1x01: Foreshadowing & Symbolism (Part 3 - Targaryens)
Jul 19, 2016 22:42:01 GMT -5
moiaf, alcasinoroyale, and 3 more like this
Post by Envie on Jul 19, 2016 22:42:01 GMT -5
The last of three parts on this episode is finally done. Help me find more symbolism and foreshadowing!
~Winter Is Coming~
Episode 1 - Foreshadowing & Symbolism
(Part 3) - The Targaryens
It's a full 34 minutes into the premiere episode before we finally get to meet Daenerys Targaryen after a lot of heavy exposition and character development between the Starks and Lannisters in the first half. Foreshadowing is strong when Ned says "The Targaryens are gone." and Robert says back in a very ominous way, "Not all of them."
(And of course now we know Ned wasn't being truthful here either. He knew another Targaryen was there inside his very own home ... )
Dany is standing on a balcony overlooking the sea from Illyrio's manse. Her hair is loose and she looks very young and innocent. As pointed out by konradsmith , there's some great parallel symbolism here as Daenerys looks wistfully out towards Westeros. Perhaps she's longing for the "home" she's never known. It would be six long seasons later before we again see Dany facing westward but with a much more determined and matured look.
Viserys Targaryen enters her chambers next, calling for the "Bride-to-be" which we find out means Dany's preparing to meet Khal Drogo for the first time.
This scene makes it immediately apparent Dany does not have a good relationship with her brother and he is an arrogant and cruel person who only cares about re-taking the Iron Throne. There's strange tension between them and awkwardness as Viserys pulls down her dress and examines her naked body almost like she were nothing more than a piece of property rather than his sister. Targaryens wed brother to sister, so the incestuous hint is there, but it's more the cruel way he treats her and her obvious disdain for him that makes the scene even more awkward.
"You don't want to wake the dragon, do you?" - Viserys' favorite way of telling Dany he'll hurt (abuse) her if she doesn't do what he wants.
Daenerys then enters the luxurious large bath that's been poured, full of very hot water that does not burn her. We get the first hint that there's something different about Danerys. We'll later find out this foreshadowing with "fire cannot kill the dragon."
Next we see Viserys and Illyrio waiting with a pensive Daenerys in the background in the sheer diaphanous dress (thanks @kairos !) Illyrio gave her to wear. Khal Drogo and his bloodriders arrive and he checks her out without a single word before riding off. Apparently the engagement is approved.
Afterwards, Illyrio is reassuring Viserys that soon he'll be able to "cross the narrow sea and take back your Father's throne" to which Viserys is impatient to know when the marriage will happen so he can get the army he intends to win by giving Khal Drogo Daenerys as a bride. Dany protests and says she does not want to be his Queen, she wants to "go home."
The irony here is that Daenerys is probably not talking about the same home as Viserys. In the books she simply meant The House with the Red Door where they had lived for so long in Braavos ... but Viserys thinks she means Westeros.
"Tell me sweet sister, HOW do we go home?" ... "We go home with an army. Khal Drogo's army."
Viserys then makes a crude remark about letting all of Drogo's men and horses have their way with Daenerys if that's what it took to win back his throne. Again, this reinforces the symbolism of Dany's status as property, a slave. This humiliation will drive much of her anti-slavery sentiments moving forward in her story.
There's an interesting, and opposing parallel here compared to the next scene which goes back to Winterfell where Catelyn is doing Sansa's hair in preparation for the feast and she's begging to marry the prince, Joffrey. In one case a girl is being sold as political alliance property and wants nothing to do with it, and in another the girl wants it very much yet has no idea how terrible it will be for her. Poor Sansa, naive girl.
Finally it's the day of Dany's wedding to Khal Drogo, done in traditional Dothraki style. She sits next to Drogo while wedding gifts are presented to her. She's clearly uncomfortable by the strange customs, strange people and even stranger food. (Cooked cats?!)
Two bloodriders get into a fight over a performing dancer and one kills the other. This is our first look at the barbaric clan of people Daenerys is being sold into as the Khal's bride.
"A Dothraki Wedding, without three deaths is considered a dull affair"
What irony here from Illyrio considering the weddings we'll see later in the story for Westeros are filled with death. The Dothraki would consider them a great success!
Next we meet Ser Jorah Mormont of Bear Island for the first time. He approaches and gives Dany a gift of books. "Songs and Histories from the Seven Kingdoms" he tells her. I like the symbolism here of a knight from Westeros presenting young Daenerys, who knows nothing of the lands she comes from, with their histories and tales. I hope she read them carefully ...
