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Game of Tropes: the Orientalist tradition in the Works of G.R.R. Martin

journal contribution
posted on 2015-04-24, 00:00 authored by Mat Hardy
George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire novels (and their television adaption, Game of Thrones) have become arguably the most well known fantasy epic of the last decade. However, the world of A Song of Ice and Fire conforms to many of the same Orientalist tropes that have dominated Western literature since the popularisation of the 'Arabian fantasy' in the 18th and 19th centuries and its subsequent perpetuation in film and television. Derivative imaginings of the real world Middle East are commonly reflected in non-Earthly fantasy worlds and Martin's work incorporates this standard vision of the Eastern Other. Owing to its popularity, the A Song of Ice and Fire series represents a significant reinforcement of Orientalist stereotypes and proves that fantasy locations have significant power to cement these ideas in the popular imagination. Moreover, the negative portyal of the East in these works supports Said's argument that the Orient is an invention of the West, and that our depiction of the Other is a means of framing our own cultural superiority.

History

Journal

International journal of arts & sciences

Volume

08

Issue

01

Pagination

409 - 420

Publisher

University Publications

Location

Cumberland, RI.

ISSN

1944-6934

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

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