Table of Contents Show
In the popular book series Game of Thrones, Cersei Lannister is well regarded as the most immoral, disliked villain in the fictional land of Westeros. Game of Thrones has many disputes, fan theories, and predictions, but every fan can agree that Cersei Lannister is pure evil. She murders anyone who annoys her, schemes, makes bad political decisions, and the result of her actions causes a major war between the five kingdoms of Westeros.
Could there be a different side of Cersei despite her regard for anyone but herself? In the first three books of the series, we solely see her through other characters’ eyes. Starting in the fourth book, the reader gets an insight into her thoughts, feelings, dreams, and glimpses of her past, which shows a human heart under all of that bitterness.
A Woman’s Power Struggle
The story of Game Of Thrones takes place in the medieval, patriarchal world of Westeros. There are two types of power in this world: visible power and subtle, hidden power. Characters like Ned Stark, Rob Stark, Robert Baratheon, and Tywin Lannister hold visible power where everyone knows they are the man in charge. These men wear crowns, lead armies, and when they walk in a room, people bow or quiver. Other characters like Varys, Littlefinger, and Olenna Tyrell have a huge influence that is invisible to the public. These characters hide in the shadows influencing things to their will through spies, secret deals, and scheming.
Cersei Lannister isn’t interested in the hidden power in the books — she wants the visible power that the men around her hold. “[Cersei] dreamt she sat the Iron Throne, high above them all… Great Lords and proud ladies knelt before her” (( Martin, George R. R. A Feast For Crows. Bantam, 2014. )). Unfortunately, this visible power will never be available to her because of her status as a woman. Instead, her role is to serve her husband and exist as his dutiful, submissive partner. In this series, women are accepted as inferior to men as they are seen as sexual objects which only exist to please and serve.
When Tywin Lannister spoke, men obeyed. When Cersei spoke, they felt free to counsel her, to contradict her, even refuse her. It is all because [Cersei] is a woman.
(( MARTIN, GEORGE R. R. A FEAST FOR CROWS. BANTAM, 2014. )).
Like Father, Like Daughter
Cersei’s father, Tywin Lannister, had a huge impact on her. Throughout the series, she often ponders on the lessons that her father taught her. Consequently, Tywin Lannister was brutal, barbaric even, and raised his children with an iron fist. Tywin pushes family pride and duty unto his children, reminding them constantly that they live solely to honor the family. Cersei, impressionable and eager to please her father, soaks it up like a sponge. Despite her eager loyalty, Tywin is cruel to Cersei. Twin continuously disregards any of her wishes and constantly belittles and insults her.
After Tywin’s premature death, Cersei proves that she views herself as his true heir and states, “I am the only true son [Tywin] ever had” (( Martin, George R. R. A Feast For Crows. Bantam, 2014. )). As cruel as Tywin treated her, she yearns to be accepted by him as he represents her only parental figure. This need for affirmation and acceptance by her father molds Cersei’s perspective of how to treat others. She looks up to her father and in the midst of some of her cruelest moments, she reminds herself that “Tywin would’ve done it.” Regardless of how she feels, she cannot be heir to Tywin’s kingdom because of her gender, leaving the prized kingdom of Casterly Rock to her brother.
This leads Cersei’s deep frustration of being born a woman to grow. Furthermore, while her twin brother Jaime and her were mirror reflections of one another physically, they were never treated equally. Jaime was taught to fight with a sword because as a son, he would be heir to their father’s Kingdom of Casterly Rock with a future of glory and honor. She was taught to smile and please. She would be “sold off to a stranger like a horse” in an arranged marriage destined to be a loyal wife and mother.
From an early age, she was bitter because being born a woman denied her access to her heart’s desires. This gender dynamic backlashed as Cersei learned that the only way she could get what she wanted was through aggression and force. Eventually, later in the series Cersei gains power which she uses get away with the murder her husband and crown herself queen. Inside her was an unhinged desire to feel powerful, and through Tywin’s example, she learned to ruthlessly put her conscience to the side.
