Archive for March 2019

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[Commlist] Special Issue on Game of Thrones - Canadian Review of American Studies

Tue Mar 26 16:41:57 GMT 2019



/*New issue now available online!*/

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/*Canadian Review of American Studies */

/*Volume 49, No. 1, Spring 2019*/

/*CRAS *//*Online: */*http://bit.ly/cras491*/**/

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/*Special Issue on Game of Thrones*/

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/*Articles*/

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/*Introduction—High Fantasy, Political Dreams, and the Mainstream: Reflections on *//*Game of Thrones*//**/

/Jonathan Chau, Chris Vanderwees/

*Read at CRAS Online >>>**http://bit.ly/cras491a***

*Affective Proximity: Tracing Jaime Lannister’s Moral Progression in HBO’s /Game of Thrones/*

/Matthew Cormier/

Jaime Lannister is one of the most intriguing characters in HBO’s /Game of Thrones/ due to his important role in the show’s chief area of conflict, King’s Landing, as well as his incestuous relationship with his sister and, because of this relationship, her strong influence on his character. What makes the dynamic of Jaime and Cersei’s relationship so compelling is the manner in which Cersei’s influence on Jaime seems to grow weaker or stronger depending on where he is travelling in Westeros, how far away he is from her, both physically and emotionally, and which characters he spends time with during these travels. An effective means of analyzing Jaime’s moral development in relation to his relationship with his sister is by way of /affect theory/—specifically the affect of proximity, which authors such as Sara Ahmed and Lauren Berlant discuss in /The Promise of Happiness/ (2010) and /Cruel Optimism/ (2011), respectively. By mapping out Jaime’s travels during the series, as well as through close reading of several key moments of his journey, I argue that Jaime’s ever-changing “affective proximity” to Cersei strongly affects his moral character, ultimately resulting in his heading to Winterfell to help fight the last war.

*Read at CRAS Online >>>**http://bit.ly/cras491b***

*The East Is Least: The Stereotypical Imagining of Essos in /Game of Thrones/*

/Mat Hardy/

While /Game of Thrones/ may appear to offer an avenue of escape to an imaginary realm, in its representation of race and geography, this fantasy universe simply reinforces existing preoccupations of our actual world. An example of this is in the representation of the Eastern lands and cultures in the story. The link between Eastern cultures and depravity has been part of Western imagining of the “Orient” for centuries, and the peoples of the Middle East are generally depicted as “fallen” compared with the more honourable denizens of the West; this occurs in fantasy literature, as well. This article examines the dynamics of ethnic and geographic representation in /Game of Thrones/ from the perspective of Edward Said’s /Orientalism/ and the historical foundations of Western depictions of the Middle East. It argues that despite the reputation of the series as ground-breaking escapism, its depiction of Eastern peoples is anything but.

*Read at CRAS Online >>>**http://bit.ly/cras491c***

*Power and the Denial of Femininity in /Game of Thrones/*

/Diana Marques/

Being inspired by medieval history and culture, /Game of Thrones/ may be regarded as a work of neo-medievalism, depicting a world where several fantasy and medieval literary characteristics are subverted. One of them is the portrayal of women who are strong and violent, and who disrupt gender norms, such as Brienne of Tarth, Arya Stark, and Yara Greyjoy. Accordingly, it seems that in order to wield male power and to engage in traditionally male activities, these women have to deny their femininity. Thus, the aim of this article is to understand why women must deny their femininity to be taken seriously in traditionally male roles, and whether that denial transforms as effective power or undermines them in the eyes of Westerosi society.

*Read at CRAS Online >>>**http://bit.ly/cras491d***

*“Yet I’m Still a Man”: Disability and Masculinity in George R.R. Martin’s /A Song of Ice and Fire/ Series*

/Amy Tarnowski/

This article examines three fantasies concerning representations of disability and masculinity within George R.R. Martin’s /A Song of Ice and Fire/ series. Specifically, I argue that within the fictional realm of Westeros, the treatment of Tyrion and Jaime Lannister reveals the cultural fantasies that influence how male characters with disabilities are defined, perceived, and treated by normate (non-disabled) characters. Tyrion and Jaime both subscribe to and challenge Westerosi fantasies that are projected onto individuals with disabilities—namely, the notion that individuals with disabilities are grotesque or monstrous, the belief that disability is a marker of immorality or divine punishment, and the stereotype that individuals who are disabled are emasculated or impotent. All of these cultural fantasies influence the marginalized status and positionality of characters like Tyrion and Jaime, and reveal normates’ anxieties concerning both bodily fragility and the maintenance of the hegemonic status of normate embodiment.

*Read at CRAS Online >>>**http://bit.ly/cras491e***

*Progression through Regression: The Inferno of Daenerys Targaryen*

/Sylva Sheridan/

A chief warning from George R.R. Martin is that the “night is dark and full of terror.” This article is a critical reflection on a moment from Martin’s masterpiece, /A Song of Ice and Fire/. Through a close reading of the series, I found that one of the most poignant moments is Daenerys Targaryen’s visionary journey through the House of the Undying. It was in this moment that I found the influence of the indelible Dante Alighieri. My article parallels Daenerys’s journey alongside Dante’s journey through hell in his /Inferno/. I begin by drawing a comparison between the warning Daenerys is given by Pyat Pree and the warning found outside of the gates of hell in /Inferno/. I finish by considering the prophecy of the three treasons experienced by Daenerys, mirroring Dante’s vision of Lucifer. While these experiences may seem dark, there are moments of light interspersed. Throughout this article, I also reflect on how /Game of Thrones/ interprets Daenerys’s visions as prophecy. Ultimately, I conclude that the true story of “ice and fire” is the story that leads one from bondage to freedom in the ultimate search for truth.

*Read at CRAS Online >>>**http://bit.ly/cras491f***

*“You Win or You Die”: The Royal Flush of Power in /Game of Thrones/*

/Priscilla L. Walton/

/A Song of Ice and Fire/ provides a plethora of ideologies and governmentalities, and, in this article, I explore their strengths and weaknesses. Using a Foucauldian analysis to trace the divergent modes of governmentality apparent in Martin’s texts, I demonstrate how fruitful the series is for conveying the complexities of various systems of governance, including feudalism, imperialism, and democracy.

*Read at CRAS Online >>>**http://bit.ly/cras491g***

*/Canadian Review of American Studies/** is the leading American Studies journal outside the United States and the only journal in Canada that deals with cross-border themes and their implications for multicultural societies. Published three times a year, the journal aims to further multi- and interdisciplinary analyses of the culture of the US and of social relations between the US and Canada. /CRAS/ is a dynamic and innovative journal, providing unique perspectives and insights in an increasingly complex and intertwined world of extraordinarily difficult problems that continue to call for thoughtful scholarly input.***

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*For more information about the /Canadian Review of American Studies/ or for submissions information, please contact:*

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*University of Toronto Press - Journals Division*

*5201 Dufferin St., Toronto, ON, Canada M3H 5T8*

*Tel: (416) 667-7810 Fax: (416) 667-7881*

*Fax Toll Free in North America 1-800-221-9985*

*(journals /at/ utpress.utoronto.ca)* <mailto:(journals /at/ utpress.utoronto.ca)>**

*http://www.utpjournals.press/cras*


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