‘Game of Thrones’ and the Theme of Women's Struggle for Power

From ancient monarchies to the modern workplace, women have constantly struggled to gain elite positions and are subjected to a different experience than men for doing so. This struggle can be reflected in popular culture which puts an emphasis on not just women in power, but also the struggle that they face to get there. Although known for its twisting storylines and medieval themes, ‘Game of Thrones’, is also notable for highlighting the role of women in power and the way appearance affects their climb to positions of authority. While the battles are fought by the tough, loyal knights sworn to protect their kingdoms, much of the battles are won by the cunning minds of women in elite positions. Initially the show displays these women as nothing more than just pretty faces and often paints them as non-threatening or weak, but there is a shift that results in power being taken by the very same women towards the end of the series. By drawing in examples from ‘Game of Thrones’ and real-world experiences, this paper will aim to prove that women struggle to attain positions of power, and are often constrained due to the norms and expectations of female appearance set by popular culture.

‘Game of Thrones’ often reduces women to merely just their appearance, particularly in the earlier seasons, and it is obvious that they are not being taken seriously. This can be attributed due to the large emphasis on appearance that the show puts on for women. A specific example of this can be seen through the introduction of Daenerys Targaryen, one of the lead characters who has ambitions to recapture the Iron Throne, the seat of power in the fictional world of Westeros. In season 1, Daenerys often wore very low cut, sheer dresses that were more revealing than what other female characters wore, which put more focus on her physical appearance rather than her character development. As well, in earlier seasons, it was quite common for Daenerys to have a fair amount of nudity in scenes which highlighted her times of weakness and surrender. The focus on her physical and sexual appearance developed Daenerys’ character as non-threatening, submissive and weak to her enemies and allowed her to be easily taken advantage of. Daenerys was prevented from being able to display her abilities to lead and attain positions of power. The idea that women are being reduced to their appearance resulting in them not being taken seriously is developed in a journal article written by Sharon Mavin and Gina Grandy. The authors, both scholars in leadership development and women’s leadership, cite that “women are reduced to their sexuality or physical appearance”, and they highlight the difficulties they face when performing as leaders as more weight is put on their appearance rather than their performance in the workplace. Although this display of submissiveness and focus on appearance primarily takes place in the earlier seasons, the show sends a message that women are merely pretty faces, and by reducing them to just their physical and sexual appearance, it limits them from attaining positions of power.

Viewers can also see similar experiences with other female characters in leadership positions where they experience struggles being taken seriously. While they are more fully clothed and have little scenes of nudity, their clothing often resembles moments of powerlessness and are more sexualized. For example, Margery Tyrell, one of the prominent leaders of her family, is also often seen wearing low-cut dresses, but still manages to be covered up. Along with her innocent face and kind persona, she uses her beauty as a means of seduction, giving her a sexualized appearance. Although Margery serves as just one example, the show gives a message that women who are in power are more sexualized than women not in power. Alternatively, with Ser Brienne of Tarth, one of the knights in the kingdom, she is always seen wearing knight armor and displays a more rugged and tough exterior unlike the typical female character. As Ser Brienne is not in a position of authority, she is rarely sexualized in the show and her character is most notable for her loyalty rather than her sexual or physical appearance. However, sexualized or not, both women still struggle, in their own way, for power. This emphasizes how the role of appearance and the emphasis on appearance, regardless of the amount of skin being shown or not, can constrain women from achieving power and identity.

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The show also highlights the perception that females are less competent compared to males and is evident through the lack of women in leadership positions. In season 1, Cersei Lannister, one of the main antagonists, tries to reach a settlement with the Northern Lords, the governing body in the Northern regions in Westeros, but fails. As a result of this, it forces her brother, Tyrion Lannister, to step in and manage. Despite Cersei’s attempts to enforce her authority over people, this moment highlights Cersei’s incapability as people failed to recognize her as a figure of power compared to her brother. This reinforces the belief that women lack leadership skills or that they are ill-equipped to be leaders as the ideal version of a leader often depicts masculine traits. A study on women in management positions by Victoria E. Schein, a professor at Gettysburg College, focusing on gender stereotyping and requisite management, cites the results of an experiment she conducted. The author concluded that “using a sample of 113 male and 77 female adult MBA students, they obtained results similar to other studies of male managers and management students. The males perceived men as more likely than women to possess the requisite management characteristics”. Schein also cited that when it came to leadership positions in the workplace, “to ‘think manager’ was to ‘think male’”, which emphasizes how male domination in the workplace, limits or makes it difficult for women to achieve leadership roles. The belief that females are less qualified to be leaders than males can be mirrored in Cersei’s experiences. ‘Game of Thrones’ often showcases women as incapable of leading and that in order to establish the role of authority, a male presence is necessary. This highlights the expectation that having female traits gives the appearance that women are less competent than men to hold authority further constraining their ability to attain power.

