have come to some very inspiring resource material. I believe that in a week, I would be ready to present you my very first deep analysis of Arya Stark's story. I do hope you'll all going to like it... :)

[Blisscraft]

Lyanna - Your work is always worth any amount of waiting. Very good points. Sorry about the pesky family interruptions that delayed you and kept you away from the truly important. :lol:

Speaking of pesky - Justice is always a difficult balance, isn't it? It seems to require Wisdom, yet in Westeros, Wisdom seems in short supply. For Arya, although experienced in pain and loss, revenge lingers for her as a part of her concept of justice. That little prayer may have fewer names listed in it, but is still very important and necesssary to Arya.

Your point about identity is so very good (and Lummel's). It reminds me of comic book heros and their "secret" identities, complete with costume/skinchanges. Clark Kent is really Superman underneath. Peter Parker is secretly, The Amazing Spiderman. Arya, however, seems a bit more Tony Stark to me. (Pardon the pun). She'll want to whole world to know she's Iron(wo)man, if not now, then soon.

Mladen - Looking forward to animal motif work!

[Mladen]

Two weeks ago, after finishing what many, including myself, think is one of the best reread threads on the boards, I humbly asked the permission to write an essay about animal symbolism in Arya’s storyline. Lyanna Stark, a dear friend and wonderful host of the thread, graciously allowed me to do so, giving me an honor I am not sure I deserved. But, with all my shortcomings, I do hope this essay will be worthy of your attention and that it will be just a starting point for many wonderful work I learnt to expect from hosts and other regular contributors of this thread.

I also have both obligation and pleasure to mention those without whom this essay wouldn’t be what it is. When life shuts one door, or in my case blocks it, it opens another. The friend I have found behind that door proved to be a true lady, great mate, and spring of wisdom we all need. Rapsie, my dear, words can’t describe the gratitude I feel for all you have done as a friend, and I would like all of you to have in mind that Rapsie is responsible for much better essay than it was at the beginning. The other lady whom I have to thank is Blisscraft, whose support and knowledge also expanded my interests, and transformed this into a series of essays, with pointing out to me great motifs and parallels. So, ladies, please know that I honestly appreciate that you have found time to deal with my work and selflessly helped me.

Now, about the essay that will be in front of you. When I presented my desire to write an essay about animal motifs, I thought it would be simple. But, the idea grew and grew, until I realized there are so many aspects I should be dealing with, that it became impossible to put it all in one piece. So, in this, first edition of analysis of the animal motifs in Arya’s storyline, I concentrated on the feminist messages and the she-wolf symbolism, with parallels between Arya and two other Stark ladies, Sansa and Lyanna. The point was to show that despite misogyny of the medieval world and the negative symbolism of the wolves, Martin created profound and noble characters.

Also, I would like to share

for this essay, since I have played it over and over while writing this essay. I hope you will "enjoy" in it as much as I have…

With hopes you will like it, I present you my very first essay on Arya reread thread.

[Mladen]

Feminism in she-wolf’s symbolism of ASOIAF

It is often difficult for authors to write characters of opposite sex. It is not rare that it leads to discussion whether male authors are capable of writing female characters and vice versa. Due to history, tradition and the patriarchy of our world, male authors and their female characters are often criticized for lacking depth, falling into standardized roles of mothers, daughters and wives, and usually being just plot tool for main, usually male, hero. So, it is no wonder when the critics spoke about GRRM’s female characters that the words like “misogyny” appeared. But, strangely enough, GRRM definitely divided female readership into two opposite groups. The one criticized Martin’s world for being misogynist, and the other praised the depth of female characters, noticing some subtle feminist slogans. But, as it is often the case in Martin’s books, the truth lies somewhere between.

Besides proving outstanding knowledge of human psychology, GRRM proved he is more than capable of using symbolic imagery in his works. The colorful and vivid world of ASOIAF has become a canvas for a vast variety of symbols of all forms and shapes. The clothes characters wear, the food they have eaten in certain situation, coat of arms and banners of the Houses they belong to, all of that is carefully structured as symbols of the past, present or even the future of certain heroes. The underlined messages are sometimes so strong that they overpower the given situation, thus surpassing the meaning of what is said, and giving it another dimension. And some of the most powerfully used symbols are certainly animals.

Sublimating feminism with animal symbolism is no easy job. Especially when the given animal, in this case, the wolf has centuries-long tradition of being masculine symbol of savagery, viciousness and predatory nature. Traditional female characteristics were never used in comparison with wolves. Given the infamous status the wolf had as a symbol throughout the entire history of civilization, normally the imagery of the she-wolf would have been no better. Certainly the most popular and known she-wolf motif is the Capitoline Wolf, which depicts a she-wolf suckling infants Romulus and Remus, founders of the city of Rome. The origin and date of the statue is certainly debatable, with new data providing evidence that the Capitoline Wolf was made in 13^th century AD, and not 5^th century BC. But nevertheless the date or the importance of the origin, the Capitoline she-wolf is one of the most known depictions of feminine animals.

The statue is very simple. It depicts a she-wolf suckling 2 infants. The she-wolf is vigilant and intense. There is a certain forcefulness and awareness, with muscles clearly visible that contribute to the entire image of a powerful, predatory and protective creature. A distinct contrast is made between the predatory and nurturing nature of the wolf. The udders are full, thus indicating seen nurturing, or possible pregnancy. This dualism of she-wolf nature is extremely important due to the fact that the Capitoline she-wolf can also be interpreted as symbol of feminine strength and mother’s care. The Capitoline she-wolf has been, since its inception, seen as powerful symbol of belonging to all Romans.

With the uprising Christianity, came the negative symbolism of wolves with origins in Bible. Seen as a predatory animal, the wolf quickly became the symbol of the devil and the evil. Some of the superstitious beliefs of werewolves, and the connection between witches and wolves led to the wolf, and thus the she-wolf have become the negative metaphor for everything that is evil. Unlike traditional negative connotation of the wolf’s strength, the she-wolf was given another meaning – the hunger, lust and longing. The she-wolf is particularly important symbol of sin in Dante’s Divine Comedy:

And a she-wolf, that with all hungerings

Seemed to be laden in her meagreness,

And many folk has caused to live forlorn!

