The Conflicting Convergence of Authority and Female Representation in Game of Thrones

Abstract

This thesis has aimed to determine how, in the American television series Game of Thrones (2011-2019), the presence of the male gaze interfered with the portrayal of several female characters’ authority. Research was conducted by using Max Weber’s theory of the Three Types of Legitimate Rule and Laura Mulvey’s theory of the male gaze to analyze a collection of scenes belonging to the following four characters: Daenerys Targaryen, Cersei Lannister, Sansa Stark and Arya Stark. Analysis of these scenes showed that, despite examples of said female characters engaging in expressions of authority and attempts by the show creators to lessen the sexual objectification in later seasons, these portrayals have often been undermined by scenes where they were treated as passive sex objects rather than active participants in the story.