Okay, I admit it. I’m
a Game of Thrones fan. I started
watching the show when it first came out and then got distracted from it for
some reason and lost track. With season
three airing a few weeks ago, I decided to catch up and went back to the
beginning.
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| A spectacular spectacle, this hastlitude! |
This has to be one of the most violent shows I’ve ever
watched. The brutality of the medieval
ages is depicted rather graphically. I
won’t even mention the sex. This show is
not for everyone and I caution anyone who hasn’t seen it that it definitely
contains adult content. But all that
aside, the fantasy realm in which the show takes place is amazing. I wish I could come up with a better adjective
for it; amazing barely cuts it. A Game
of Thrones is mind-bogglingly fantastic.
Sometimes in a stomach-turning, face-grimacing,
hide-your-eyes-behind-your-hands kind of way.
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| Things don't always end well for the knights - or their horses! |
The sport of jousting has always had a deep effect on
me. I hold my breath right from the
moment the horses start their charges down the rail to the moment of impact. Mostly I’m worried about the horses. I figure if grown men are stupid enough to
point lances at each other with the intention of skewering their opponents,
they probably deserve what they get. But
the horses are unwitting and probably unwilling participants in this bizarre
and dangerous game. While I have to
concede that without them the spectacle would lose 99% of the drama, it would
gain about 110% in the amusing entertainment department.
Jousting is a hastilude (from the Latin hastiludium, meaning literally “lance game”). The word joust is from the French joster,
meaning “to approach; to meet.” And the
synonym, “tilt” dates to about 1510. It enjoyed a 500-year popularity,
particularly in England and Germany, but finally died out in favour of other
equestrian sports.
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| You can create your own Game of Thrones sigil at http:// |
A limited revival of the sport began in the 1970s. Thankfully, this is mostly confined to theatrical
re-enactments in such groups as the Society for Creative Anachronism and the
International Jousting Association. But
accidents still happen and it remains a dangerous, if not fantastically
thrilling thing to do. Or watch, as I would
prefer, not being a huge thrill seeker and having a clear understanding with
horses that I won’t ride them and they won’t throw me off them. Though I do think it would be very cool to
have my own suit of armour…
Totally with you on all points. I adore Game of Thrones (the books, too) and the jousting really does catch the flavor o the era. (I also worry a lot more about the horses than the men). The books, too, emphasize the rituals like a man asking a woman's favor (her colored ribbon around his lance)
ReplyDeleteI just went to Medieval Times last weekend. The Joust is my favorite part!!
ReplyDeleteHugs!
Valerie Nunez and the Flying Platypi
Okay, now I know why I've never watched this - fantasy and violence combined, just not my thing! Thanks for letting me know I never even have to try it out! LOL!
ReplyDeleteJousting is definitely cool. I have to admit, sometimes it makes me think of the video game where your knight is riding an ostrich! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joust_(video_game)
ReplyDelete