George RR Martin: A Masterclass in POV to Describe Titties
Eventually, my love of fantasy books would lead me to George RR Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire. A staple of the adult fantasy genre, Martin’s complex world of kingdoms, kings, and dragons has stretched far beyond its pages into episodic television; where it unfortunately ended in a ball of fire and disappointment.
I was excited to start this book series for a couple of big reasons; namely, to observe the discrepancies from page to camera and find where Martin’s writing ends and the producers' own Hollywood ‘interpretations’ begin. I was also excited to enjoy Game of Thrones without witnessing pornography in my living room on a random Tuesday night. I am not talking about the plot relevant moments, like when Bran catches Cersei and Jamie; I am talking about naked women being brutalized by a 15 year old monster. But, and most importantly, I couldn’t wait to read this series so that I could talk to my friend, Leah, about one of her hyper-fixations.
Now, the first two books are pretty identical to the show, save for a couple minor characters that were removed or added (Jeanne Poole and Raz), BUT I had to discuss a major complaint with Leah.
“Why does Martin HAVE to describe their titties?”
It seemed as though hours passed before his hands finally went to her breasts.
Game of Thrones, Page 108
She opened her robe and drew out a pale, heavy breast, tipped with red.
Game of Thrones, Page 376
Bron had done well enough; she was doe-eyed and slim, with small firm breasts and a smile that was by turns, insolent, and wicked.
Game of Thrones, Page 67
He could feel the softness of her breasts pressed against his arm as she lay beside him.
Game of Thrones, Page 680
When he raised his head from her breast, the skin was dark red where he marked her.
A Clash of Kings, Page 169
Osha looked different, though, hard and sharp instead of soft and curvy. Her legs were all sinew, her breasts flat as two empty purses.
A Clash of Kings, Page 254
Her breasts were small but he liked the firmness of them.
A Clash of Kings, Page 385
Tyrion nipped at her small hard nipple and nestled his head on her shoulder.
A Clash of Kings, Page 453
Kyra nestled against him, one arm draped lightly over his, her breasts on his back.
A Clash of Kings, Page 721
He smelled of sweat and salt and leather, and the iron studs on his jerkin dug into her breasts as he crushed her hard against him.
A Storm of Swords, Page 120
He has breasts larger than I do, Dany reflected.
A Storm of Swords, Page 312
The wench looked ridiculous, clutching her towel to her meager teats with her thick white legs sticking out beneath.
A Storm of Swords, Page 507
It felt like every other description of a female character, young and old, included how her boobs sized, shaped, or sagged. Surely, Leah, beautiful, feminist Leah, would know exactly what I was talking about. But I was shocked when she said didn’t remember these marvelous mammary descriptions! After a bit more discussion, Leah suggested that I pay attention to WHO was describing the woman. Was it a male character that tends to see women as sexual objects first and people second? Was the point of view chapter affecting how a woman would be described?
It was a lightbulb moment for me. Was I, Kat, the one that missed the entire point? Maybe George RR Martin is such a genius writer on his character's voice that I was tricked into believing that it was Martin, not the character, who views women so surface-ly. Could I just be… a bad reader?!
So, of course, like a completely sane person, I restarted the first two game of thrones books while listening to the third and noted each time a woman was described; who was being described, how they were being described, and who held the POV in that chapter. Because… I am completely sane. :D
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Now before we talk tittes, I feel the need to showcase how precise Martin’s use of descriptive language can be. Characters are described completely differently depending on who is the current chapter holder / POV. In addition, a character's perception of another character may change over time as the story progresses. Nothing more clearly shows this than how Sansa describes Joffrey throughout the course of the series. At the beginning, Sansa see’s Jeoffrey as her Golden Lion, Prince in shining armor, and her direct path to being Queen of the seven kingdoms.
He stood over her, beautiful in blue wool and black leather, his golden curls shining in the sun like a crown.
Game of Thrones, Page 146
She gazed at Joffrey worshipfully. He was so gallant, she thought.
Game of Thrones, Page 148
She could not hate him tonight. He was too beautiful to hate. He wore a deep a deep blue doublet studded with a double row of golden lion’s heads, and around his brow a slim coronet made of gold and sapphires. His hair was as bright as the metal.