Similarly, the role of appearance and the expectation of female appearance in ‘Game of Thrones’ also shows how it has an effect on how women view others, specifically the way they judge each other more harshly, and its effect on a woman’s ability to attain power. This idea can most notably be seen in season 3 between Cersei and Margery Tyrell, the future Queen of Westeros. Margery displays a gentle and caring appearance that allows her to gain popular support by the common people, and she uses it to her advantage to gain power. While her innocent and pure affections helped her win the hearts and trust of the people, Cersei is quick to misjudge Margery and treats her harshly. Cersei’s constant use of derogatory terms to label the future queen highlights a jealousy that she has of how Margery was able to attain positions of power with ease. As a result, she does her best to treat the future queen coldly, and even frames her of crimes to have her executed. Cersei’s harsh treatment and jealousy of Margery can be reflected in a study that discusses how messages of appearance by the media affects young women. The study cites that “when making appearance comparisons to others, one’s own body and the body of the comparison targets, young women are effectively reduced to objects” (Fardouly et al., 448), which shows how female appearance can cause more judgement among other women to reduce their abilities, and limit their opportunities to attain power. ‘Game of Throne’ emphasizes how the effects of appearance in the show reflects society where the expectations of female appearance are not only enforced by men, but also other women. When women begin to judge other women based on their physical appearance, it reinforces the expectation of female appearances that constrain a woman’s climb to power, rather than breaking down these expectations to encourage them to advance to leadership positions.

Despite the struggle that female characters in the show encounter, there is a power shift that happens as the show progresses resulting in power being taken over by the very same women who were originally deemed not fit for leadership. The show does portray a message of strong women in power; however, it displays a different message. Sansa Stark in particular, one of the lead protagonists, emphasizes the struggle women face to get to where they are towards the season finale. For much of the early seasons, Sansa was seen as smart and cunning, but she was weak and easily taken advantage of by her enemies. As she matured, she was able to use her underestimated appearance to her advantage. Through observing and learning from her enemies, Sansa was able to skillfully weave her way through obstacles and struggles, and eventually landed herself as the Queen of the North in the later seasons. While becoming queen was no easy task, her survival of the most horrific things that she experiences highlights the struggles of being underestimated which gives her a weak appearance. Sansa’s experiences can also be mirrored with Cersei and Daenerys, the main female leaders of the show. All three women share similar experiences of struggling for power however despite their difficulties, they were able to maneuver their way through the patriarchal system designed to constrain them. ‘Game of Thrones’ emphasizes how the expectations of female appearance prevents women from attaining positions of power and as a result, they have to be resourceful. In order to overcome barriers limiting them from authority, women have to strategically make decisions which demonstrates that they are capable and have the means to hold leadership positions.

Although the show’s complicated storyline can be distracting, it is evident that the expectations of appearance in ‘Game of Thrones’ demonstrates the constant struggle that women face for power. From the clothing they wear to their own individual character development, much of the female lead cast share similarities through their climb to power. They are often seen as non-threatening and looked down upon, but eventually become strong leaders with large amounts of power at their disposal. The show is able to highlight the different experiences men and women face in leadership positions with women often having a much more subjected experience where more emphasis is put on their physical appearance and skills or talents are unrecognized. As well, women often struggle attaining power due to the environment that sets expectations on them. This is further reinforced by the male dominating powers in leadership, but also other females who may knowingly or unknowingly contribute to make it difficult for other women to attain power. By highlighting the power disparity, the show attempts to deepen our understanding of how females are constrained from power as a result of their appearance, and the expectation of female appearance in positions of authority. As the role of female leadership expands in modern society, ‘Game of Thrones’ serves as an important contribution to the discussion of women in power and how, as a result of their appearance, a women’s climb to power is always met with resistance and barriers that must be overcome.