A List of Damaged Hands (or A Motif of Metacarpus)

[Aderyn the Sly]

Hands are also used symbolically. As a visual, Weirwood leaves are shaped like red hands. And as interpersonal relationship symboligically, we have history like this:

Around that time there had been wars in the Riverlands and the Reach. The two most belligerent rulers were Black Harren, ruler of the Iron isles and Argilac the Arrogant. Harren was nearing completion of his vast castle and was said to be looking for more conquests. Argilac had grown afraid of Harren and so proposed an alliance with Aegon. It is believed he wanted to create a buffer zone between him and Harren. He offered the hand of his daughter in marriage as well as dowry lands. However, many of those lands were in fact in the possession of Harren the Black. Aegon refused and instead offered the hand of his best friend and bastard brother, Orys Baratheon. Argilac took this as a grave insult and had the hands of the envoy cut off. He sent them to Aegon with a message of "These are the only hands you will receive". Aegon called his banners and took counsel with them and his sisters. When they were done ravens flew to every ruler in the 7 Kingdoms. He informed them that "There will be only one king" and that those who bent the knee would keep their lands and titles. But those that did not he would destroy.

[Bloodraven's Eye]

I think it is interesting that most of the people on this list are either dead or in the nights watch.

then you have jaime and theon. i find this interesting because of all the people you think could end up in the nights watch these two are at the top of the list.

then there are the parallels between davos and victarion. both of them renowned seamen. each a right hand man to their king on on missions to bring back a ruler. messed up with priests of rhollor.

only the great jon and joncon are the odd men out unless you lump them with davos and victarion as right hand men. or for the great jon there is the connection of maiming by direwolf that he shares with a dead ollo lophand, a dead jafer flowers, qhorin halfhand, and joffrey. and joncon will probably join the group of dead people soon.

[shade2379]

Marillion may or may not have had some of his fingers amputated.

I don't think I've ever encountered another author more obsessed with dismemberment. Hands, feet, fingers, toes, arms, legs, ears, noses, tongues - and other bits. Seems like anything that sticks out is likely to be lopped off.

[The Snowfyre Chorus]

Updated the list to include several of the names posted in the above comments, as well as a section for "geographical" hands. Thanks to everyone who has "lent a hand." Keep 'em coming...

- Jacelyn Bywater, called "Ironhand" (lost his hand in the Greyjoy Rebellion, wears an iron hand strapped to his right wrist)

- Urrigon Greyjoy (lost part of his hand to an axe, died after sewing fingers back on didn't work)

- Lord Quellon's Maester (punished for Urrigon's death by having his own fingers removed, then sewn back on... died raving)

- Marillion, singer for Lysa Arryn (loses fingers as punishment for alleged murder of Lady Arryn)

- Various Ironmen who have played (and lost) the Finger Dance

.....

Broken or Barren Hands on the Map:

- the Fingers of the Vale of Arryn (windswept, treeless, bare and stony)

- the Broken Arm of Dorne (a former land bridge, said to have been shattered by COTF)

- Valyria (a peninsula shattered by the Doom... looks an awful lot like an inverted hand)

- Fist of the First Men (site of now-destroyed fortress of First Men; site of Night's Watch defeat)

Hands have also been used in other ways in these books - see more examples posted in the comments below. No matter how you slice it, Martin has presented us with a plethora of damaged, injured, lost, or cursed hands. Are there other names or places to add to the list?

[cocoalover1956]

I remember reading that House Manderly was kicked out of the Reach by the Order of the Greenhand. It hasn't been mentioned in present time, so I'm guessing they've been disbanded/destroyed.

[Longspear Ryk]

maybe the joke is that its so easy to loose hands…. (hands of the king/hands of your arms)

but in all seriousness considering all the use of swords and knives, and daggers and the such, it would make sense for there to be a lot of missing appendages through out the world.

[Iona]

I remember reading that House Manderly was kicked out of the Reach by the Order of the Greenhand. It hasn't been mentioned in present time, so I'm guessing they've been disbanded/destroyed.