She brought upon me so much heaviness,

With the affright that from her aspect came,

That I the hope relinquished of the height.

Because this beast, at which thou criest out,

Suffers not any one to pass her way,

But so doth harass him, that she destroys him;

And has a nature so malign and ruthless,

That never doth she glut her greedy will,

And after food is hungrier than before.

Many the animals with whom she weds,

And more they shall be still, until the Greyhound

Comes, who shall make her perish in her pain.

The story is relatively known. Dante is lost in a dark forest, when three beasts blocked his way out – leopard, lion and she-wolf. Dante returns to the forest where he meets with the shade of Virgil who explains him that the road is impassable, and that the road to salvation leads through hell. In Dante’s Inferno, the she-wolf represents avarice, insatiable hunger and greed. Many believe that the she-wolf actually represents the Roman Empire and its decay to decadence. The she-wolf represents all that was bad in Roman Empire, and her seductive powers are what led the Romans into destruction. Opposite to the pagan symbol of she-wolf, stands Christian symbol of greyhound. And although it is unclear whom greyhound represents (candidates vary from Jesus, to Henry VII (of House Luxembourg) who held the title Holy Roman Emperor and Dante’s benefactor Cangrande della Scala), he is the one that will save Rome and Italy from its ruin.

Even though Romans identified their origin from the she-wolf, they also used the same word for both she-wolves and prostitutes. And once Christianity took roots with the negative symbolism of the wolves, the she-wolf became a symbol of hunger of any sort, ambition, cruelty, savage greed and lust. Calling someone a she-wolf never had positive connotation and one of the most offensive slurs to women (bitch) came from the same “tree” from which identification of prostitutes and she-wolves originated. The most famous she-wolf in history is certainly Isabella of France, wife of Edward II. Her “femme fatale” status derived from her adultery and high-treason, made of her quite unpopular historical figure.

When it comes to she-wolf in modern literature and its symbolism, it’s almost like looking at Jackson Pollock’s “She-wolf” and thinking of his famous “explanation” of the master-piece – She-wolf came into existence because I had to paint it. Any attempt on my part to say something about it, to attempt explanation of the inexplicable, could only destroy it. For the entire past century, women fought for their rights, doing an almost Sisyphean task that demanded the reconstruction of entire the view on women, and the reevaluation of everything we have been taught until then. And although we know that matriarchal societies actually existed in the past and are present even now in some parts of the world, by and large most societies have repressed women to one degree or another. Matriarchy, as a symbol of egalitarian society, doesn’t condone the dominance patriarchal system imposes. In egalitarian systems, the roles of men and women aren’t divided, and the world functions on the principle of equal partnerships. And just like the principles of French revolution, women in the past century relentlessly fought for freedom of choice, equality with men and strong understanding and partnership between two genders. Therefore, the need of abandoning traditional learning of what women’s duties and obligations are became necessary. And the she-wolf characteristically took important place in feminist literature by providing exceptional multi-layered aspect of womanhood, and embodying women of the world as something more than just wives and mothers.

One may wonder why the she-wolf, and not some other animal? Certainly the doe can be used for women’s gentleness, the lioness’ for their vigilance and protection of the children, but none of them, or at least, not like she-wolf embodies everything what woman is. Historically, the symbols have been divided into positive and negative, depending on the culture and status. But, she-wolf is the one animal that goes into the core of the women’s being. And, of course, the Capitoline she-wolf is often regarded in it. The Capitoline she-wolf served as the inspiration for expanding the meaning of the word “woman”, providing necessary aspects above just a domesticated being, and giving it important biological, social, psychological, and even political imperative. Wolf writing by women has produced several literary events, all regarding the wild/domestic schism. Two most important are the feminist psychology in woman-warrior mode, especially popularized by Clarissa Pinkola Estés and her novel “Women who run with the wolves”, and the rise of the woman wolf biologist who remythologized the wolf without sacrificing scientific rigor, with four prominent figures: Lois Crisler, Renée Askins, Diane Boyd and Jody Emel. Psychological appliance of the wolf myth in Pinkola Estés’ work has twisted conveniently wolf mythology into what it needs to be to empower women through some sort of psychotherapy, but nonetheless it provides significant insight into feminist view on wolf mythology and symbolism.

When women reassert their relationship with the wildish nature, they are gifted with a permanent and internal watcher, a knower, a visionary, an oracle, an inspiratrice, an intuitive, a maker, a creator, an inventor, and a listener who guide, suggest, and urge vibrant life in the inner and outer worlds. When women are close to this nature, the fact of that relationship glows through them. The wild teacher, wild mother, wild mentor supports their inner and outer lives, no matter what. – Women who run with the wolves, Clarissa Pinkola Estés

The connection between the Capitoline she-wolf and the feminist work on the field of wolf symbolism is apparent. The feminist totemization of the nurturing, but strong she-wolf is in archetypical incarnation of heroes descended from lupine bloodline, most notably embodied in the Capitoline she-wolf. But, unlike the patriarchal stories that go around the heroes, feminists became interested in the she-wolf mother. And the wild/domestic schism inspired poignant work such as the one of Carol J. Adams, who compared the oppressive mechanisms patriarchy enforced on both women and environment, or Marina Warner’s analyses of mythology, and feminist perspective on it. And when the conclusion of the fairytale analyses is that “fairy tales are about money, marriage, and men, and that they are the maps and manuals that are passed down from mothers and grandmothers to help them survive” you realize how important feminist work is in every sphere of our lives.

