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- Creators: Barrett, The Honors College
- Creators: Pittaro, James Vincent
Description
This paper focuses on feudalist structure and values within this system in George R. R. Martin's fantasy novel series A Song of Ice and Fire and Shakespeare's play King Richard the Third. The paper is structured into three arguments that focus on different characters from each work. The first argument is focused on Tyrion Lannister and Richard III's deformity, and how they violate feudalist values. This argument ultimately comes to the discussion of whether or not these characters are monstrous and by what values. The second argument is focused on Daenerys Targaryen and Margaret, discussing why both authors give these women a supernatural power. The authors give women these powers because they believe that women should have power. Martin argues that women need to remake the structure, while Shakespeare believes women can change their place in the structure through collective action. The last argument focuses on Petyr Baelish and Richard III, and how they both represent a chaos attacking feudalism. Petyr is a chaos that comes outside the system, exploiting the values of the system, while Richard is a chaos within the system because he violates feudal values, while trying to hold positions where he needs to embody feudalist value. The authors come to different conclusions of what is trying to take down feudalist structure and how this could be fixed. Martin finds feudalism cannot be fixed and that other systems are not much better because they still create violence. Shakespeare comes to the conclusion that feudalism cannot be fixed because people continue to violate its values, so a new system must be put in place.
ContributorsPittaro, James Vincent (Author) / Mann, Annika (Thesis director) / Kirsch, Sharon (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (Contributor) / School of Humanities, Arts, and Cultural Studies (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
The England and Scotland of today exist together within the same nation state. During the Middle Ages they existed as distinct kingdoms or realms, and as will be seen their relationship was strenuous and broke down into major political disputes and warfare on many an occasion. In the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, these issues became more serious, erupting into what is now called the First Scottish War of Independence in 1296. This paper aims to analyze the feudal politics underlying the relationship between the two realms particularly in regard to feudal homage and how kings such as Edward I of England and Robert I of Scotland and their predecessors approached and understood that relationship. I will present the situation leading up to the war as well as the war itself and provide a brief look into how it affected the future relationship. Scottish independence after the conflict will be included as well. I will make use of primary sources such as treaties, charters, letters and the Chronicle of Lanercost as well as secondary sources from historians.
ContributorsHerzfeld, John (Author) / Barker, Hannah (Thesis director) / Harper, Tobias (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Historical, Philosophical & Religious Studies, Sch (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor)
Created2022-05