Who, What, Why: About the Blog
Welcome to Sword Without a Hilt! As you’re probably aware, this is a fan blog devoted to the portrayal of magic and religion in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novels and related writings, as well as the HBO adaptations of the same. If you haven’t yet stopped by my homepage, take a quick look to find out a little bit more about me and what this blog is about before I dive into the nitty-gritty below. I’m an actor, writer, and historian of Early Modern Europe with a focus on gender, and I’m bringing all three perspectives to my exploration of the continents of Planetos and their many magical and mystical facets.
Before I start raving about Westeros and its witches, or start sharing fanfiction and tinfoil-hat theories about the true identity of Quaithe or the Ghost of High Heart, here’s a quick run-down of what this blog is and is not:
Unless otherwise noted, this blog is SPOILERS ALL BOOKS and SPOILERS ALL SHOW EPISODES. I will issue spoiler warnings for content relating to the Dance of the Dragons and upcoming expected seasons of House of the Dragon and Knight of the Seven Kingdoms; otherwise, read at your own risk.
Most content shared here will be written analysis of the books, the shows, and the ways in which they choose to depict magic, religion, and gender. However, I will also periodically share other forms of fan content, such as videos, audio, cosplay, and fanfiction. I hope this is obvious, but I’ll say it anyway: this is a fan blog and I have no affiliation of any kind with George R.R. Martin, his publishers, HBO, or any affiliates thereof.
Basic rules of good discourse and good manners apply here, whether on social media communication or by email (comments are currently disabled; you can reach out to me directly with questions). Hate speech or abuse of any kind will not be tolerated towards me or anyone else, whether they are fellow commenters, members of the fan community, demographic groups, or public figures. Bearing in mind that religion and magic are often controversial topics involving diverse opinions, thoughtful consideration is strongly advised before posting or sending; thoughtful and well-considered discourse is welcome.
If you really don’t like my perspective on this stuff, I suggest taking the course of action advised in the following meme:
The internet is vast. This fandom is spacious. If this isn’t your cup of tea, or the right butter for your biscuit, I wish you all possible happiness in a space that better meets your needs - really and truly. Life is just too short to spend time on blogs that aren’t your thing.
Most ASOAIF/GoT/HotD fans are clearly aware that Westerosi history is often…disturbing, to put it very mildly. I will also sometimes reference or discuss real-world history or social issues that are at least as disturbing, and I will disclose such discussions at the start of the post in case you’d prefer to skip to another post or cycle back to it on another day. Additionally, since I study the history of gender and sexuality, there will sometimes be fairly explicit discussions of sexual topics, and I’ll disclose those and the presence of any potentially colorful images at the top of the post as well (believe me, there are 16th century woodcuts that would make the most sexified fan art blush).
I’m writing this blog from the perspective of a spiritual person with a faith and an active religious practice, and while I may occasionally refer to my own perspective, I also make a serious effort to examine different perspectives on the issues at hand, especially since I’m writing about a fictional universe in which my own religion does not exist. This space is open to readers of any or no faith, and I not only expect but relish the diversity of perspectives available. I do not expect that we will all agree on these subjects - far from it - but I do expect that any conversations on differences in belief remain respectful of one another. We don’t all need to keep the same gods in order to get along; we are all, ultimately, united here by our love of one glorious chunk of literature.
What does it mean that I'm a historian, or that this is a history blog? Basically, it means that I approach this stuff by asking questions, investigating the source materials, and drawing critical conclusions. It’s a process of getting curious, searching for as many facts as possible, and assessing what I find with a sharp but empathetic eye. History is at least as much an art as a science, and part of the fun of analyzing fictional history is getting a little more art-y with my approach while remaining firmly grounded in canon. That said, my approach to the real-world, fact-based history I discuss here will be a bit more restrained than some of the speculation I feel free to indulge in when exploring Westeros.
This is, very explicitly, a feminist history blog. I’m tempted to answer the inevitable question “What does that mean?” with the Rebecca West quote, “...I only know that people call me a feminist when I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat…” However, the more illuminating response is the definition offered by bell hooks: ““Feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression.” (see hooks’ Feminism is for Everyone: https://www.plutobooks.com/blog/feminism-is-for-everybody-bell-hooks/). As that definition implies, I’m examining history - both Westerosi and real-world - with the understanding that power is or has been tilted against the well-being of women and feminity in favor of preserving a male-dominated power structure, as well as a set of ideas that prop up that power structure. That power structure also works to the detriment of queer people of all genders, of whom there are clearly as many in Westeros as in the real world. And it works to the detriment of men, even as they enjoy certain privileges, which is one reason why I analyze the depiction of gender across the board rather than focusing on women or femininity alone. The stories we tell, and the ways we tell them, have the power to enforce oppression, but they are also one of the greatest tools we have to question, disrupt, challenge, and rewrite oppressive regimes, and that’s what I’m here to do. There’s nothing more thematically ASOAIF than examining the uses and abuses of power with a critical but empathetic eye.
There’s a virtually endless array of topics to cover when it comes to magic, religion, and gender in Westeros and Essos. I’m starting out with a series on Alys Rivers, anticipating her likely introduction in Season Two of House of the Dragon, then segueing into some comparisons between her and Melisandre, before delving into Melisandre herself. I’ll examine the Dance of the Dragons through the paradigm of an Early Modern witch-hunt, making the case that Daemon Targaryen may be the ultimate male witch suspect. I might spend some time focusing on broader topics, like the nature of prophecy and whether there’s a difference in how male and female prophets are portrayed in the books, links between magic and weather, and how different Westerosi and Essosi religions view the practice of sorcery. I also plan to discuss why Westerosi culture carries a deep-seated fear of sorcery but does not formally persecute sorcerers - it’s a great question with very strong real-world parallels! I make absolutely no promises that I won’t disrupt thematic streams of posts with sudden diversions into fascinating esoterica; you have been warned! Now, let’s dive in…into the weirwood roots? The flames? The waves? We’ll plunge into them all.