The first and most important task feminism had in front of it was to convince women they do have a choice in their lives, that they have a say in their lives, and that they are the sole masters of themselves. That needed to be done by widening the views, showing women that there is something more than just being housewife. The first task was to make women understand that they can choose, and that whether they would get married, have a children, and raise them while their husbands work, is strictly on them. Some feminists considered housewives as entrapped, bound by social norms, and in some sad cases, narrow-minded. And then in 1974, ecofeminism was born out of concern for both environment and women’s right, and oppression of the patriarchal culture. Although not a feminist per se, Renee Askins’ biology work in Yellowstone National Park, and her contribution to the work of David L. Mech, undoubtedly left strong impact on the perception of the wolves. As she once stated: “Caged animals are not wild, any more than a Hopi vase decorating a restaurant is sacred”, the issue of animal domestication in biology and women’s entrapment in the roles provided by patriarchal culture is something we should deeply think of. For as much as the wolf in the zoo isn’t natural, woman without a choice entrapped in given roles isn’t something we should ignore. And this unnatural order of things in which our beloved ones are entrapped due to their gender, can and must be changed with effort of all of us, regardless of age, nationality, whereabouts and most importantly gender. The fight for equality isn’t just on activists, politicians and celebrities, but on all of us who knowingly or even unknowingly participate in the system that desperately needs to change.

When it comes to domestication issues of she-wolves in ASOIAF, GRRM knows to step on a line, but interestingly never to cross it. His work on depicting she-wolves should be analyzed on two dimensions. First dimension are the real she-wolves – Lady and Nymeria, and the second one are the Stark ladies – Lyanna, Sansa and Arya. With Martin’s world being set in medieval time, the domesticity and female entrapment in the roles of wives and mothers is natural to expect. But, Martin surprises us with the rejection of the domestication in his she-wolves by refusing to transform wolves into something more than they are. The other side of the coin is that his anthropocentric view on the world and wolf metaphors are always in line with what we know of wolf’s behavior.

The story of Lady and Nymeria shows us that for Martin, direwolves simply aren’t puppies. Simply, they are not pets. The domestication of wild animal is comparable to Shakespearean rose (What's in a name? That which we call a rose. By any other name would smell as sweet.). The core of an animal hasn’t changed, and direwolves would have never become domesticated, obedient dogs. For even the wildest dog is stricken by the wolf’s stare or howl. The magical component exists in their owners, not them. Unlike many fantasy genre authors and their animals, most notably C.S. Lewis’ Aslan, Martin knows when to stop in depicting animals. Unlike Aslan, who is anything but a lion, due to the anthropocentric nature of his depiction, Lady and Nymeria remained wolves. To be completely truthful Martin did play with the domestication with Lady, giving her a gentler nature than you would expect, and giving her characteristics more appropriate to a dog than to a wolf (“I’ve never seen an aurochs,” Sansa said, feeding a piece of bacon to Lady under the table. The direwolf took it from her hand, as delicate as a queen.). Lady’s nature and domestication reflects Sansa’s tame nature and naiveté. The wild/domesticated dualism in perception of both Sansa and Lady is complementary. The perception and the core of Sansa/Lady pairing are in opposition. While Sansa’s appearance is Lady’s gentle nature, Lady’s wild heart and strength are Sansa’s greatest qualities. For Sansa is Lady, a gentle, kind and caring she-wolf. This dualism served not only to describe Sansa better, but also to give us some important insights into the Westerosi world. Lady’s killing showed us what kind of justice is King’s word, her gentle nature and trust showed Sansa’s vulnerability, and theoretically, one could argue that Lady was domesticated to point out that once she is gone, there will be someone else to protect Sansa, someone who isn’t wolf, but certainly is wilder than a puppy. So, although both Nymeria and Lady were domesticated for some time, it didn’t last long. Nymeria, on the other hand, is simply an alpha female. Martin doesn’t even try to portray her other than what she is. For, there is no doubt, Nymeria is all wolf. And everything written about her, since the day Arya chased her, tells us that there can be no domestication for this wolf.

“Around the Gods Eye, the packs have grown bolder’n anyone can remember. Sheep, cows, dogs, makes no matter, they kill as they like, and they got no fear of men. It’s worth your life to go into those woods by night.”

“I heard the same thing from my cousin, and she’s not the sort to lie,” an old woman said. “She says there’s this great pack, hundreds of them, mankillers. The one that leads them is a she-wolf, a bitch from the seventh hell.”

She dreamed of wolves most every night. A great pack of wolves, with her at the head. She was bigger than any of them, stronger, swifter, faster. She could outrun horses and outfight lions. When she bared her teeth even men would run from her, her belly was never empty long, and her fur kept her warm even when the wind was blowing cold. And her brothers and sisters were with her, many and more of them, fierce and terrible and hers. They would never leave her.

They say the pack is led by a monstrous she-wolf, a stalking shadow grim and grey and huge. They will tell you that she has been known to bring aurochs down all by herself, that no trap nor snare can hold her, that she fears neither steel nor fire, slays any wolf that tries to mount her, and devours no other flesh but man.

As we heard from various sources throughout three books, Nymeria is described as she is. With a bit of lie in hunting stories, the truth about her actions seems undoubted. The true nature of the wolf shown in Nymeria has its literary purposes, especially in mirroring Arya’s psychological state, but it is also a depiction of a dangerous pack. Nymeria isn’t a person in wolf clothes, she is a wolf. So, the idea of domestication in the wolves in ASOIAF doesn’t hold, simply because Martin’s she-wolves are not just metaphors, they are characters with personalities, and behavior you would expect from wolves. Mirroring the Stark siblings, direwolves show us that different paths we take, different characteristics we have, they are the same. They care for each other, will fight for each other, even sacrifice. Differences in opinions, POVs, or even nature, all fades to the one fact – they belong to same pack.

The other dimension of wolf domestication and its use in ASOIAF certainly represents the Stark ladies – Lyanna, Sansa and Arya. The three ladies are different, representing different aspects of she-wolf symbolism. But, they all live in the world where the women are domesticated, where the roles have been given the day they were born, and where they have so little to say about their lives. So, in this medieval narrow-minded society, a women’s right to choose has been taken before she even knew she had it. So the use of she-wolf symbolism has to be extremely careful, not to make a stereotypical female role, and not to diminish vast metaphorical meaning of the used symbol. With all of that in mind, we should also remember that Martin’s characters are humans and that he is indeed writing about people with the issues and dilemmas any man or woman would have. And that’s where Martin excelled. His psychologically anthropocentric world is enriched with animal symbolism that isn’t contrived by what we know about wolves and history of the symbolism the she-wolf has. For Martin’s she-wolves are strong and vigilant yet caring and emotional; they are the epitome of every woman’s nobility and virtue.

