“House of the Dragon” highlights the unfair burden placed on grieving women

When dragons clash, war is devastating. However, the emotional cost of such destruction weighs heavily on the women of Westeros, steeped in a history of rigid gender roles.

The second season of “House of the Dragon” highlights this dynamic. At a pivotal moment, Queen Helaena (Phia Saban) is forced to reveal the location of her son Jaehaerys (Jude Rock) to an assassin, leading to his tragic death in retaliation for the murder of Lucerys (Elliot Grihault). Helaena’s trauma is palpable, and her mother, Dowager Queen Alicent (Olivia Cooke), is devastated.

“The child is dead. His suffering is over. But what they did to my daughter…” Alicent laments, her usually stoic demeanor breaking. “What if the hand that did this wasn’t the one to be blamed?” The gods punish us. They punish me. »

Their suffering does not end there. In an effort to turn public opinion against Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy), Alicent’s father, Otto (Rhys Ifans), Hand of the King, hatches a plan. He proposes a public funeral for Jaehaerys, with Alicent and Helaena mourning in full view.

“Let no one say I am not in mourning,” Otto says. “The kingdom must see the crown’s grief. A grief best expressed through its gentlest souls. I think you will all agree that the king himself must be spared.”

In “House of the Dragon,” mourning highlights traditional gender roles, highlighting the disparity between men and women in Westeros. The very idea of ​​Rhaenyra becoming a female heir brings much of the internal conflict within the kingdom to a head, as many are unwilling to accept a woman on the throne.

In Westeros, women are often called upon to perform their duties in public, even in times of deepest sorrow. This forced performance exacerbates gender divisions, placing women on the lowest rung of emotional labor.

This hierarchical system is evident when Otto parades Alicent and Helaena through King’s Landing, despite their discomfort. Meanwhile, Aegon is allowed to remain isolated in the Red Keep, his emotional instability hidden to avoid showing his weakness.

In this feudal society, men do not readily display their sorrow. Toxic masculinity thrives, defining royal strength in terms of rage and emotional repression. A crying king is considered weak, while an angry woman is derisively called a “cunt.”

During Jaehaerys’ funeral procession, thousands of mourners surround the grieving mother and daughter. Helaena’s pain is visible as she struggles with the sight of her son’s unstable, sutured head during the procession. The spectacle becomes a dark testament to female grief, manipulated by powerful men.

Aegon instantly blames Rhaenyra for Jaehaerys’ death, despite knowing that it was Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) who ordered the murder. This misdirected anger reinforces the show’s emphasis on gendered expectations.

The complexity of Aegon and Helaena’s relationship as siblings and spouses further complicates the emotional landscape. Actor Glynn-Carney suggests that Aegon finds comfort in Helaena, the only other person who truly understands his pain. However, a glimpse of their interactions shows a lack of meaningful empathy, highlighting their emotional disconnect.

Meanwhile, Rhaenyra faces a similar struggle. Her incredulous assertion that she would never harm Helaena despite their enmity showcases a rare moment of compassion that she does not receive from her own allies. Even as she searches for her son’s remains, her husband Daemon demands action, wanting to fight back immediately.

“Was that the queen’s order?” Rhaenys (Eve Best) asks, to which Daemon retorts that Rhaenyra’s absence puts her in danger. Rhaenys argues that Rhaenyra is grieving, but Daemon dismisses this idea as she is shirking her duties.

Like Otto, Daemon fails to grasp the extent of Rhaenyra’s grief. Rhaenys, having lost her children, appreciates Rhaenyra’s restraint, understanding her need for emotional space rather than her vengeful impulse.

In Westeros, women are expected to publicly express their grief, often for political gain. This façade of emotional transparency demanded by a patriarchal society does not lead to healing but instead deepens the wounds.

Rhaenyra’s reflection on ruling a kingdom of “ashes and bones” refers to the destructive potential of long-repressed female grief. This theme recalls the dazzling devastation of King’s Landing by Daenerys Stormborn in “Game of Thrones”. The consequences of such grief are invariably catastrophic, shaped by a world that instrumentalizes emotions.

Source: Names of sources