Oddly enough, it's mentioned in Manderly's titles when Davos has his parley with him:

“You stand before Wyman Manderly, Lord of White Harbor and Warden of the White Knife, Shield of the Faith, Defender of the Dispossessed, Lord Marshal of the Mander, a Knight of the Order of the Green Hand,” he said.

[brut]

This list is developing into an interesting compilation. Should we be adding the list of people with damaged faces too as the symbolism of facial mutilation largely relates to crime and punishment.

So, I'll start off with Tyrion and Coldhands...

[Iona]

This list is developing into an interesting compilation. Should we be adding the list of people with damaged faces too as the symbolism of facial mutilation largely relates to crime and punishment.

So, I'll start off with Tyrion and Coldhands...

When it comes to mutilated faces, Brienne got hers eaten by Biter, but that doesn't tie in with the crime and punishment theme. Jon also took some facial damage when Orell's eagle got his revenge.

[cocoalover1956]

Oddly enough, it's mentioned in Manderly's titles when Davos has his parley with him:

“You stand before Wyman Manderly, Lord of White Harbor and Warden of the White Knife, Shield of the Faith, Defender of the Dispossessed, Lord Marshal of the Mander, a Knight of the Order of the Green Hand,” he said.

He's also listed as Lord Marshal of the Mander, which he clearly isn't since the Mander in the Reach. I always thought it was Manderly being pompous and taking his ancestor's titles.

[brut]

When it comes to mutilated faces, Brienne got hers eaten by Biter, but that doesn't tie in with the crime and punishment theme. Jon also took some facial damage when Orell's eagle got his revenge.

Oh, but they do:

- Brienne's punishment is for her love of Jaime.

- Jon's crime is his betrayal of Ygritte.

[Iona]

Oh, but they do:

- Brienne's punishment is for her love of Jaime.

- Jon's crime is his betrayal of Ygritte.

I'll give you Jon but surely Brienne falling in love is not a crime.

[The Snowfyre Chorus]

This list is developing into an interesting compilation. Should we be adding the list of people with damaged faces too as the symbolism of facial mutilation largely relates to crime and punishment.

So, I'll start off with Tyrion and Coldhands...

I saw this mentioned elsewhere in passing recently, but haven't seen the crime and punishment idea worked up. Is there a thread or discussion somewhere? Sounds interesting.

[brut]

I'll give you Jon but surely Brienne falling in love is not a crime.

Oh, by no means did I intend to call Brienne a criminal for loving Jaime. I specifically chose to say "punishment" instead of "crime" :cheers:

But the dynamics between the two are not really so simple and revolve around the inner conflicts of righteousness vs immorality, vengeance vs forgiveness, betrayal vs loyalty, acceptance vs denial. From how I read her, Brienne is filtering her feelings through the prism of devotion she had towards Renley while constantly denying her actual love of Jaime, thus betraying her own self, for which she is punished. It's subtle, and in the "out there" territory, but still, quite visible. Not to mention the elephant in the room and the last time we see her leading Jaime to Lady Stonehart under the false pretext.

I saw this mentioned elsewhere in passing recently, but haven't seen the crime and punishment idea worked up. Is there a thread or discussion somewhere? Sounds interesting.

I have not seen a separate thread for this, but felt like mentioning it here would be a good basis for jump starting a compilation (no intention to hijack this thread). What's interesting about the very physical act of facial mutilation is that it dates back to humanity's darker ages when damaging one's face was equivalent of metaphorical "loss" of face. Poking eyes to hamper military leadership or to prevent effective usage of weapons (often used against enemies), cutting noses as signs of betrayal (to signify significant loss of trust), cutting lips and ripping tongues as punishment for blasphemy, cutting ears or tattooing face to signify ownership, etc, ect.

[Grave Rob]

Love this thread!

I made a similar thread about characters with mismatched or injured eyes that might be a nice reference if anyone wants to do a list of facial scars. Find it here .

[eliz]

Anyone notice that NONE of these wounded hands are in Essos (I think!)? Pretty much every single wounded hand is in Westeros...