Domesticity is something common for all three Stark ladies, or at least there is certain attempt of their surroundings to make them accept the roles they were born to play. And here, Martin’s progressive opinions united with his knowledge of she-wolves create a powerful dualism between their roles and their desires. Martin deconstructs the medieval roles women had, and gives us three amazing individuals ready to reject what they are supposed to be and fight for what they love and care.

The first Stark lady and the one where she-wolf metaphors are strongest, breaks the domesticity of being a nobleman’s wife. Lyanna’s fate is still unknown, so we’ll keep to what we do know

“Robert will never keep to one bed,” Lyanna had told him at Winterfell, on the night long ago when their father had promised her hand to the young Lord of Storm’s End. “I hear he has gotten a child on some girl in the Vale.” Ned had held the babe in his arms; he could scarcely deny her, nor would he lie to his sister, but he had assured her that what Robert did before their betrothal was of no matter, that he was a good man and true who would love her with all his heart. Lyanna had only smiled. “Love is sweet, dearest Ned, but it cannot change a man’s nature.”

Whether Lyanna escaped with Rhaegar or not, one thing is certain. She did not love Robert. She was bound by the rules of society, honor of her House, and word of her father. Entrapped in future loveless marriage, Lyanna saw things more clearly than Ned. She knew what she could have expected from Robert. Now, given the “she-wolf” nickname, behavioral patterns suggesting that she-wolves don’t engage in mating with the wolves they dislike, and importance of that pattern in symbolism, we can say that on some level Lyanna truly rejected Robert. This is important in drawing a parallel with her niece, whose refusal to kneel on her wedding day showed what she thought of that marriage, and there on her wedding, she is regarded by an outsider as she-wolf for the first time. But, her inner strength, endurance and perseverance, strong sense of belonging and loyalty shown in time of great sufferings proved us that Sansa was always a she-wolf, and that her exteriority was just a fur of different color.

Her relief was short-lived. No sooner had the music died than she heard Joffrey say, “It’s time to bed them! Let’s get the clothes off her, and have a look at what the she-wolf’s got to give my uncle!” Other men took up the cry, loudly.

Also, Sansa’s refusal in Tyrion’s mind is constantly connected with her roots:

He made certain not to look at Sansa, lest his bitterness show in his eyes. You might have knelt, damn you. Would it have been so bloody hard to bend those stiff Stark knees of yours and let me keep a little dignity?

So, connection with Starks and she-wolf metaphors are used to describe women’s reluctance to do what they are asked. Martin’s use of she-wolf metaphors with Lyanna and Sansa to depict detest of being “mounted” by those they dislike. And all of that has another dimension when we remember that Martin stated that no wolf can mount Nymeria.

When it comes to Arya, deconstruction of domesticity is done on almost every level. Her wild behavior clearly states that “she is no lady”. An entire deconstruction of the domesticity every noble-born girl should aspire to is done on every page of Arya’s POV. She is interested in “men’s businesses” like swordsmanship, riding, fighting, and all the interest, she as individual who happens to be female finds interesting, thus breaking the greatest stereotype that our gender defines our interests. Arya also provides us with a strong contrast to some other women, especially Cersei. Arya’s entire interest in man’s business doesn’t change the fact she is a woman, while on the other hand, Cersei’s greatest desire is to be a man, and she experiences power while satisfying other woman, “raping her like Robert”. Arya’s gender is never questioned. She is a female. It’s that simple. But, the problem Martin poses in front of us when Arya is in question is that by giving her manly interests, does he transform her gender. Is Arya’s gender changed by what she is interested in? And this is something where we can actually see Martin’s sheer brilliance and those subtle feminist slogans I mentioned at the beginning. GRRM’s Arya is an extraordinary girl, and although biologically and psychologically she hasn’t fully grown into a woman yet, that doesn’t mean she is not a female. And by not turning Arya in some hermaphrodite, Martin does an amazing job depicting Arya as a she-wolf, using all the aspects he can for 8 year-old child – fierce temper, predatory nature and wilderness.

Sansa is, for many, on the opposite side of Lyanna and Arya’s she-wolf metaphors. Simply, she is not wild; she doesn’t like riding or swordsmanship, she is no tomboy, but what difference does it make? She is kind, gentle, compassionate and caring. People usually forget that Sansa’s characteristics are also notable in she-wolves with pups. But, while Lyanna breaks domesticity of being a wife, Arya struggles with domesticity of being a lady, Sansa’s unfortunate life brought her to a moment when she almost rejected a notion of being a woman:

When she woke, the pale light of morning was slanting through her window, yet she felt as sick and achy as if she had not slept at all. There was something sticky on her thighs. When she threw back the blanket and saw the blood, all she could think was that her dream had somehow come true. She remembered the knives inside her, twisting and ripping. She squirmed away in horror, kicking at the sheets and falling to the floor, breathing raggedly, naked, bloodied, and afraid.

But as she crouched there, on her hands and knees, understanding came. “No, please,” Sansa whimpered, “please, no.” She didn’t want this happening to her, not now, not here, not now, not now, not now, not now.

It was as if her own body had betrayed her to Joffrey, unfurling a banner of Lannister crimson for all the world to see.

Normally, no one can say that Sansa doesn’t want to be a woman, but this moment of maturation for her was the fulfillment of the worst dreams. Martin here uses flowering as the worst thing that could happen to Sansa. It is not misogynistic at all; it serves the point to show how everyone in Westeros is entrapped in one way or another. Sansa’s rejection of herself as sexual being due to the situation she is in is something that continues with Tyrion when she doesn’t want to sleep with him. Sansa isn’t asexual, but for her, sexual intercourse meant something more than just that. Sansa’s view on this natural thing has been tainted by the malice and madness she endured. And what was for Lyanna her future marriage to Robert, what for Arya was represented by Lady Smallwood’s dress, was for Sansa sexual intercourse with those she found repugnant, for all three women were bound by the norms at some points, but their spirit didn’t break under the pressure and all three deconstructed the idea of the domesticated, entrapped life most women of that time had.

