Brienne of Tarth: A Strong Woman

In his book series A Song of Ice and Fire, George R. R. Martin creates many unique and detailed characters. His characters are not simple, one sided people. Many have flawed backstories, hidden traits that make them more likable, or a dark side to their seemingly kind personality. An especially interesting character is Brienne of Tarth, because she is incredibly strong, honorable in a world where not many people are, and is not stereotypically feminine.

Brienne of Tarth is an interesting character because of how strong she is. Standing at about six and a half feet tall, and built bulky, flat chested, muscular and one of the best fighters in Westeros. As a woman, it’s a rare occurrence that she fights so skillfully. However, her father, Selwyn of Tarth, the lord of the island Tarth, noticed her skills at a young age and accepted his daughter for who she was.

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He began allowing her to train at Evenfall, their home. She receives the equivalent of a knight’s training, and years later she proves this by beating some of the best fighters in Westeros to gain favor from her king, Renly Baratheon. She becomes a member of his Kingsguard, the knights assigned to protecting the king. Men who previously mocked her for her appearance and gender now saw her, at least partially, for her skills instead of her gender. When she faces Sandor Clegane, commonly known as The Hound, one of the top fighters in Westeros, she beats him, however, it was a close call. She proves her fighting powers once again when she spars against Jaime Lannister, known as the Kingslayer for his murder of King Aerys, “The Mad King”, whom he was a Kingsguard for. While Jaime is a skilled fighter, Brienne overpowers him with her sheer power and wins the match. One of the reasons Brienne of Tarth is such an interesting character is because ofher fighting skills.

Another reason Brienne of Tarth is such an interesting character is her honorable nature. Most people in A Song of Ice and Fire are sneaky, untrustworthy and unreliable. However, Brienne stays incredibly true to her word, like a true knight. When the woman she is in service to is murdered at the Red Wedding, she still carries out her vow to protect her two daughters. She travels across all of Westeros, looking for the elder daughter, Sansa Stark, whom many believe are dead. Most people would have given up when their lady was murdered; however, Brienne works to fulfill her vow even after the death. She treats prisoners honorably, remains humble, and fulfills the vows she makes, making her word incredibly trustable. A second reason Brienne of Tarth is such an interesting character is her honorable way of life.

A third reason Brienne of Tarth is such an interesting character is how she’s not stereotypically feminine. With her tall, bulky build, her crooked nose, her freckle covered face and short, straw colored hair, she is not the typical image of a lady from a highborn family. She does not sew, is more comfortable in pants and armor than fancy dresses, and hates being in formal settings. She fights with swords and power instead of words, and doesn’t work to achieve marriage and a family. Her goals are bigger than just marriage, she believes she has better things to do. When someone calls her “My Lady”, she gets visibly uncomfortable, as she is not comfortable with her highborn status. She breaks a common role for female characters, and is a stronger character than most male characters. A final reason Brienne of Tarth is such a dynamic character is the way she breaks the common mold made for feminine characters.

Overall, Brienne of Tarth is a dynamic, unusual character that breaks common molds for feminine characters in books. She’s large, powerful and can beat a majority of men in combat. Unlike most men and women in Westeros, she is honorable and stays true to her word, and fulfills her duties. She breaks the stereotype that women must be small, polite and weak. Brienne is still kind, loving and uniquely beautiful, but proves not all female characters have to be the same.