The next gift Daenerys receives is from Magister illyrio. Three dragon's eggs. He says they are made of stone but still beautiful. This is the moment we realize perhaps there's more going on here than we realize and these eggs have an immediate emotional effect on Daenerys. It's a beautiful scene full of promise and mystery.
The last gift to Dany comes from her new husband. She has to walk, nervously, through the crowd of expectant Dothraki. She is as strange to them as they are to her. Following Drogo, she is presented with a beautiful silver white horse. Horses are status symbols to the Dothraki and this one is rare and special. Daenerys appropriately appreciates her and asks Jorah how to say 'Thank You' in Dothraki, to which he says there is no word for thank you in Dothraki.
I really felt there was powerful symbolism in this scene.
For each of these three gifts, Daenerys has symbolically received something very precious that she has never had before:
From Jorah she receives Knowledge.
From Illyrio she receives Power.
From Drogo she receives Respect.
It will be a long time before these three things become useful to Daenerys, but they are there even when she is powerless now.
Next we again we see Dany looking out to sea as she's approached by Drogo. This scene is often criticized as abusive rape of Dany (and it wasn't consenting), but I try to see the symbolism and foreshadowing that's there within the scene. Drogo does not want to hurt her, he is not cruel like her Brother was to her. He is treating her the way that is acceptable in Dothraki culture (not ours). When she cries and covers herself, he wipes her tears and says "No."
They share no language or similarities but that one word. "No."
It's not a pleasant wedding night by any standards and we immediately feel sorry for Daenerys.
Her situation is horrible and she is powerless. But this too is foreshadowing of so much to come for her in her journey ahead.
The imagery and symbolism we're presented with as we meet Daenerys has a strong theme of control and powerlessness. Dany is a victim to the political plotting of Illyrio, her brother Viserys, and Khal Drogo the man she's sold to as part of the deal. She feels helpless and utterly alone in the world.
How far she will travel from that night she was sold to Khal Drogo to the ruler she will become in the future.
~~~
And that concludes Part 3 of 3 in the symbolism and foreshadowing of Episode 1, Winter Is Coming. Hope you enjoyed my take on the themes and foreshadowing of the premiere and will give your feedback and thoughts on other symbolism you found interesting.
~Winter Is Coming~
Episode 1 - Foreshadowing & Symbolism
(Part 3) - The Targaryens
It's a full 34 minutes into the premiere episode before we finally get to meet Daenerys Targaryen after a lot of heavy exposition and character development between the Starks and Lannisters in the first half. Foreshadowing is strong when Ned says "The Targaryens are gone." and Robert says back in a very ominous way, "Not all of them."
(And of course now we know Ned wasn't being truthful here either. He knew another Targaryen was there inside his very own home ... )
Dany is standing on a balcony overlooking the sea from Illyrio's manse. Her hair is loose and she looks very young and innocent. As pointed out by konradsmith , there's some great parallel symbolism here as Daenerys looks wistfully out towards Westeros. Perhaps she's longing for the "home" she's never known. It would be six long seasons later before we again see Dany facing westward but with a much more determined and matured look.
Viserys Targaryen enters her chambers next, calling for the "Bride-to-be" which we find out means Dany's preparing to meet Khal Drogo for the first time.
This scene makes it immediately apparent Dany does not have a good relationship with her brother and he is an arrogant and cruel person who only cares about re-taking the Iron Throne. There's strange tension between them and awkwardness as Viserys pulls down her dress and examines her naked body almost like she were nothing more than a piece of property rather than his sister. Targaryens wed brother to sister, so the incestuous hint is there, but it's more the cruel way he treats her and her obvious disdain for him that makes the scene even more awkward.
"You don't want to wake the dragon, do you?" - Viserys' favorite way of telling Dany he'll hurt (abuse) her if she doesn't do what he wants.
Daenerys then enters the luxurious large bath that's been poured, full of very hot water that does not burn her. We get the first hint that there's something different about Danerys. We'll later find out this foreshadowing with "fire cannot kill the dragon."
Next we see Viserys and Illyrio waiting with a pensive Daenerys in the background in the sheer diaphanous dress (thanks @kairos !) Illyrio gave her to wear. Khal Drogo and his bloodriders arrive and he checks her out without a single word before riding off. Apparently the engagement is approved.