Game of Thrones, Page 298
But after Joffrey calls for Sansa’s fathers head, she starts seeing him a bit differently.
Sansa stared at him, seeing him for the first time. He was wearing a padded crimson doublet patterned with lions and a cloth-of-gold cape with a high collar that framed his face. She wondered how she could ever have thought him handsome. His lips were as soft and red as the worms you found after a rain, and his eyes were vain and cruel.
Game of Thrones, Page 743
“Joffrey is a monster.”
A Storm of Swords, Page 87
I show this to set the precedent that Martin is fully capable of writing characters that are unreliable narrators, unable to see the truth simply because their version of reality is warped around their own opinions or dreams. Going into this research, I have an understanding that Georgie will twist the events / descriptions for each chapter based on what a character’s “version” of reality looks like. Much like how Sansa is prone to seeing life in a more romanticized way, it wouldn’t be hard to believe that specific characters are seeing the world around them in a more “sexual” manner.
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I began to notice a couple character trends as I combed through A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, and A Storm of Swords. Let’s start with the good...
It is no shocker that Eddard Stark and Jon Snow never let a woman's appearance stop them from treating her with honor and respect. Both of them never describe a woman’s boobs.
She was as beautiful as men said. A jeweled tiara gleamed admits her long golden hair, its emeralds a perfect match for the green of her eyes.
Game of Thrones, Page 50
Her every move was graceful. Her curling blond hair moved in the wind, and her eyes were green as the leaves of summer. It had been a long time since Ned Stark had seen her beauty, but he saw it now.
Game of Thrones, Page 485
She was older than he’d thought at first, Jon realized; maybe as old as twenty but short for her age, bandy-legged, with a round face, small hands, and a pug nose. Her shaggy mop of red hair stuck out in all directions.
A Clash of Kings, Page 744
Lately, though, he was noticing some other things. When she grinned, the crooked teeth didn’t seem to matter. And maybe her eyes were too far apart, but they were a pretty blue-grey color, and lively as any eyes he knew. Sometimes she sang in a low husky voice that stirred him. And sometimes by cookfire when she sat hugging her knees with the flames walking echoes in her hair, and looked at him, just smiling… well, that stirred some things as well.
A Storm of Swords, Page 207
I would also throw Davos into the “Respectful Men Category” because most of his thoughts, are “I just wanna go home to my wife and make sure my king doesn’t go down the path of evil.” He sees Melisandre for what she is, a scheming Red woman who is dragging Stannis to his doom for her foreign god.
He could see her; the heart shaped face, the red eyes, the long coppery hair, her red gowns moving like flames as she walked, a swirl of silk and satin. She had come from Asshai in the east, she had come to dragon stone and won Selsye and her queen’s men for her alien god, and then the king, Stannis Baratheon himself.
A Storm of Swords, Page 73
All three of these men drink the respect women juice every morning, and make listening/reading their chapters a sort of “safe haven” from all the boisterous booby descriptions. They showcase that not all men in the seven kingdoms are so easily swayed by a pretty face and the promise of a private late night wrestling match. Most… but not all.
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In contrast, Tyrion Lannister and Theon Greyjoy barely view women as more than three holes and two tittes. Women with a less than ideal physical appearance are immediately seen as unfortunate and worthless, simply because these highborn piss babies don’t find them worthy of their bed.
Where the two characters differentiate, is in how they treat the women they do engage with. Tyrion consistently puts his partners on a pedestal, believing they are the most perfect creatures simply for loving him. He is obsessive, lustful, and idiotic when it comes to his and Shae’s relationship. Tyrion knows since arriving at King’s Landing that having Shae around would be a terrible idea, but he still lets himself be manipulated into keeping her close!
“Just keep me, my lion, and keep me safe.”
“I shall,” he promised. Fool, fool, the voice inside him screamed. Why did you say that? You came here to send her away! Instead he kissed her once more.
