Post by scottie on Jan 30, 2018 12:44:19 GMT
Reading the chapter AGOT Catelyn VI, Catelyn's Journey to the Eyrie and her description of the area and the different structures, gates and landmarks, I noticed that the Vale of Arryn can be seen to look like both male and female reproductive systems.
The Mountain Road leads to the Bloody gate.The gate is described as two watchtowers joined by a covered bridge over the road.
To me this is describing the female reproductive system, the two towers connected over the road symbolizing the ovaries.
The original gate being described as 'rough-hewn and unmortared, seems impermanent. The gate being rebuilt to a gate that "a dozen armies smashed themselves to bits" on leading to it's name is symbolic of a girl flowering to maidenhood.
Beyond that is the Vale itself, which is some of the most fertile land in Westeros. This (to me)symbolizes the womb.
At the Gates of the Moon there is a moat. This is where it switches to the male part of the theory.
Over the moat, the Gates of the Moon is described as a 'stout castle that stood at the foot of the Giants Lance'. I think GRRM is having a bit of fun here and is describing a fat butt.
Further on at the base of the mountain the first waycastle is called Stone (can you see where im going here?) The path to stone is covered by forest. Stone is surrounded by a stone wall topped with iron spikes and has two fat round towers. I think Stone should be called 'Stones'.
The mountain itself is called the Giants Lance which i dont think needs explaining. At the top of the Giants Lance is the start of a waterfall called Alyssa's Tears.
Alyssa's Tears is named after Alyssa Arryn who saw her whole family murdered in front of her and never shed a tear. After her own death, the gods cursed her that she would not know rest until her tears reached the Vale of Arryn, where all those she had loved were buried.
Alyssa's Tears, comes down from such a height, that the water turns into mist,never reaching the Vale.
I believe Alyssa's curse is the reason that House Arryn is plagued by stillbirths miscarriages,infant deaths and mothers dying in the birthing bed. That she never shed a tear at the deaths of her family leads me to believe she may have had something to do with the deaths and may be cursed as a Kinslayer.
The waters of the Giants Lance(male) never fertilizes the apparently fertile Vale(female) below.
There isnt a lot of info on house Arryn but the other Arryns that lived away from the Eyrie seemed to have no problems conceiving children and had quite big families.
There is a line in Alayne I AFFC...."I won't have him here. You send him back down. I never said that he could come. Not here.The Eyrie is imPREGnable, Mother said."
in the paperback i have,the 'preg'part of the word is italicized for some reason. It's the same in Alayne II...."No one can hurt me so long as I stay here. The Eyrie is imPREGnable."
I cant find it printed this way in any other chapter.
The Mountain Road leads to the Bloody gate.The gate is described as two watchtowers joined by a covered bridge over the road.
Catelyn had more faith in a maester's learning than a septon's prayers. She was about to say as much when she saw the battlements ahead, long parapets built into the very stone of the mountains on either side of them. Where the pass shrank to a narrow defile scarce wide enough for four men to ride abreast, twin watchtowers clung to the rocky slopes, joined by a covered bridge of weathered grey stone that arched above the road.
To me this is describing the female reproductive system, the two towers connected over the road symbolizing the ovaries.
Originally a rough-hewn unmortared wall built in the fashion of the ringforts of the First Men, the Bloody Gate was constructed anew during the rule of Osric V Arryn, King of Mountain and Vale. During the Age of Heroes, a dozen armies smashed themselves to bits upon the Gate
And so she rode behind him, beneath the shadow of the Bloody Gate where a dozen armies had dashed themselves to pieces in the Age of Heroes. On the far side of the stoneworks, the mountains opened up suddenly upon a vista of green fields, blue sky, and snowcapped mountains that took her breath away. The Vale of Arryn bathed in the morning light.
It stretched before them to the misty east, a tranquil land of rich black soil, wide slow-moving rivers, and hundreds of small lakes that shone like mirrors in the sun, protected on all sides by its sheltering peaks. Wheat and corn and barley grew high in its fields, and even in Highgarden the pumpkins were no larger nor the fruit any sweeter than here. They stood at the western end of the valley, where the high road crested the last pass and began its winding descent to the bottomlands two miles below. The Vale was narrow here, no more than a half day's ride across, and the northern mountains seemed so close that Catelyn could almost reach out and touch them.
It stretched before them to the misty east, a tranquil land of rich black soil, wide slow-moving rivers, and hundreds of small lakes that shone like mirrors in the sun, protected on all sides by its sheltering peaks. Wheat and corn and barley grew high in its fields, and even in Highgarden the pumpkins were no larger nor the fruit any sweeter than here. They stood at the western end of the valley, where the high road crested the last pass and began its winding descent to the bottomlands two miles below. The Vale was narrow here, no more than a half day's ride across, and the northern mountains seemed so close that Catelyn could almost reach out and touch them.
Beyond that is the Vale itself, which is some of the most fertile land in Westeros. This (to me)symbolizes the womb.
At the Gates of the Moon there is a moat. This is where it switches to the male part of the theory.