Afterwards, Illyrio is reassuring Viserys that soon he'll be able to "cross the narrow sea and take back your Father's throne" to which Viserys is impatient to know when the marriage will happen so he can get the army he intends to win by giving Khal Drogo Daenerys as a bride. Dany protests and says she does not want to be his Queen, she wants to "go home."
The irony here is that Daenerys is probably not talking about the same home as Viserys. In the books she simply meant The House with the Red Door where they had lived for so long in Braavos ... but Viserys thinks she means Westeros.
"Tell me sweet sister, HOW do we go home?" ... "We go home with an army. Khal Drogo's army."
Viserys then makes a crude remark about letting all of Drogo's men and horses have their way with Daenerys if that's what it took to win back his throne. Again, this reinforces the symbolism of Dany's status as property, a slave. This humiliation will drive much of her anti-slavery sentiments moving forward in her story.
There's an interesting, and opposing parallel here compared to the next scene which goes back to Winterfell where Catelyn is doing Sansa's hair in preparation for the feast and she's begging to marry the prince, Joffrey. In one case a girl is being sold as political alliance property and wants nothing to do with it, and in another the girl wants it very much yet has no idea how terrible it will be for her. Poor Sansa, naive girl.
Finally it's the day of Dany's wedding to Khal Drogo, done in traditional Dothraki style. She sits next to Drogo while wedding gifts are presented to her. She's clearly uncomfortable by the strange customs, strange people and even stranger food. (Cooked cats?!)
Two bloodriders get into a fight over a performing dancer and one kills the other. This is our first look at the barbaric clan of people Daenerys is being sold into as the Khal's bride.
"A Dothraki Wedding, without three deaths is considered a dull affair"
What irony here from Illyrio considering the weddings we'll see later in the story for Westeros are filled with death. The Dothraki would consider them a great success!
Next we meet Ser Jorah Mormont of Bear Island for the first time. He approaches and gives Dany a gift of books. "Songs and Histories from the Seven Kingdoms" he tells her. I like the symbolism here of a knight from Westeros presenting young Daenerys, who knows nothing of the lands she comes from, with their histories and tales. I hope she read them carefully ...
The next gift Daenerys receives is from Magister illyrio. Three dragon's eggs. He says they are made of stone but still beautiful. This is the moment we realize perhaps there's more going on here than we realize and these eggs have an immediate emotional effect on Daenerys. It's a beautiful scene full of promise and mystery.
The last gift to Dany comes from her new husband. She has to walk, nervously, through the crowd of expectant Dothraki. She is as strange to them as they are to her. Following Drogo, she is presented with a beautiful silver white horse. Horses are status symbols to the Dothraki and this one is rare and special. Daenerys appropriately appreciates her and asks Jorah how to say 'Thank You' in Dothraki, to which he says there is no word for thank you in Dothraki.
I really felt there was powerful symbolism in this scene.
For each of these three gifts, Daenerys has symbolically received something very precious that she has never had before:
From Jorah she receives Knowledge.
From Illyrio she receives Power.
From Drogo she receives Respect.
It will be a long time before these three things become useful to Daenerys, but they are there even when she is powerless now.
Next we again we see Dany looking out to sea as she's approached by Drogo. This scene is often criticized as abusive rape of Dany (and it wasn't consenting), but I try to see the symbolism and foreshadowing that's there within the scene. Drogo does not want to hurt her, he is not cruel like her Brother was to her. He is treating her the way that is acceptable in Dothraki culture (not ours). When she cries and covers herself, he wipes her tears and says "No."
They share no language or similarities but that one word. "No."
It's not a pleasant wedding night by any standards and we immediately feel sorry for Daenerys.
Her situation is horrible and she is powerless. But this too is foreshadowing of so much to come for her in her journey ahead.
The imagery and symbolism we're presented with as we meet Daenerys has a strong theme of control and powerlessness. Dany is a victim to the political plotting of Illyrio, her brother Viserys, and Khal Drogo the man she's sold to as part of the deal. She feels helpless and utterly alone in the world.
How far she will travel from that night she was sold to Khal Drogo to the ruler she will become in the future.
~~~
And that concludes Part 3 of 3 in the symbolism and foreshadowing of Episode 1, Winter Is Coming. Hope you enjoyed my take on the themes and foreshadowing of the premiere and will give your feedback and thoughts on other symbolism you found interesting.