HBO’s upcoming series, House of the Dragon, will shed some light on patriarchy and misogyny through its two main characters, Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower.
The prequel to the Game of Thrones saga is set three centuries back where the tale will reveal the origins of the House Targaryen. It will also depict the rise and fall of the empire that will lead to the civil war called Dance of the Dragons. The show is based on George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood novel.
Rhaenyra (played by Milly Alcock) and Alicent (Emily Carey) are two central figures who would grow up to be best friends only to be torn apart later in their adulthood.
House Of The Dragon On Exploring Patriarchy And Misogyny
In their interview with Screen Rant, Alcock and Carey talked about their characters’ dynamics and how they dealt with the misogynistic ways of Westeros.
Carey: “My favorite thing about this show is that, yes, we showcase misogyny and we show how it affected the women in this world, and how it relates to these characters—whether it’s Alicent or Rhaenyra or Rhaenys even. But when we take away the storyline and theme of misogyny, these characters still have an arc and are still complex women onscreen. They’re not just there to serve the purpose and to show misogyny; they are human beings put onscreen.”
Alcock: “I think that Rhaenyra especially is a fighter. She fights for what she wants, and she doesn’t like to take no for an answer. But I think that these two women deal with it entirely differently, and that’s what makes the show quite interesting. Because I think that a lot of people can see themselves in Rhaenyra just as much as Alicent.”
The subject of women’s portrayal in House of the Dragon has become a hot topic in recent weeks. Writer and producer Sarah Hess has previously mentioned that they will not depict onscreen violence, which Game of Thrones was quite infamously known for.