The Lannister Twins
Cersei’s mother died at an early age, her father Tywin was often away traveling and she had few genuine friends growing up. Her closest companion became her twin brother Jaime, but the two became closer than normal siblings. Being neglected, Cersei began to process her trauma in an unhealthy way by blurring the boundaries of a healthy relationship with her twin brother.
Jaime could not remember when him and Cersei first began to kiss. “It was innocent at first. Until it wasn’t” (( Martin, George R. R. A Feast For Crows. Bantam, 2014. )). When the young lovers were caught going at it by their mother’s maid, they were automatically separated and punished. Jaime’s bedchamber was moved to the other side of Casterly Rock and a guard was placed outside Cersei’s door. Cersei had her one person stripped from her due to society labeling her love as wrong and immoral.
Cersei saw herself in Jaime and viewed their relationship as more than brother and sister, “We are one person in two bodies… When he is in me I feel whole” (( Marin, George. R. R. A Game Of Thrones. Bantam, 2011. )). Some can argue that she loved Jaime because he looked like her. When she was making love to Jaime, they were one being and she was able to become the male version of herself she so longed for. Cersei could fulfill the fantasy of becoming her brother through the power of sex.
The Denial Of Love
Cersei highlights her womanly rejection in many ways and bitterly states “I could have been the heir [Tywin] wanted, but I lacked the cock” (( Martin, George R. R. A Storm Of Swords.Bantam 2003. )). To add salt to her wounds, she would watch her twin brother be handed everything on a golden platter. Cersei would rebelliously seek to dominate the heir to Casterly Rock through manipulation and seduction. If she could not be heir, she would get the power by making her own brother Jaime fall in love with her.
As dysfunctional as their relationship was, Jaime still loved her, he protected her and was the father of her three children. Cersei would never admit it, but she depended on Jaime. However, she would never be able to openly love Jaime or be his wife because of their incest and her marriage to another man, Robert Baratheon.
Earlier in her life Cersei was promised to be married to the beautiful dragon prince, Rhaegar; however, Rhaegar’s father forbid the marriage. After this rejection, her father forcibly married her off to the king of Westeros, Robert Baratheon. Cersei hated Robert for his alcoholism, infidelity, irresponsibleness and how he’d hurt her. As her marriage with Robert fell apart, Cersei would be tormented by the life she could’ve had with Rhaegar. The rejection Cersei experienced through this chain of events would haunt her, and repeat itself in her head without remorse. This would become the straw that broke the camel’s back as anger and pain fueled through Cersei. She was denied love for the same reason she was denied power — and she would project her pain for everyone to feel.
The Anger Of The Queen Of Westeros
Cersei was denied everything she wanted in life because of her gender. She became a female mysgonist who hated other women and cruelly criticized them. She murdered Margaery, called Olenna a “disgusting old crone”, called Brienne a “huge, ugly shambling creature”, called Elia Martell a “feeble donnish princess with a flat chest” and the list can go on. Once she had murdered everyone in her path, including her husband King Robert Baratheon, she clung unto power until it destroyed her. As Queen of Westeros, she would become paranoid and let her past demons haunt her. After a life of being pushed to the side, she finally experiences the power she longs for — which would also be what breaks her.
Cersei’s inability to lead due to her mental instability would lead to the death of her children and the Kingdom of Westeros to crumble. After Cersei’s bad decisions catch up with her, she would have a mental breakdown and blow up the Sept of Baelor in an attempt to secure permanent power. This failure would eventually traumatize her by causing her to spiral out of control as she tried to maintain power despite her mistakes.
Cersei lusts for power with every waking breath.
(( Martin, George. R. R. A Game Of thrones. Bantam, 2011. )).
What would have happened if Cersei was not born into a male-dominated society? Every villain has a story before they turn to the dark side, and hers was full of humiliation, rejection and denial. It is arguable that she would not have become the villain that she did if her life wasn’t full of gender barriers. All the lying, scheming, and murder was a reaction to the uncontrollable events of her life. Cersei overcompensated being a woman by being cruel, aggressive and ruthless. The Game Of Thrones villain Cersei Lannister is a complex character, who once had dreams and hopes before the door was shut in her face due to her status as a woman.
You did great ?