Archive for October, 2011
The Dilemma of Honour and Realpolitik in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire
In my last post I looked at how George R.R. Martin's fantasy series "A Song of Ice and Fire" explores the key features of honour cultures. But what is so interesting about honour? Why should we be interested in it? What makes George R.R. Martin's fantasy epic, as an essay about honour, relevant to modern readers? What we learn is that Martin's saga defines one of the central dilemmas of the modern age. We are used to thinking that honour is a dead concept that is no longer applicable to us. But this is not so. Politics in the modern age is ruled by two forces - Realpolitik and Honour. And there is a tension between them so profound that it will likely be the ruin of us all unless we find some solution.