Another important aspect of she-wolf symbolism is nurture. The Capitoline she-wolf gave us part of that nature, and it is scientifically proven that she-wolves are great caregivers. To symbolize power, viciousness and strength, some political leaders claimed, what we would call today “raised by wolves”. The best example is certainly Benito Mussolini who claimed he is founder of “New Rome”. The idea of heroes having she-wolf blood in them isn’t new and it originates from Odysseus whose grandmother was a werewolf, and more notably Romulus and Remus. But, dualism between women’s strength and tender nature always returns us to the Capitoline wolf who sensed that Romulus and Remus have blood of the Gods in them and took care of them. That blood comes from Mars, god of war who was their father, and Vesta, goddess of family, since their mother was Vestal Virgin. The union of strength and motherhood in the Capitoline wolf made her a regarded symbol. But, modern society doesn’t accept woman as the Capitoline wolf, and therefore neither does literature. In the fantasy genre, it is quite common that female characters are stipulated on one of the roles – mother or warrior. There is an inability to see women in entirety and to portray them without all their nuances; this is a sad consequence of centuries-long patriarchal society.

That the she-wolf can be both a symbol of strength and tenderness, Martin proves in all three Stark ladies. The story about Knight of the Laughing tree gave us insight in Lyanna’s personality, Sansa’s composure when she saved Dontos’ life showed her compassionate, but also rebellious nature. And Arya’s newly companionship with HotPie and Gendry shows that she is, not just resourceful wolf girl but also in great need of belonging to a pack. The juxtaposition of Lyanna defending Howland and her crying over Rhaegar’s singing shows us that one scene doesn’t exclude the other. But, unlike many other female characters whom authors tried to deepen, Lyanna doesn’t have 2 faces. She is not a two-dimensional character where there are episodes of kindness and then episodes of strength. Lyanna’s strength originates from her emotions, her loyalty and care, and her emotions are stronger due to her strength. Exclusion of one side would inevitably affect the other, and that is where Martin shows us how deeply he can go in portrayal of female characters.

This union of strength and emotions continues on Stark girls. Arya’s love and devotion for her family transforms into overwhelming hatred towards those that harmed her and her family. Her death list is her prayer; her howl at the moon so she would one day be heard. Arya’s wildness is not just the predatory nature of a future killer, but it is also the deeply emotional freedom she aspires to. Sansa also finds the strength in her family. She repeatedly says to herself to be brave like Robb. Her moments of rage are rarer than Arya’s, but they are rooted in the emotions she feels. She was, after all, so close to kill Joffrey, madness over first bleeding overtook her and she almost burnt her room. Sansa’s internalized wildness should never be forgotten, as Arya’s deep emotions shouldn’t be disregarded. For no analysis, no prediction can be accurate without accepting that these girls are far more complex than their first impressions suggest.

The feminist notion of she-wolf symbolism in ASOIAF is of the most civilized, purest form. It empowers, equalizes, tenderly nurtures what’s good and rejects what is bad. The she-wolf in ASOIAF isn’t used as sign of domination, but as a beautiful motif of free-spirited women who can both fight and feel, who make choices and suffer the consequences. Martin’s she-wolf isn’t romanticized or transferred through million of interpretation. It is as noble as it can be, vicious as nature tells us it is. Infusion of she-wolf motif in ASOIAF’s anthropocentric world didn’t derogate the animal, but supplemented the people and given new perspective at how we should see both people and animals.

[Pod The Impaler]

\

On identity I feel there is something similar happening with all the starks. Sansa 'I'm not a claim, I'm a person', Bran being told "A warg is what you are...You are the winged wolf" by Jojen (Bran V ACOK), or Jon in the night's watch and the sense that having sworn the oath the watchmen have forsworn their lives so it doesn't matter if you are Jon or Qhorin or Stonesnake if the service requires that you die on a mission so that one person gets back to the Black with a message, well that's all in a days work, as an individual you have no right to say but, you have to do what the oath requires you to do - so the identity of being a watchman trumps whatever identity you had before hand. But all of these new identities are put on top of the heroes and I think we see them squirm and rebel under the burden to varying extents :dunno:

Indeed, even Robb Stark never seemed totally comfortable with the identity of "King" - Stark, yes; warrior, yes; avenger of injustice against his realm, yes. He was comfortable with these things, but you didn't get the sense he felt comfortable with power. Only Rickon might be an exception, because he's of so young an age at the start of the story in AGOT, he's too much a pup to be truly separate from his parents. On the other hand, when he does get permanently separated from them, he's acts out because losing them hurts, but also because he can't really yet conceive of his own identity without at least his family.

[Pod The Impaler]

The first and most important task feminism had in front of it was to convince women they do have a choice in their lives, that they have a say in their lives, and that they are the sole masters of themselves... As she once stated: “Caged animals are not wild, any more than a Hopi vase decorating a restaurant is sacred”, the issue of animal domestication in biology and women’s entrapment in the roles provided by patriarchal culture is something we should deeply think of. For as much as the wolf in the zoo isn’t natural, woman without a choice entrapped in given roles isn’t something we should ignore. And this unnatural order of things in which our beloved ones are entrapped due to their gender, can and must be changed with effort of all of us, regardless of age, nationality, whereabouts and most importantly gender. The fight for equality isn’t just on activists, politicians and celebrities, but on all of us who knowingly or even unknowingly participate in the system that desperately needs to change.