A Storm of Swords, 172
This is very different from how Theon views women. This “Prince of the Seas” believes it is his right to get down with any girl he wants simply because he is a prince. He views women as his sexual outlets, nothing more. (At least through A Storm of Sword)
The girl was a shade plump for his tastes, with skin as splotchy as oatmeal, but her breasts filled his hands nicely…
A Clash of Kings, Page 167
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From these examples it appears that Martin has been a master of character voice all along. The characters that view women as sexual objects, will always describe the features that intrigue or discourage their interest in her. And the fact that it is so consistent actually tells us more about Theon and Tyrion’s perspective, rather than actually revealing anything about the woman they are describing. Martin doesn’t like writing about titties… he was just a Master in Point of View storytelling.
Now I wish my article could wrap up so cleanly; proving that I was wrong the whole time. But there are a couple instances that throw off this perfect theory, one character in particular completely ruins this analysis.
Daenerys
Daenerys' story is a tragedy from day one. A thirteen year old child is sold off to a Dothraki Horse Lord; they don’t speak the same language and they still have a wedding night. She finds out she is pregnant on her FOURTEENTH birthday. Her only remaining family member is also her most violent abuser and he is covered in molten gold right in front of her eyes. Daenerys’ husband is injured in battle, and she is tricked into partaking in a dark ritual that kills her unborn child and vegetables her husband. She kills her husband, sets herself on fire, awakens three dragons, and this is all just in A Game of Thrones! Daenerys proceeds to travel across the desert, bask in the wealth of Qarth, tricks the slavers of Astapor, frees the Unsullied and slaves in Yunkai and Meereen. This girl has so much going on… and yet her POV chapters have some of the most excessive boob descriptions.
They scented her with spiceflower and cinnamon; a touch on each wrist, behind her ears, on the tips of her milk heavy breasts.
Game of Thrones, Page 33
The milk in her breasts dried up, her nipples cracked and bled…
A Clash of Kings, Page 190
Irri slept soundly beside her, her lips slightly parted, one dark brown nipple peeping out above the sleeping silks.
A Storm of Swords, Page 993
One withered breast was left bare in the Qartheen manner, to show a pointed blue nipple hard as leather.
A Clash of King, Page 705
These are just a few examples. It is hard for me to believe with everything going on in this girl's life that she would be focusing on breasts THIS much. There has to be some other way that Daenerys could describe the world around her.
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There are even a couple instances where characters like Bran and Catelyn Stark will comment on a girl's lack of breasts, which seems out of character for a proper lady and a seven year old boy.
Beneath the lacy bodice of per pale blue gown, her breasts looked small but shapely.
A Storm of Swords, Page 678
Though near Robb’s age, she was slim as a boy, with long brown hair knotted behind her head and only the barest suggestions of breasts.
A Clash of kings, Page 328
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Jaime is the wild card of this theory. When we first start getting his POV chapters in A Storm of Swords, he is Brienne of Tarth’s prisoner. If he isn’t feeling sorry for himself or thinking of Cersei, Jaime is usually commenting on how ugly Brienne is. Often including a comment on her boobs.
She dropped her brush and covered her teats with hands as big as Gregor Clegane’s. The pointy little buds she was so intent on hiding would have looked more natural on some ten-year-old than they did on her thick muscular chest.
A Storm of Swords, Page 503
She’s the Hound with teats, he thought. Or would be, if she had any teats to speak of.
A Storm of Swords, Page 28
But, after he begins to pick up on Cersei’s manipulation tactics towards the end of A Storm of Swords, he finds something else to comment on Brienne…
She does have astonishing eyes.
A Storm of Swords, Page 1006
I hate what the show did to them…
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Yes, Martin is fantastic at using specific character point of views and after this exercise I have grown a deep respect for his writing. He has figured out how to step into the brains of his “main cast” and how they interpret the world around them. He knows how each of his characters would view the same set of circumstances differently, and uses that to create complex stories that keep his readers intrigued with every detail.
However, he uses this to describe women’s boobs a lot. Sexual scenes aside, there are still a looot of marvelous mammary descriptions from a variety to character perspectives; sometimes the POV just make more sense than others!
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So, yeah, Leah! I was right about the overwhelming amount of boob descriptions in A Song of Ice and Fire! And after 20+hours of research, rereading, and analysis I have proved that it is not just the perverted characters describing titties!
Because, only sane people reread over 2750 pages of text to bookmark every time a woman is described with titties to prove a point... so… Ha.
