A Feast for Crows: Analysis of Major Characters
"A Feast for Crows" explores an intricate tapestry of characters set in the tumultuous world of Westeros, focusing on their ambitions, struggles, and evolving roles. Key figures include Aeron Greyjoy, a priest navigating power struggles following his brother’s death, and Arianne Martell, the determined heir of Dorne, who plots revenge and seeks the throne for Myrcella Baratheon. Arya Stark embarks on a journey of transformation in Braavos, training as an assassin while grappling with her past. Asha Greyjoy battles for recognition as a leader, facing gender-based obstacles.
Brienne of Tarth’s loyalty drives her quest to find Sansa Stark, while Catelyn Stark, resurrected as Lady Stoneheart, leads a vengeful faction. Cersei Lannister's grip on power is challenged by emerging rivals, including Margaery Tyrell. Other notable characters include the ambitious Petyr Baelish, the innocent King Tommen, and the enigmatic Euron Greyjoy, who seeks to expand his influence. Each character's journey intertwines with themes of power, loyalty, and the consequences of ambition, providing rich material for analysis and discussion in the context of this complex narrative.
A Feast for Crows: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: George Richard Raymond Martin
Alternate Title: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book Four
First published: 2005
Genre: Novel
Locale: Iron Islands, Westeros; King's Landing, Westeros; Riverrun, Westeros; the Wall, Westeros; the Eyrie, Westeros; Free City of Braavos, Essos
Plot: Epic fantasy
Time: Fictional Middle Ages, 300 AL
Aeron Greyjoy, a priest of the Drowned God, brother of the now-deceased Balon Greyjoy, lord of the Iron Islands. Aeron supports his brother Victarion Greyjoy's unsuccessful claim to throne of the Iron Islands.
Arianne Martell, the eldest daughter and heir of the Prince of Dorne, Doran Martell. Impatient with her father's lack of action after his brother, Oberyn Martell, is killed by Gregor Clegane, she begins scheming to put Myrcella Baratheon on the throne as part of an elaborate revenge plot.
Arya Stark, Cat of the Canals. Having fled across the Narrow Sea to Braavos, Arya goes to the House of Black and White, a temple to the Many-Faced God, death. Though still a child, she begins training as an elite assassin with the Faceless Men.
Asha Greyjoy, charismatic daughter of lord Balon Greyjoy of the Iron Islands. Asha seeks to take over her father's role as leader. She receives considerable support, but is thwarted, largely because she is a woman.
Beric Dondarrion, leader of the outlaw group the Brotherhood Without Banners. Beric finds Catelyn Stark's corpse in a river and sacrifices his own life to resurrect her.
Brienne of Tarth, a capable warrior, continues her quest to find Sansa Stark, who fled King's Landing after King Joffrey's murder. She is acting as a favor to Jaime Lannister, who wishes to fulfill his promise to Catelyn Stark to return her daughter.
Catelyn Tully Stark, killed and dumped in the river after the Red Wedding. However, she is brought back to life by Beric Dondarrion and takes over leadership of the Brotherhood Without Banners. Now calling herself Lady Stoneheart, she exacts brutal revenge against those who have wronged her family.
Cersei Lannister, power-hungry mother of the boy-king Tommen. Cersei, struggling to maintain her authority in King's Landing, faces competition from Tommen's new queen, Margaery Tyrell. Cersei also must deal with an increasingly militant religious movement spreading throughout the realm.
Doran Martell, the placid and gouty Prince of Dorne. Doran does not want to act quickly when news that his brother, Oberyn Martell, has been killed in King's Landing. After his daughter, Arianne Martell, botches her attempt to make Myrcella Baratheon queen of Westeros, he reveals to Arianne his plans to forge an alliance with Daenerys Targaryen.
Euron Greyjoy, brother of the now dead Balon Greyjoy. Euron takes his place as lord of the Iron Islands. He seeks to obtain Daenerys Targaryen's dragons and capture more of Westeros.
Gendry, the blacksmith's apprentice and secret illegitimate son of deceased king Robert Baratheon. Gendry fled King's Landing with recruits for the Night's Watch and then joined the Brotherhood Without Banners. He is working as a smith at an inn when Brienne of Tarth finds him. He saves her life when inn is attacked by bandits called the Brave Companions.
Jaime “Kingslayer” Lannister, son of the now-deceased Tywin Lannister. Jaime struggles to be useful to the family without his sword hand. He heads an assault on Riverrun, ancestral home of House Tully.
Margaery Tyrell, the lovely daughter of the powerful House Tyrell, marries King Joffrey's heir, his younger brother, Tommen Baratheon.
Melisandre, priestess of the red god R'hllor, who seeks king's blood to work her powerful magic. She wants to sacrifice Mance Rayder's captured infant son, who is in fact sent away from the Wall with Samwell Tarly, Gilly, and the elderly scribe and healer Aemon Targaryen.
Myrcella Baratheon, sweet-tempered elder sister of King Tommen Baratheon. Myrcella has been sent to Dorne. The Prince of Dorne's daughter, Arianne Martell, attempts to force her to become Queen of Westeros in a botched plot. Myrcella narrowly survives an assassination attempt and is disfigured in the process.
Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish, an ambitious lord and widower; de facto lord of the Eyrie. Baelish is now at the Eyrie with Sansa Stark, who is pretending to be his bastard daughter. He is showing her how to play the game of thrones by manipulating his way into taking control of the Vale, a region formerly held by his deceased wife, Lysa Tully Arryn, and her sickly son, Robert Arryn.
Robert Arryn, nominal lord of the Eyrie. A sickly, developmentally stunted, and epileptic little boy, Robert was orphaned when his mother, Lysa Arryn, was pushed to her death by her husband Petyr Baelish. Robert tries to find comfort with Sansa Stark, who is living under an assumed identity in his mountain castle.
Samwell Tarly, a fat and cowardly member of the Night's Watch. Jon Snow sends Tarly, Gilly, and Aemon Targaryen to accompany Mance Rayder's infant son, away from Melisandre, the priestess who wants to use royal blood for her mysterious sorcery.
Sansa Stark, older daughter of Eddard and Catelyn Stark. She is now living under an assumed identity in the Eyrie with Petyr Baelish and her cousin, Robert Arryn.
Thoros of Myr, priest of R'hllor with the Brotherhood Without Banners. He continues to work with the group after Beric Dondarrion's death. He is uneasy with the brutality of the group's new leader, Lady Stoneheart.
Tommen Baratheon, King of Westeros. An agreeable young boy, Tommen is controlled by his ambitious mother Cersei Lannister, and later by his advisers when she is arrested by King's Landing's religious leaders.
Victarion Greyjoy, brother of the now deceased Balon Greyjoy, lord captain of the Iron Fleet, master of the Iron Victory. Victarion loses his bid to succeed Balon as lord of the Iron Islands to another of his brothers, Euron Greyjoy. Euron Greyjoy sends Victarion to find and capture Daenerys Targaryen's dragons.