Episodes four, five, and six of Game of Thrones offered many opportunities for philosophical reflection. In my first blog, I mentioned how Greg Littman addressed the main question of the series Game of Thrones (the question of who the ruler of the seven kingdoms of Westeros should be) and utilized the Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes to provide an answer: it was concluded that Hobbes would hold that it is in everyone’s self-interest to have any ruler (even if a ruler obtained his or her position of power unlawfully) than to have a state of civil war or anarchy. This statement seems to hold more weight after viewing the first six episodes, than after only viewing the first three because the main problems that were introduced in the first three episodes have gotten a lot worse and many new catastrophes are in development.
When I was first introduced to this “social contract theory” of Thomas Hobbes, I understood the theory and appreciated the significance of the Leviathan, but had a hard time believing and accepting this theory. Perhaps, it is not in everyone’s self-interest to have a ruthless leader. In some cases, a state of anarchy may provide a solution by creating a greater sense of equality. However, if we (like Littman) consider Game of Thrones as a thought experiment of this social contract theory, then we have more reason to accept Hobbes’s view.
Consider the first episodes: yes, the seven kingdoms did have some flaws and many characters deceived and/or used other characters. However, this was a functioning world where citizens could live their lives without a great deal of violence or intrusion. After only three more episodes, however, this central question of who should rule the seven kingdoms became more apparent and rather than resulting in a utopian society, this question created more problems and more violence.
While a part of me would like to maintain hope in the idea that anarchy and challenges to the abuse of power can, ultimately, improve a society, Game of Thrones (when considered as an illustration of the philosophy of Hobbes) seems to indicate otherwise. Of course, it is important to consider the historical context (namely, medieval England) of this theory and that this theory may not apply to contemporary societies.
Moving away from theories about societies and towards an analysis of an individual character, I will now take a moment to discuss Tyrion Lannister. In “Lord Eddard Stark, Queen Cersei Lannister: Moral Judgments from Different Perspectives,” Lord Eddard Stark was identified as the model of a virtuous character in Game of Thrones (Anglberger & Hieke, 87-89). Since Tyrion Lannister was not discussed in this article, I would like to make a brief case that Tyrion could be considered as a virtuous character who makes sound ethical judgments.
I have only viewed the first six episodes and I cannot say this with any authority, but it could be argued that Tyrion Lannister embodied the ideas of compassion and honesty. Even though he seemed really sharp-witted and, perhaps, even proud, Tyrion was definitely one of the wisest and most honest characters on the show. Consider the end of his trial right before he was set free: rather than leaving with his purse of gold, he gave this money to the prison guard, as promised. Tyrion was a man of his word, even to people who were not very nice to him.
While Eddard Stark was a virtuous character and Jon Snow was another caring character who stood up for others, I still believe Tyrion is my favorite character because he was compassionate and sincere, but he was also very experienced, intelligent, and consistent. While the purpose of this course is not pure enjoyment, I must admit that Tyrion is one character who makes the show a pleasure to view.
In this blog entry, I returned to the discussion of Hobbes’s Leviathan that was introduced in my previous blog entry, and I also offered an analysis of the character Tyrion Lannister. In conclusion, the more I view the show Game of Thrones, the more I appreciate it for its commentary on human nature.
References
Anglberger, Albert F. F. & Hieke, Alexander. “Lord Eddard Stark, Queen Cersei Lannister: Moral Judgments from Different Perspectives.” Game of Thrones and Philosophy: Logic Cuts Deeper Than Swords. Eds. William Irwin and Henry Jacoby. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2012. 87-98. Print.
Littman, Greg. “Maester Hobbes Goes to King’s Landing.” Game of Thrones and Philosophy: Logic Cuts Deeper Than Swords. Eds. William Irwin and Henry Jacoby. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2012. 5-18. Print.
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