"If She Thinks Me Such a Monster, I’ll Play the Part": An Analysis of the Relationship Between Tyrion Lannister's Dwarfism, Masculinity & Monstrosity
Loading...
Date
2023-12
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The Ohio State University
Abstract
Since the first book was released in 1996, George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire has become as integral to the modern fantasy genre as J.R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. In many ways, ASOIAF takes on fantasy conventions and tropes, only to turn them on their heads. When it comes to the character of Tyrion Lannister, Martin plays with the various tropes of dwarfs that have become pervasive in literary and folkloric tradition: the drunken fool, the comedian, the sexual deviant, and the monster. Tyrion himself seems remarkably self-aware of these stereotypes, especially the idea of dwarfism being associated with monstrosity. Indeed, Tyrion is a monster, but not because he is a dwarf, as the people around him believe. Tyrion experiences oppression for being disabled, but he simultaneously benefits from privilege because he was born a nobleman in a patriarchal society and because he has access to the vast wealth of House Lannister and to the kind of connections that only someone like the King's brother-in-law could have. Not only is he privileged, but he flagrantly abuses his power and privilege to hurt even the people he claims to love, especially if they do something to impact his sense of masculinity negatively. Thus, Tyrion is not a monster purely because of his dwarfism but because he has a fragile sense of self due to the complex relationship between his dwarfism and masculinity. When this ego is threatened, he tends to lash out at the people around him to reassert his power over them, knowing that, due to his privilege and power, he likely will not suffer any repercussions for giving into his most monstrous impulses.
Description
Keywords
Dwarfism, Monstrosity, A Song of Ice and Fire, Disability