Portrayal of women in present-day northamerican literature : female empowerment in the A song of ice and fire saga

Abstract

We live in a time in which feminism is acquiring a crucial role in our every day lives. The present-day society is moving within a new feminist wave that , little by little, is destroying old and false patriarchal, values that oppress women all around the world. In this context, our society demands a new approach, a feminist approach, in every sphere of our lives which will help this feminist wave to reach every single corner of our world, and every corner of our lives. In order to do so, feminism avails itself of different tools, being literature one of the most important. Reaching millions of people through the books and so many others through the TV show, A Song of Ice and Fire is, presumably, the most famous and most popular saga in present-day North American Literature. This novel has become a great source of inspiration and, more importantly, a strong influence for all its followers, thus being its portrayal of women a vital matter. G. R. R. Martín, the author, has created remarkably complex female characters that evolve towards a state of independence and power, advocating for feminism and serving as a model for a society at a standstill in patriarchy. Therefore, both for its feminist value and its literary value, the complex and greatly interesting development of the female characters in this saga will be the main point to analyze in my thesis.