I have recently been sucked into the black hole of obsession and marathon binge-watching, better known as the series "Game of Thrones." It took weeks of prodding from my older sister, and countless of my friends insisting it is the best show on television, paired with the fact that I finished had caught up with my previous obsession with "Scandal." So, one fateful night, only a few days ago, I logged into HBO go and traveled to Westeros and there was no going back.
The show is my new obsession. It has everything I could want in a show: action, romance, some slight humor (mostly coming from the lips of the illustrious Lord Tyrion) and a fantastic fantasy storyline. I can really only describe it as the perfect show for the generation who grew up with "Harry Potter" and "Lord of the Rings." But, what has really grasped me about it, as I’ve noticed from watching two seasons in a little over 96 hours, is that it appeals to my inner history buff. I know that sounds like madness, how could a completely fictional show line up with history? But denying that or failing to see how it does simply disregards the power of allusion in artistic works.
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I’ve only been able to make it through the first two season of the series, and already I have spotted countless historical allusions. For instance, from the very first intro sequence of the very first episode viewers spot a gargantuan wall, known only as “the wall.” Soon, we come to learn it’s history and it’s purpose. The Wall was built many years prior by leaders of Westeros, known as the civilized inhabitants of the country, to protect from the savages who posed a threat to the Realm from the North. Sound familiar? Anyone who has heard of the Great Wall of China, or at the very least seen the movie "Mulan" should be able to pick out the pointed similarities between the people of the realm’s plight against the Wildlings and the Ancient Chinese against the Mongols. This allusion is in the very first episode and grabbed my attention immediately! And it’s one of many more to come.
Beyond the allusion of the wall, "Game of Thrones" makes nods at everything from the Bible to World War Two history. The Bible is easily alluded to in many artistic works, but usually not as plainly as in season two of "Game of Thrones" when the young King Joffrey orders the deaths of hoards of young boys. Why? Because he believes one of them threatens his claim to the throne. This plot line is so similar to the New Testament story of the hunt for baby Jesus that Joffrey might as well go by Harrid. And as for the WWII references, ever heard of D-Day? Well, I suggest you check out the amphibious attack featured in season two, episode nine.
As you can see, there is plenty to be learned about history from this so very fictional show, and I haven’t even mentioned anything from the other four seasons and the many more to come! So, the point is, if you’re like me and have held out this long from starting the show, then you should reconsider everything. You're depriving yourself of stunning historic comparison, as well as some damn good television.