When it comes to domestication issues of she-wolves in ASOIAF, GRRM knows to step on a line, but interestingly never to cross it. His work on depicting she-wolves should be analyzed on two dimensions. First dimension are the real she-wolves – Lady and Nymeria, and the second one are the Stark ladies – Lyanna, Sansa and Arya. With Martin’s world being set in medieval time, the domesticity and female entrapment in the roles of wives and mothers is natural to expect. But, Martin surprises us with the rejection of the domestication in his she-wolves by refusing to transform wolves into something more than they are. The other side of the coin is that his anthropocentric view on the world and wolf metaphors are always in line with what we know of wolf’s behavior.

The story of Lady and Nymeria shows us that for Martin, direwolves simply aren’t puppies. Simply, they are not pets. The domestication of wild animal is comparable to Shakespearean rose (What's in a name? That which we call a rose. By any other name would smell as sweet.). The core of an animal hasn’t changed, and direwolves would have never become domesticated, obedient dogs. For even the wildest dog is stricken by the wolf’s stare or howl. The magical component exists in their owners, not them. ... To be completely truthful Martin did play with the domestication with Lady, giving her a gentler nature than you would expect, and giving her characteristics more appropriate to a dog than to a wolf (“I’ve never seen an aurochs,” Sansa said, feeding a piece of bacon to Lady under the table. The direwolf took it from her hand, as delicate as a queen.). Lady’s nature and domestication reflects Sansa’s tame nature and naiveté. The wild/domesticated dualism in perception of both Sansa and Lady is complementary. The perception and the core of Sansa/Lady pairing are in opposition. While Sansa’s appearance is Lady’s gentle nature, Lady’s wild heart and strength are Sansa’s greatest qualities. For Sansa is Lady, a gentle, kind and caring she-wolf. This dualism served not only to describe Sansa better, but also to give us some important insights into the Westerosi world. Lady’s killing showed us what kind of justice is King’s word, her gentle nature and trust showed Sansa’s vulnerability, and theoretically, one could argue that Lady was domesticated to point out that once she is gone, there will be someone else to protect Sansa, someone who isn’t wolf, but certainly is wilder than a puppy. So, although both Nymeria and Lady were domesticated for some time, it didn’t last long. Nymeria, on the other hand, is simply an alpha female. Martin doesn’t even try to portray her other than what she is. For, there is no doubt, Nymeria is all wolf. And everything written about her, since the day Arya chased her, tells us that there can be no domestication for this wolf.

People debate the symbolism of Lady's death. Personally, I always saw it as something connected to Sansa's honour.

Yet, an alternative could be this: that domestication and a wolf are not compatible. Sansa was the tamest Stark, as Lady was the tamest wolf of the litter. But what if the symbolism was that domestication was death?

Sansa did not take Lady with her, but left her in camp.She thought she couldn't take Lady with her on her outing with Joffrey, because tame as Lady was, she was still a direwolf, and might spook the horses (which she didn't really like to ride, but suppressed this personal truth in favour of advancing her future domesticity with Joffrey). Yet, had Lady been there it's conceivable that the whole incident with Mycah and Arya would have gone very differently.

In the end though, Arya acts wolfish by protecting Mycah, and Nymeria is the wolf that lives by being running into the woods and living fully wild. Lady is the wolf that dies, precisely because she couldn't or wouldn't run away from the camp.

When push came to shove, the civilized norms of conduct meant that a crown prince being hurt was cause for some punishment even if the crown prince initiated it and deserved the injury he got. Here justice was not natual justice but the "civilized" domesticated sort. It did not matter to anyone but the Starks that Lady had done nothing harmful; she was put down just for being a wolf at all. Civilized society wants dogs for pets, not wolves to contend with.

Lady dies, in part because Sansa the wolf was at that time choosing to be domesticated? Or as a lesson and symbol that aside from her own blood, those around her did not want a Stark she-wolf, but a domesticated girl with a claim.

Arya, like Nymeria cannot and will not be tamed, and runs free for survival's sake, never giving up any of her ferocity even as she learns when to bite and snarl, and when not to.

[Miodrag]

Mladen, congratulations on the essay. However demanding it was for you to write it - and I guess it was pretty demanding, with all the 'outside knowledge' (amount of which is amazing) you did put in there - it was worth it, because this is a rewarding read. I'm not embarrassed to say I was somewhat embarrassed while reading and realizing half of the references you brought up I wasn't even aware of. What I'm mostly impressed with, is that people who operate with a vast theoretical knowledge in their analysis, usually neglect the basics, but with you it isn't the case at all. Your essay is nicely balanced in that regard; for example, you reminded me of the fact Cersei's defining characteristics is that she wants to be a man. I guess it's easy to forget some things when the material is as rich as ASOIAF is, and that's when a piece like this one can help big time.

Once again, endless respect for your work here. Martin can pride himself with readers like you. Looking forward to your essays about other animals and their symbolism.

[Mladen]

People debate the symbolism of Lady's death. Personally, I always saw it as something connected to Sansa's honour.

Yet, an alternative could be this: that domestication and a wolf are not compatible. Sansa was the tamest Stark, as Lady was the tamest wolf of the litter. But what if the symbolism was that domestication was death?

....

Civilized society wants dogs for pets, not wolves to contend with. Lady dies, in part because Sansa the wolf was at that time choosing to be domesticated? Or as a lesson and symbol that aside from her own blood, those around her did not want a Stark she-wolf, but a domesticated girl with a claim.

When it comes to Lady, we have seen that, despite her gentle nature, she is a wolf (she did growl after all at Illyn Payne), but for me Lady's death isn't connected with Sansa's honor, but with deeply presented idea of domesticity of women in Westerosi world. Killing Lady was a way to set Sansa on the path of being, as she said while begging for Lady's life, "a good girl". Lady died, because Sansa needed to be tamed, for Sansa, just like Arya, is a she-wolf. And by taming her, by killing Lady and entrapping Sansa, Martin did showed us how unkind world is to women, but more importantly, gave Sansa a way to survive horror of her imprisonment in KL.

On the other hand we have Arya... There was a discussion on one thread what would actually happen if Arya did get to Winterfell, and whether Catelyn's engagements with Walder Frey regarding her would actually happen. Would Arya be forcefully domesticated by her family? And it is my opinion that just as Martin's domesticity of Sansa through Lady saved Sansa's life, Arya's wild nature that day saved her from domesticity that would, sooner or later, be forced upon her.

