His thick brows are usually drawn in concentration or good humor, making him seem at least a bit stern at all times. Dark brown, almost black hair, usually pulled back, frames grey eyes, prominent cheekbones, and a bearded jaw. Standing tall at 6'4", with a sturdy build and broad shoulders, Lord Andrik Greyjoy is an imposing figure on a good day in spite of his usual solemn smile. Joffrey's central claim to power is that he sits on the Iron Throne, wears the crown, control What are they?ġ) Joffrey Baratheon = Trappings of Power Much like the three great men in Varys' riddle, the five kings represent different possible arguments for where power resides. So, depending on the beliefs of the society at a particular point in time, any of the three great men could triumph. And if they believe that gold runs the world, then the rich man will triumph. If the people think that it's the gods that wield ultimately authority, then the priest will live. If society at-large believes that power lies in legal right, then the king will survive. In other words, it's subjective perceptions that determine who has power. >"Power resides where men believe it resides. Do it, says the rich man, and all this gold shall be yours" (ACOK, Tyrion I).Īll three arguments seem convincing, and so who lives and who dies? According to Varys: Do it, says the priest, for I command you in the name of the gods. Do it, says the king, for I am your lawful ruler. >"Each of the great ones bids him slay the other two. Each great man bids the sellsword to kill the other two: To remind everyone, Varys poses to Tyrion a situation where a sellsword needs to decide who lives between three great men: a king, a priest, and a rich man. Inspired by the NotACast's recent episode on Tyrion II in ACOK, it's worth revisiting the answer to Varys' riddle. What has happened before will perforce happen again" (AFFC, The Kraken's Daughter).īut who will the major claimants be in the last two novels, and how do they embody the original five kings? The Original Five Kings, and What They Represent >“History is a wheel, for the nature of man is fundamentally unchanging. Martin is someone who believes that history repeats itself, I believe The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring will parallel the War of the Five Kings: A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons then largely explore the political and personal impact of this war. The first three novels of A Song of Ice and Fire – A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, and A Storm of Swords – are principally about the origins and conduct of the War of the Five Kings. Henry V (1944), Laurence Olivier ▇ Henry V (1989), Kenneth Branagh Royal Shakespeare Company: Henry IV Part I (2014), Gregory Doran ▇ Henry IV Part I (1979), David Giles ▇ Chimes at Midnight (1965), Orson Welles Hamlet (2009), Gregory Doran ▇ Hamlet (2018), Robert Icke & Rhodri Huw ▇ Hamlet (1948), Laurence Olivier The Comedy of Errors (2011), Paul Hunter ▇ The Comedy of Errors (1978), Philip Casson ▇ The Comedy of Errors (1983), James Cellan Jones Ĭoriolanus (2014), Tim Van Someren The Comedy of Errors (1987), Robert Woodruff Royal Shakespare Company: As You Like It (2019), Kimberley Sykes National Theatre Live: All's Well That Ends Well (2009)Īntony and Cleopatra (1974), Jon Scoffield Verona Beach in Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet), but the performance must use Shakespearean dialogue (i.e no 10 Things I Hate About You).īelow is my preliminary list, but I would appreciate any feedback. I'm looking for suggestions on which adaptation you all feel captures the spirit of each play. I am planning to do a read-through of Shakespeare's 36 "first folio" plays.īefore reading each play, I plan to watch a film adaptation (or filmed performance).