Dr Melanie Caiazza from the School of Arts explores how Game of Thrones has changed how we view medieval history and current social and political issues.

‘The return of Game of Thrones, currently in its sixth season, has reopened debate and interest in its dedication (or not!) to historical authenticity, but this time the endurance of the series has established its very own historical legacy.

‘From its conception, George RR Martin made it clear that he ‘didn’t make it up’ but real places and historical events are at the heart of his re-interpreted vision of the past. In recent articles about the series, it is clear that Game of Thrones has become culturally iconic, with writers, psychologists and social theories using characters and situations from the series as tropes for Machiavellian power and brutality.

‘Game of Thrones prompts us to consider how we see history, rather than what we see. Acts of savagery committed while wearing full medieval-esque armour and involving swords or blades semiotically linked to recognised images of the European Middle Ages are synonymous with what we already agree looks like a medieval knight.

‘Ultimately the past is essentially the present since we know how we want it to look and act in order for us to fully engage with the recognisable fantasy of the historical world. This is especially potent with the Middle Ages, a time of transition; a world on the edge of modernity. Not only has Game of Thrones had an impact on how we look at history, but also how medieval settings are re-visualised for our modern age.’

Find out more on the Kent Extra course

Kent students can discuss this further at Dr Caiazza’s ‘Dirty History’ Kent Extra course on Saturday 14 May.

Kent Extra courses are free of charge to any University of Kent students.

Please email kentextra@kent.ac.uk  or visit the Kent Extra website for more information.

Image credits
Title: Game of Thrones bluray 1
Author: Maria Morri
Source: Flickr
License: CC BY-SA 2.0