Mladen, congratulations on the essay. However demanding it was for you to write it - and I guess it was pretty demanding, with all the 'outside knowledge' (amount of which is amazing) you did put in there - it was worth it, because this is a rewarding read. I'm not embarrassed to say I was somewhat embarrassed while reading and realizing half of the references you brought up I wasn't even aware of. What I'm mostly impressed with, is that people who operate with a vast theoretical knowledge in their analysis, usually neglect the basics, but with you it isn't the case at all. Your essay is nicely balanced in that regard; for example, you reminded me of the fact Cersei's defining characteristics is that she wants to be a man. I guess it's easy to forget some things when the material is as rich as ASOIAF is, and that's when a piece like this one can help big time.

Once again, endless respect for your work here. Martin can pride himself with readers like you. Looking forward to your essays about other animals and their symbolism.

Thank you, Miodrag... As I said in PM, it is truly an honor to be praised by well-respected journalist such as yourself.

[ShadowCat Rivers]

Great work as always, Mladen!

May I suggest that the feminist symbolism of the she-wolf could also apply to the "adopted" she-wolf, the Lady Catelyn? As she closes to her end, she becomes all the more wolfish and all the more she rejects domestication and becomes wilder...

(by the way, are you going to do the cat motif in Arya's storyline as well? I would love to read your thoughts on Arya and cats)

[Mladen]

Great work as always, Mladen!

May I suggest that the feminist symbolism of the she-wolf could also apply to the "adopted" she-wolf, the Lady Catelyn? As she closes to her end, she becomes all the more wolfish and all the more she rejects domestication and becomes wilder...

(by the way, are you going to do the cat motif in Arya's storyline as well? I would love to read your thoughts on Arya and cats)

Thanks dear. Your praises means a lot to me

I started this as one essay, and then it grew until I realized that there are so much to talk about. I was doing this essay for Animal project, as Lyanna/Arya/Sansa parallels in wolf motif, but then I was inspired by some research I stumbled upon... And this essay was created. But I have so much to say about wolf motif in Arya (which is weird given that I am "Sansa" guy, and as a friend of mine said, methodologies for the two sisters' analyses are so different)... All in all, with the help I was provided, I am happy that I did a good job with Arya. Certainly I am going to do cat symbolism, and there we'll discuss Catelyn Stark... That will come in week or two, depending how many essays I have to write at the time :)

[evita mgfs]

Thanks dear. Your praises means a lot to me

I started this as one essay, and then it grew until I realized that there are so much to talk about. I was doing this essay for Animal project, as Lyanna/Arya/Sansa parallels in wolf motif, but then I was inspired by some research I stumbled upon... And this essay was created. But I have so much to say about wolf motif in Arya (which is weird given that I am "Sansa" guy, and as a friend of mine said, methodologies for the two sisters' analyses are so different)... All in all, with the help I was provided, I am happy that I did a good job with Arya. Certainly I am going to do cat symbolism, and there we'll discuss Catelyn Stark... That will come in week or two, depending how many essays I have to write at the time :)

:bowdown: :bowdown: MIADEN: THE SHE-WOLF ESSAY is impressive with extensive documentation authenticating how Martin may have found inspiration in numerous sources and mythologies detailing the nature and habitat of the she-wolf. A comment made by another poster mentioned comparing Arya to a cat - I look forward to such a theme, especially since I spent a good deal of time carefully gathering evidences in which Martin employs language indicative of cats. In ADwD, there is a wonderful scene where Arya "symbolically" becomes a feline, and Martin conveys this through action verbs associated with big and small cats. While Arya is separated from Nym, it stands to reason that her exercises as an acolyte in the HoB&W are designed to awaken her instincts, specifically those gifts innate to her bloodline, warging and skinchanging. I was watching a "dark" show on the ID channel about serial killers, and one researcher said that serial killers in their youth often choose to torment and torture cats over dogs because "cats" are a female symbol to them, weak, vulnerable, and easy to control. ANYWAY, MIADEN, EXCEPTIONAL WORK, AND ESSAY endowed with much and more! :love:

[Houndbird]

Great essay as usual Mladen. I bow to your incredible knowledge and commitment to the forums. I love when you say you a 'Sansa guy', but like a lot of us love Arya too. The sisters as well as Cat are real She wolfs Look forward to your essays.

[The Ned's Little Girl]

@Mladen: I was entranced by your essay as I usually am by your posts, but I think you out-did even yourself with this! Thank you so much.

One (non-ASOIAF) thing it reminded me of: have read or heard of a book called "The Alphabet versus The Goddess" by Dr. Leonard Shlain? If you have I'll say no more, but if not and it seems interesting to you, let me know and I'll give you some more info. Sorry for derail; it's just that it was so immensely refreshing to read such an uncompromising feminist statement - breath of fresh air! :D

[Mladen]

Obviously this thread needs a friendly 'bump', and that is what this post will serve.

Also, I would like, if it is OK with the hosts of this thread, to continue with my Animal motifs in Arya storyline project. This essay has been written a month ago but alas, my computer crashed and I lost tons of data with essay itself. The last few days I have been rewriting it and in several days (by the end of the week) I would be able to post it.

Thank you for all your compliments for Feminist essay... I am glad you all liked it...

[Elba the Intoner]

Thanks for bumping this thread Mladen because somehow I missed your She-Wolf essay when you first posted it. It was a fascinating read and I really enjoyed it. The emphasis on the duality of the she wolf's nature got me to thinking about the idea of Arya and Sansa being two sides of the same coin that has been discussed before. Arya represents the fierce wild aspect of the she wolf but underneath that she can be very protective in a maternal way. Even though Gendry and Hot Pie are her peers she is like a mother to them in many ways and I always think about how she tried to finger comb Weasel's hair and how Weasel seemed to adopt her as a mother as examples of Arya's more touching maternal moments. She was trying to take care of her pack. Sansa started out as the tame one basically brainwashed into giving up her own natural wants to be the patriarchy's ideal of the perfect mother and wife. But now as you said, her she wolf nature is getting stronger and in a way has helped her survive everything she has been through. Sansa too longs for her pack and has become very associated with the mother especially with her treatment of Sweetrobin, which is why I really don't believe she will let harm come to him in the end. I think she realizes Sweetrobin is her pack now.

