Post by whitewolfstark on Mar 28, 2016 1:44:19 GMT
Harrenhal in the series, beyond the Tournament (and even including the Tournament in some people's perspectives) is always the scene of the most horror and people being the most miserable to one another. It's relatively easy to see how a curse might pop up in the minds of people.
Post by whitewolfstark on Mar 28, 2016 1:48:23 GMT
Great article on Pontefract:
Not unlike Harrenhal, Pontefract was an enormous, majestic castle that fell to ruin. Dating back to at least 1086, Pontefract was the principal castle in Northern England, and, in Edward I’s words, the “key to the north.” Pontefract was also likely one of the strongest and most impressive castles in England.
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Pontefract was originally held by the de Lacy family. Back when the castle was still a motte and bailey style (not stone) structure, King Henry I confiscated it after Robert de Lacy didn’t support Henry during his power struggle with his brother Robert. However, King John gave Lacy back the castle in 1199. After Robert de Lacy died, King John repossessed the castle, even though he still let the Lacys live in it. In 1311, the House of Lancaster inherited the castle through marriage.
Once upon a time, Thomas of Lancaster (1278–1322) was effectively the king of England after he rebelled against his widely hated second cousin Edward II, but ultimately Lancaster met his end at Pontefract.
After rebelling against Edward II, Lancaster and the barons captured the king’s favorite Piers Gaveston, tried him illegally, and hung him. With the corrupting favorite out-of-the way, the barons assumed their problems were over and let Edward back on the throne.
Deeply bereaved and out for blood, Edward slowly began to retaliate against the barons involved. Soon Edward had a new favorite, or perhaps, lover, whom he was showering in lands and offices: the greedy, ambitious Hugh Despenser. And the pattern began all over again.
Harrenhal in the series, beyond the Tournament (and even including the Tournament in some people's perspectives) is always the scene of the most horror and people being the most miserable to one another. It's relatively easy to see how a curse might pop up in the minds of people.
Yes--this is one place where the show might have stumbled a bit.
The books make it sound like the events of Harrenhal were VERY important in the rebellion, various births, etc. But we see Harrenhal and its horribleness a couple of seasons before we hear about the tournament and the crowning, right? Which seems like it was a chance to make an association to set something up.
All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril. Those who read the symbol do so at their peril. It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors. Oscar Wilde.