Understandings of Religion in Game of Thrones

The topic that this website will focus on is the greatly important aspects of religion in the Game of Thrones universe. A Song of Ice and Fire – more colloquially known as Game of Thrones – is a series of fantasy novels written by George R.R Martin that have gone on to taking the form of one of the most critically acclaimed television shows of all time. It is no doubt that this series will have an everlasting effect on pop culture as the universe that it takes place in is seemingly so full of lore, theory, and background that one may never learn everything about it. The complicated nature of the fictional universe allows there to be space for its own unique histories, groups of people, and religions.

As we know, religion is not something that can be simply defined. The structure of religion is something that can be understood from many perspectives as it genuinely is a subset of factors that build a community with shared beliefs. What those beliefs are the variable, and in a fictional universe where titles and groups of people are extremely important for ones identity, there is plenty of religious content to be explored.

The contexts for each one of these religions will be explored further, however, the most dominant ones in the part of the world, Westeros, include: The Old Gods of the Forest, The Faith of the Seven, and The Drowned God. Furthermore, there is another much larger subset of religions that are prevalent in the opposite continent, Essos. Some of these include The Lord of Light, The Many-Faced God of Death, The Great Stallion, and many more.

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Although there are many religions in this universe that are inherently present in the writing and development, there is also an aspect of worship when it comes to certain characters who defy the traditional rules of the world and achieve something great. Two of these characters I would like to focus on are Daenerys Targaryen and John Snow. Both of these characters provide an arc of an uplifting story that ultimately puts them in a place of power as people begin to worship their very being. Although the worship of these characters is not inherently part of a religion in the universe, the way that they are treated by those who pledge themselves to them is similar to that of a God. As well, the acts that put them in these positions are often magical and unusual, making it apparent they have a higher power. 

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So, this series has many different actualized religions to explore, as well as structures to worship specific individuals. There are parallels to the religions and controversies we face in our own world, so we may view this universe as both separate and relative to that of our own. Overall, religion is one of the founding and most important elements of the story that this series tells. This site explores both the denotations and connotations of what it means to become a powerful figure in the Game of Thrones universe.

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-Ann

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