Exceptions: JonCon on his way to Dany ends up on a different path and back in Westeros. Victarion is also on his way to Dany -- maybe he won't make it?

[Iona]

Anyone notice that NONE of these wounded hands are in Essos (I think!)? Pretty much every single wounded hand is in Westeros...

Exceptions: JonCon on his way to Dany ends up on a different path and back in Westeros. Victarion is also on his way to Dany -- maybe he won't make it?

Good point - you'd expect some mutilated hands in Essos as well. I could only come up with this one:

Farther down the docks she came on Tagganaro sitting with his back against a piling, next to Casso, King of Seals. He bought some mussels from her, and Casso barked and let her shake his flipper.

“You come work with me, Cat,” urged Tagganaro as he was sucking mussels from their shells. He had been looking for a new partner ever since the Drunken Daughter put her knife through Little Narbo’s hand. “I give you more than Brusco, and you would not smell like fish.”

“Casso likes the way I smell,” she said. The King of Seals barked, as if to agree. “Is Narbo’s hand no better?”

“Three fingers do not bend,” complained Tagganaro, between mussels. “What good is a cutpurse who cannot use his fingers? Narbo was good at picking pockets, not so good at picking whores.”

[Iona]

Came across another damaged hand in Essos. He's one of the Second Sons who Tyrion meets after they escape slavery.

A serjeant, Tyrion knew, from the way the other two deferred to him. He had a hook where his right hand should have been. Bronn’s meaner bastard shadow, or I’m Baelor the Beloved.

[The Snowfyre Chorus]

I have not seen a separate thread for this, but felt like mentioning it here would be a good basis for jump starting a compilation (no intention to hijack this thread). What's interesting about the very physical act of facial mutilation is that it dates back to humanity's darker ages when damaging one's face was equivalent of metaphorical "loss" of face. Poking eyes to hamper military leadership or to prevent effective usage of weapons (often used against enemies), cutting noses as signs of betrayal (to signify significant loss of trust), cutting lips and ripping tongues as punishment for blasphemy, cutting ears or tattooing face to signify ownership, etc, ect.

Huh... I hadn't considered that angle on the physical mutilations, but it is intriguing. If the idea fits, there are plenty of characters whose injuries/mutilations seem significant. You've already mentioned several, but if it includes facial mutilation, it likely extends beyond it. Theon Greyjoy makes for the most explicit example. And Cersei's storyline in ADWD would really bring out the theme as well - I think it is Kevan Lannister who considers her "walk of shame" to have been, effectively, the end of her capacity to rule. Jorah Mormont, initially exiled from Westeros for selling slaves, now is fittingly marked by the "bad slave" tattoo himself. (He also lost half an ear while protecting MMD from intrusion while she danced with old powers in Dany's tent. Perhaps both those marks are signs of ownership?) Jorah's tattoo would have to be one of the clearest examples of connection between "crime" and "punishment" - though I see another in Jaime, who just before shoving Bran Stark out the window, told the boy to "take [his] hand..." Ned Stark, loses his crown for denying his king?

I like it. Lots to think about, here. You could even look at it from the other direction, and ask whether those free of physical mutilations or deformities seem more likely to rule or command. Daenerys herself remains remarkably free of any outward physical injury, I think?

On the other hand, what do we do about the self-mutilated Timett son of Timett... "Timett One-Eye", a Red Hand of the Burned Men? :uhoh:

[Iona]

I like it. Lots to think about, here. You could even look at it from the other direction, and ask whether those free of physical mutilations or deformities seem more likely to rule or command. Daenerys herself remains remarkably free of any outward physical injury, I think?

Dany burned her hands at the Daznak pit incident. I don't know how bad that was and whether it will leave any permanent scarring, but here's a quote from her last chapter in ADWD:

It took Dany half the morning to climb down. By the time she reached the bottom she was winded. Her muscles ached, and she felt as if she had the beginnings of a fever. The rocks had scraped her hands raw. They are better than they were, though, she decided as she picked at a broken blister. Her skin was pink and tender, and a pale milky fluid was leaking from her cracked palms, but her burns were healing.