Medieval scholar Carolyne Larrington talks Game of Thrones during Reddit AMA

Carolyne Larrington teaches medieval literature at Oxford University, and recently used her vast knowledge for the good of all mankind by writing Winter is Coming: The Medieval World of Game of Thrones, a book that explores the real-life historical underpinnings of pretty much every detail of Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire. The book is dense, easy to read, and makes an excellent companion to the show and book series. You go read it. You go read it real soon.

In the meantime, Larrington has held a Reddit AMA. She dug deep into the nitty-gritty corners where Game of Thrones and history meet. It was good fun. Check out some of the questions and answers:

"Q: What’s something in the books, that made you go “aw that’s a nice touch” regarding English literature?A: I think I was particularly pleased in the books when Arys Oakheart remembers an old story from the wars between the Reach and Dorne, and it was a reference to the Song of Roland. And I thought, ‘yes, nice fit’ – for the Reach is like later medieval France and Dorne like Moorish Spain, and the battle of Roncesvalles in which Roland died was fought between them in the Pyrenees."

As an Oxford professor, Larrington has insights the average GoT fan won’t. Now I wanna go read bout the Song of Roland. And also:

"Larrington: ‘And I think we need to know more about Asshai – Quaithe the Shadow-Binder’s been very quiet recently, and I think we should keep in mind her prophecies. To go east you must go west, etc.’"

Agreed.

"Q: Does the cultural phenomenon of Game Of Thrones and the fan following rival any other literature, art or anything else you’ve seen that approached medieval culture?A: I can’t think of anything like it except maybe Lord of the Rings, but there Tolkien’s mainly concerned with language and myth, not so much with how societies really work."

As an influential work of fantasy fiction, Game of Thrones gets compared to The Lord of the Rings a lot, so it’s interesting to get a literature professor’s perspective.

"Q: which culture in the GOT universe do you find most interesting and why? and-for fun, character?A: I change my views fairly regularly, and so at the moment I’m really interested in the Iron-Born and how they relate to the Vikings – pretty closely in some ways. I’m really looking forward to seeing more of them in Season 6. And that’s because I know a lot about Vikings from my other research, and I find it interesting to see what GRRM’s picked up about them. Like the fact (said of one Norwegian king) AND Balon Greyjoy that he could run across the oars of a longship in full sail – which really needs a sense of balance! And favourite character, is, fairly consistently. Petyr ‘Littlefinger’ Baelish.That’s because I hadn’t read the books when I watched Season 1 and so I was REALLY surprised when he turned on Ned Stark. But with his feelings about Cat (and now Sansa), it made sense. And I have to admire his single-mindedness and his willingness to play the long game. But also I like the moment when Cersei nearly ordered her guard to cut his throat. It’s good to see Littlefinger wrong-footed for once."

I love that moment where Cersei toys with Littlefinger as well. It was added for the show, but we can all do with the occasional reminder that the guy isn’t invincible.

"Q: How much of A Song of Ice and Fire do you think is purposefully based off real-world history? We know that large swaths of it definitely is (War of Five Kings ≈ War of the Roses, for example), but do you think there’s any one point where the historical basis ends and the fantasy fiction begins? Or is it too folded together to tell?A: I think the skeleton of the world and its different societies is based on real-world history, from the Anglo-Saxon type society in the North to the high medieval culture in King’s Landing, the Mongol model for the Dothraki and so on. But GRRM adds to that figures out of the medieval imagination, the dragons, the wights, the giants, and the Children of the Forest who are quite like elves. And once he’s made the world he puts real-world political problems into it. Who should sit on the Iron Throne? Who would make a good ruler? How do you change a culture like that of Slaver’s Bay? History gives set up and quite a bit of plot, but imagination does the rest."

I asked this question. That’s why it’s here. Moving on…

"Q: What medieval punishment should be applied to GRRM until he writes the next book?A: We could stick him in a dungeon under the Great Sept and feed him a very limited diet. No breaking on the wheel, or pulling out his guts and burning them before his eyes. That’s not going to speed things up."

Thanks to Larrington for lending her time! Head over to Reddit to see the rest of the questions and answers.