I view the death of Lady as symbolizing that Sansa will no longer be a lady herself as everyone including Sansa herself had intended at the beginning. Even if she does end up getting married, it's clear that she will only enter it willingly if it is on her own terms. This is just as true of Arya. The song about the Forest Lass that Tom sings at Lady Smallwood's home is about Arya. The Forest Lass does not reject the idea of marrying the Lad, but it's clear she rejects the idea of a traditional marriage that the Lad wanted to impose on her. Both girls are fighting to live their lives on their own terms and those terms do not automatically reject the maternal, nurturing, and family associations that is part of the she wolf duality.

I also think there is something to the idea that Catelyn is an adopted she wolf as ShadowCat Rivers suggested. It is symbolized in how Cat readily took on the name of Lady Stark, and the Starks are direwolves, and that is how she is referred to by everyone. This is in stark (pun intended) contrast to Cersei who never takes on the Baratheon name, is always known as Cersei Lannister and even keeps the Lannister family sigil of the Lion on her children's clothes, shown fighting with the Baratheon Stag.

evita mgfs I love your Wicked avatar. Wicked is one of my very favorite musicals and I think the relationship between Elphaba and Glinda are very similar to Arya and Sansa. One is beautiful and popular, the other is unusual looking, not considered traditionally attractive, and not popular with the "in crowd". At first they start out loathing each other, then they realize they are not so different after all and become close friends. But their ways of handling the problems going on around them are too different. Glinda wants to make the people love her and in that way she believes she can effect positive change but Elphaba can't give in to her principles of working with people who are evil and whom she despises. (Sound familiar?) And even though they could make an amazing team where their power would be unlimited, they can't really reconcile. In the end they must part but deep down they know they have been permanently changed for good by knowing each other.

[Mladen]

Thanks for bumping this thread Mladen because somehow I missed your She-Wolf essay when you first posted it. It was a fascinating read and I really enjoyed it. The emphasis on the duality of the she wolf's nature got me to thinking about the idea of Arya and Sansa being two sides of the same coin that has been discussed before. Arya represents the fierce wild aspect of the she wolf but underneath that she can be very protective in a maternal way. Even though Gendry and Hot Pie are her peers she is like a mother to them in many ways and I always think about how she tried to finger comb Weasel's hair and how Weasel seemed to adopt her as a mother as examples of Arya's more touching maternal moments. She was trying to take care of her pack. Sansa started out as the tame one basically brainwashed into giving up her own natural wants to be the patriarchy's ideal of the perfect mother and wife. But now as you said, her she wolf nature is getting stronger and in a way has helped her survive everything she has been through. Sansa too longs for her pack and has become very associated with the mother especially with her treatment of Sweetrobin, which is why I really don't believe she will let harm come to him in the end. I think she realizes Sweetrobin is her pack now.

I view the death of Lady as symbolizing that Sansa will no longer be a lady herself as everyone including Sansa herself had intended at the beginning. Even if she does end up getting married, it's clear that she will only enter it willingly if it is on her own terms. This is just as true of Arya. The song about the Forest Lass that Tom sings at Lady Smallwood's home is about Arya. The Forest Lass does not reject the idea of marrying the Lad, but it's clear she rejects the idea of a traditional marriage that the Lad wanted to impose on her. Both girls are fighting to live their lives on their own terms and those terms do not automatically reject the maternal, nurturing, and family associations that is part of the she wolf duality.

I am so glad you like it, Elba. I think that wolf symbolism in all three ladies is particularly strong and I actually think not that different. When we discuss metaphors, we have to have in mind everything previously written, and Martin incorporates strength and viciousness of the wolves in his own way. But then, you have to add two significant factors when Sansa/Arya/Lyanna are in question - humanity and gender. They are humans and as such, wolf characteristics have to be carefully incorporated in their story. As Ned told Arya "you have a bit of wolf blood", meaning she is wild and uncontrollable. But, that of course, has the limits. She is human, and not the wolf. So, I am so in love in the way how Martin uses wolf symbolism to portray different characteristics in the girls, and thus enhancing them. Another important issue I discussed in essay is gender issue. Transforming wolf symbolism in appropriate gender is not easy. Especially when one of them is gracious, radiant and sweet. And it is even more problematic when it comes to women breaking social norms. In Sansa, wolf symbolism is in so many characteristics people don't usually pay attention. It's not just in her fight for the man she "loved"(there is a wonderful story from Druid pack from Yellowstone), her attempt to kill Joffrey, her rejection to bend the knee to Tyrion. It is actually in surviving in most difficult surrounding, leading when it is necessary, sensing good and bad in people, nurturing orphan, reminiscing beloved ones and playing with snow... All those beautiful wolf traits people so often forget... As for Arya, I addressed the issue in the essay. I am particularly interested in Arya's growth as a woman and questions it may bring. For, even though she is so repetitive in "I am no lady", she never rejects her gender or who she truly is.

As for Lady's death, I have another interpretation of that. I actually think that it was forced domestication of Sansa. That, by killing Lady, Martin literally broke Sansa into submission of patriarchy world. They basically killed the wildness in her, remember what Septa Mordane told her "when it comes to that wolf, you are as willful as your sister". So, for me, this gets another layer of feminist issue of suppressed woman infused with wolf symbolism.

[Artemis]

I really love this re-read thread as I've been reviewing it over the past few days. Will we be continuing with Mercy's chapter in TWoW?

[DrunkSister]

I really love this re-read thread as I've been reviewing it over the past few days. Will we be continuing with Mercy's chapter in TWoW?

No, because that is in the WoW subforum and reread project is supposed to be spoiler free.