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Chapter 56: Tyrion
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in A Game of Thrones, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Politics and Power
Climate Change and Collective Action
Gender and Power
Honor and Integrity
Identity
Summary
Analysis
Sansa is allowed to move freely around the Red Keep, but the Lannisters won’t let her step foot outside the castle walls. In the castle, Sansa searches for friendly faces, but no one meets her eyes. Joffrey also adjudicates the king’s justice for the first time and asks that Sansa be present. Joffrey reads out a list of names of people who must pledge fealty to him as king or else they will have their titles and land stripped from them. Stannis and Renly Baratheon’s names are on that list, as are those of Catelyn, Robb, Bran, Rickon, and Arya.
Sansa seems to be becoming increasingly aware that she is, in fact, a hostage, as she’s not allowed to set foot aside the Red Keep. The failure of others to meet her eyes seems to suggest that they recognize the wrongs they have done to put Joffrey and Cersei in power by arresting Ned. However, even though they know what they’ve done is wrong, they do not take any steps to change it or to help Sansa.
Themes
Joffrey appoints Jaime to the position of Commander of the Kingsguard and the Hound to the ranks of the Kingsguard. The former Commander of the Kingsguard, Ser Barristan, is furious. The Kingsguard oath is meant to be for life, and now he has been stripped of his role. He voices his complaints, and Joffrey tells his men to detain Barristan. Joffrey also names Tywin Lannister the Hand of the King. Joffrey then asks if anyone else has business before the king. Sansa timidly speaks up. She knows Joffrey loves her, so she’s sure he'll listen to her. She pleads for Joffrey to have mercy on her father (Ned), who stands charged with treason. Joffrey says that he’ll have mercy as long as Ned confesses to his crimes. Sansa assures Joffrey that Ned will confess.
Joffrey reveals his despotic tendencies as he responds to opposition from Barristan by imprisoning him. When Sansa assures Joffrey that Ned will confess to his crimes, it’s not entirely clear if she now believes Ned committed those crimes or if she has adopted a pragmatic attitude to try and secure her father’s safety. Either way, with Joffrey on the throne and exhibiting a propensity for authoritarianism, it seems that Sansa doesn’t have much choice at this point other than to try and appease Joffrey in order to ensure Ned’s safety.
Themes
