Okay, so we've all seen that he's an indignant little four-letter-word-that-starts-with-S (avoiding profanity because this is a school thing, after all...). It's out there, he's obnoxious, and everybody hates him. I've heard spoilers about numerous other reasons to hate him, and I have to say that he's the only character I've ever gone into a series I didn't know already hating. You know about Draco Malfoy being a bad guy before you read the Harry Potter series, you know likely about President Snow being evil when you start reading the Hunger Games trilogy, but seriously.
Granted, I've spent a lot of time trying to acquaint myself with the world Game of Thrones takes place in, and am trying my hardest to understand what seems to be to be a difficult and twisted plotline, and the spoilers I've found only make me more confused. But there is one thing that every wikia page or GoT blog I stumble across has in common: they all agree that Joffrey Baratheon is the most hated character in the entire series, surpassing Cersei and Jaime and Sansa. I've even seen a few blogs that argue Joffrey to be the most hated character in all literature, and are astounded by just how horribly a person can be written to be.
So, guys. Let's talk Joffery and how nasty he is. (Also kudos to Jack Gleeson for acting Joffrey's part in the HBO series, I watched a few episodes today.)
He's literally been written to be the epitome of douchetastic toolery (sorry, Ms.Kindel). He's been raised to believe that everyone is literally beneath him. He disregards what everyone says to him, and he believes that what he believes is the right belief, no exception.
ReplyDeleteSo yeah, I hate him too, but like, come on, he totally had the upbringing to ensure that he is the way he is.
He definitely did have the upbringing that morphed his thought process, but it doesn't seem to have bled to his little siblings (also fun fact: he's still TWELVE YEARS OLD my god. In the show he looks about 16 or a runty 17 year old but he's TWELVE in the books! And from what little I've seen of the show, Cersei is terrified of him but defensive, like the scene where the thing happened with Lady being blamed for Nymeria(?) attacking him, it's so strange. I can't wrap my head around what's going on with Cersei, she's the most confusing character to me, honestly. Joffery is like Joker, he has no motive, no tragedy, no trauma, he just is evil because he can be. Cersei is banging her brother, yet jumps to protect her legitimate children from any harm that may come their way (I guess it's ignorant of me to assume she would do otherwise... she /is/ their mother...)
DeleteHe was definitely raised for it though, but I feel like if Cersei wasn't his mother then he wouldn't be screwy like he is, Robert strikes me as a good man despite his apparent alcoholism and other unsavoury traits.
Joffrey is the epitome of the argument about nature over nurture, and personally I believe that if Cersei was not his mother then he would still be the way he is because several decisions that he's made have been without his mother. She tries to influence him, but he resists all of her attempts to rein in his behavior. And rather than correct him and override his decisions she backs him up and appears to be fairly lenient when it comes to disciplining him for his actions.
ReplyDeleteCersei, in my opinion, has been raised to believe that the Lannisters, her family, come first above everything else and her actions, more often than not, reflect this upbringing. She seems to have been raised with the opinion that if something does not gone her way, she simply has not been trying hard enough.
Jaime, however, is one of the Lannisters that I cannot stand. He Killed "The mad King" and as such is a hero in the seven Kingdoms. As such, I think that his actionsare deplorable in the context of his success. I feel like out of the three of them; Cersei, Tyrion, and Jaime; Jaime's actions are the most inexcusable because he doesn't have a justifiable reason to be the way he is.
In conclusion, all of the Lannisters suck, except for Tyrion.
The End
Tyrion is a special snowflake Lannister, we've established that. I just don't think that Joffery would be the way he is without Cersei allowing him to be completely out of control and passing it off under the "he's the prince! He can do anything he wants!" sort of excuses she's permitted because she's the queen.
ReplyDeleteI feel a little bad for Cersei because she's a woman and as such is not necessarily considered equal to anyone else in the story, but she's a very easy character to dislike or even hate, but not as easy as her son or twin.
But yes all of the Lannisters are awful, Tyrion excused.
I agree, Joffrey is the most despised character in The Game of Thrones. A lot of people also want to hate Sansa for her attitude and the stupid things she does. I want to hate Sansa sometimes, but I feel bad that she's betrothed to Joffrey. Even though her decision making is not the best, she is just a kid. I watched the T.V. series before I read the book and I never realized how young she really was until I read the book. I can't imagine being 11 years old and having to deal with what she has to go through.
ReplyDeleteI feel bad for Sansa too, she's really young (they all are, good god, Joffrey is 12!) I'm having a ahrd time hating Sansa after losing Lady though, that was unnecessary.
ReplyDeleteSansa was drunk as well when she was being questioned. Poor girl. She's no worse than your average upper class preteen, but she has hell to go through.
ReplyDeleteI found this picture that goes along with what you are saying and found it pretty funny. I don't know if i can have the picture appear on a comment. I might just make it a post so everyone can see.
Deletehttps://scontent-a-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/1477896_456153434496307_1302623096_n.jpg