Even so, it was full dark before they reached the stout castle that stood at the foot of the Giant's Lance. Torches flickered atop its ramparts, and the horned moon danced upon the dark waters of its moat. The drawbridge was up and the portcullis down, but Catelyn saw lights burning in the gatehouse and spilling from the windows of the square towers beyond.
"The Gates of the Moon," her uncle said as the party drew rein. His standard-bearer rode to the edge of the moat to hail the men in the gatehouse. "Lord Nestor's seat. He should be expecting us. Look up."
"The Gates of the Moon," her uncle said as the party drew rein. His standard-bearer rode to the edge of the moat to hail the men in the gatehouse. "Lord Nestor's seat. He should be expecting us. Look up."
Over the moat, the Gates of the Moon is described as a 'stout castle that stood at the foot of the Giants Lance'. I think GRRM is having a bit of fun here and is describing a fat butt.
The trees pressed close, leaning over the path to make a rustling green roof that shut out even the moon, so it seemed as though they were moving up a long black tunnel. But the mules were surefooted and tireless, and Mya Stone did indeed seem blessed with night-eyes. They plodded upward, winding their way back and forth across the face of the mountain as the steps twisted and turned. A thick layer of fallen needles carpeted the path, so the shoes of their mules made only the softest sound on the rock. The quiet soothed her, and the gentle rocking motion set Catelyn to swaying in her saddle. Before long she was fighting sleep.
Perhaps she did doze for a moment, for suddenly a massive ironbound gate was looming before them. "Stone," Mya announced cheerily, dismounting. Iron spikes were set along the tops of formidable stone walls, and two fat round towers overtopped the keep.
Perhaps she did doze for a moment, for suddenly a massive ironbound gate was looming before them. "Stone," Mya announced cheerily, dismounting. Iron spikes were set along the tops of formidable stone walls, and two fat round towers overtopped the keep.
Further on at the base of the mountain the first waycastle is called Stone (can you see where im going here?) The path to stone is covered by forest. Stone is surrounded by a stone wall topped with iron spikes and has two fat round towers. I think Stone should be called 'Stones'.
The mountain itself is called the Giants Lance which i dont think needs explaining. At the top of the Giants Lance is the start of a waterfall called Alyssa's Tears.
Looming over them all was the jagged peak called the Giant's Lance, a mountain that even mountains looked up to, its head lost in icy mists three and a half miles above the valley floor. Over its massive western shoulder flowed the ghost torrent of Alyssa's Tears. Even from this distance, Catelyn could make out the shining silver thread, bright against the dark stone.
Alyssa's Tears is named after Alyssa Arryn who saw her whole family murdered in front of her and never shed a tear. After her own death, the gods cursed her that she would not know rest until her tears reached the Vale of Arryn, where all those she had loved were buried.
Catelyn VII
Pale white mists rose off Alyssa's Tears, where the ghost waters plunged over the shoulder of the mountain to begin their long tumble down the face of the Giant's Lance. Catelyn could feel the faint touch of spray on her face.
Alyssa Arryn had seen her husband, her brothers, and all her children slain, and yet in life she had never shed a tear. So in death, the gods had decreed that she would know no rest until her weeping watered the black earth of the Vale, where the men she had loved were buried. Alyssa had been dead six thousand years now, and still no drop of the torrent had ever reached the valley floor far below. Catelyn wondered how large a waterfall her own tears would make when she died. "Tell me the rest of it," she said.
Pale white mists rose off Alyssa's Tears, where the ghost waters plunged over the shoulder of the mountain to begin their long tumble down the face of the Giant's Lance. Catelyn could feel the faint touch of spray on her face.
Alyssa Arryn had seen her husband, her brothers, and all her children slain, and yet in life she had never shed a tear. So in death, the gods had decreed that she would know no rest until her weeping watered the black earth of the Vale, where the men she had loved were buried. Alyssa had been dead six thousand years now, and still no drop of the torrent had ever reached the valley floor far below. Catelyn wondered how large a waterfall her own tears would make when she died. "Tell me the rest of it," she said.
Alyssa's Tears, comes down from such a height, that the water turns into mist,never reaching the Vale.
I believe Alyssa's curse is the reason that House Arryn is plagued by stillbirths miscarriages,infant deaths and mothers dying in the birthing bed. That she never shed a tear at the deaths of her family leads me to believe she may have had something to do with the deaths and may be cursed as a Kinslayer.
The waters of the Giants Lance(male) never fertilizes the apparently fertile Vale(female) below.
There isnt a lot of info on house Arryn but the other Arryns that lived away from the Eyrie seemed to have no problems conceiving children and had quite big families.
There is a line in Alayne I AFFC...."I won't have him here. You send him back down. I never said that he could come. Not here.The Eyrie is imPREGnable, Mother said."
in the paperback i have,the 'preg'part of the word is italicized for some reason. It's the same in Alayne II...."No one can hurt me so long as I stay here. The Eyrie is imPREGnable."
I cant find it printed this way in any other chapter.
Of course I've noted the double meaning of the Giant's Lance, as I think most people do. But Stones! That thought hadn't occured to me! 
And sorry I don't have that much to add right now. 
Us shy maids can be a bit innocent, so some of these slip past me.