A Game of Thrones

A Game of Thrones

by

George R. R. Martin

Daenerys Targaryen Character Analysis

Daenerys is Viserys and Rhaegar’s sister and Aerys II Targaryen’s daughter. When Daenerys is 13, Viserys trades her hand in marriage to Khal Drogo in hopes that Khal Drogo’s army will support him in his quest to reclaim the Crown. The transactional nature of Daenerys’s marriage illustrates the patriarchal society in which Daenerys lives. She has no say in her own marriage, and Viserys ignores her protests against the marriage. Viserys also repeatedly abuses Daenerys and blames her for the abuse. Though Daenerys is powerless in many ways, including in her own marriage, she also shows a tendency to adapt to trying situations and find ways to gain and maintain power. Daenerys gains significantly more power shortly after Viserys’s death. The fact that Daenerys gains power once her ineffectual brother is out of the way shows that the impediments to women’s power in A Game of Thrones don’t come from the inborn superiority of men to women, as several characters contend, but from the morally indefensible—though no less prevalent for that fact—misogyny and gender-based violence directed against women and girls. Additionally, while Danaerys is initially sullen in her life with Khal Drogo, she gradually grows attached to him. after Khal Drogo’s death, she takes command of his khalasar (a band of nomadic Dothraki people), though it is significantly smaller than it had been before Drogo’s death.

Daenerys Targaryen Quotes in A Game of Thrones

The A Game of Thrones quotes below are all either spoken by Daenerys Targaryen or refer to Daenerys Targaryen. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Politics and Power Theme Icon
).
Chapter 23: Daenerys Quotes

“The common people pray for rain, healthy children, and a summer that never ends,” Ser Jorah told her. “It is no matter to them if the high lords play their game of thrones, so long as they are left in peace.” He gave a shrug. “They never are.”

Related Characters: Jorah Mormont (speaker), Daenerys Targaryen, Viserys Targaryen, Khal Drogo
Page Number: 196
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 68: Daenerys Quotes

“You knew,” Dany said when they were gone. She ached, inside and out, but her fury gave her strength. “You knew what I was buying, and you knew the price, and yet you let me pay it.”

“It was wrong of them to burn my temple,” the heavy, flat-nosed woman said placidly. “That angered the Great Shepherd.”

“This was no god’s work,” Dany said coldly. If I look back I am lost. “You cheated me. You murdered my child within me.”

“The stallion who mounts the world will burn no cities now. His khalasar shall trample no nations into dust.”

Related Characters: Daenerys Targaryen (speaker), Mirri Maz Duur (speaker), Ned Stark, Khal Drogo, Petyr Baelish/Littlefinger
Page Number: 635
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 71: Catelyn Quotes

“MY LORDS!” [Greatjon] shouted, his voice booming off the rafters. “Here is what I say to these two kings!” He spat. “Renly Baratheon is nothing to me, nor Stannis neither. Why should they rule over me and mine, from some flowery seat in Highgarden or Dorne? What do they know of the Wall or the wolfswood or the barrows of the First Men? Even their gods are wrong. The Others take the Lannisters too, I’ve had a bellyful of them.” He reached back over his shoulder and drew his immense two-handed great sword. “Why shouldn’t we rule ourselves again? It was the dragons we married, and the dragons are all dead!” He pointed at Robb with the blade. “There sits the only king I mean to bow my knee to, m’lords,” he thundered. “The King in the North!”

Related Characters: Greatjon (speaker), Robb Stark, Daenerys Targaryen, Jaime Lannister/the Kingslayer
Page Number: 665
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 72: Daenerys Quotes

Ser Jorah Mormont drew her aside as the sun was creeping toward its zenith. “Princess …” he began.

“Why do you call me that?” Dany challenged him. “My brother Viserys was your king, was he not?”

“He was, my lady.”

“Viserys is dead. I am his heir, the last blood of House Targaryen. Whatever was his is mine now.”

“My … queen,” Ser Jorah said, going to one knee. “My sword that was his is yours, Daenerys. And my heart as well, that never belonged to your brother.

Related Characters: Daenerys Targaryen (speaker), Jorah Mormont (speaker), Viserys Targaryen, Khal Drogo
Page Number: 668
Explanation and Analysis:

As she climbed down off the pyre, she noticed Mirri Maz Duur watching her. “You are mad,” the godswife said hoarsely.

“Is it so far from madness to wisdom?” Dany asked. “Ser Jorah, take this maegi and bind her to the pyre […] I thank you, Mirri Maz Duur,” she said, “for the lessons you have taught me.”

Related Characters: Daenerys Targaryen (speaker), Mirri Maz Duur (speaker), Khal Drogo, Jorah Mormont, Aerys II Targaryen
Page Number: 671
Explanation and Analysis:
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Daenerys Targaryen Quotes in A Game of Thrones

The A Game of Thrones quotes below are all either spoken by Daenerys Targaryen or refer to Daenerys Targaryen. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Politics and Power Theme Icon
).
Chapter 23: Daenerys Quotes

“The common people pray for rain, healthy children, and a summer that never ends,” Ser Jorah told her. “It is no matter to them if the high lords play their game of thrones, so long as they are left in peace.” He gave a shrug. “They never are.”

Related Characters: Jorah Mormont (speaker), Daenerys Targaryen, Viserys Targaryen, Khal Drogo
Page Number: 196
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 68: Daenerys Quotes

“You knew,” Dany said when they were gone. She ached, inside and out, but her fury gave her strength. “You knew what I was buying, and you knew the price, and yet you let me pay it.”

“It was wrong of them to burn my temple,” the heavy, flat-nosed woman said placidly. “That angered the Great Shepherd.”

“This was no god’s work,” Dany said coldly. If I look back I am lost. “You cheated me. You murdered my child within me.”

“The stallion who mounts the world will burn no cities now. His khalasar shall trample no nations into dust.”

Related Characters: Daenerys Targaryen (speaker), Mirri Maz Duur (speaker), Ned Stark, Khal Drogo, Petyr Baelish/Littlefinger
Page Number: 635
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 71: Catelyn Quotes

“MY LORDS!” [Greatjon] shouted, his voice booming off the rafters. “Here is what I say to these two kings!” He spat. “Renly Baratheon is nothing to me, nor Stannis neither. Why should they rule over me and mine, from some flowery seat in Highgarden or Dorne? What do they know of the Wall or the wolfswood or the barrows of the First Men? Even their gods are wrong. The Others take the Lannisters too, I’ve had a bellyful of them.” He reached back over his shoulder and drew his immense two-handed great sword. “Why shouldn’t we rule ourselves again? It was the dragons we married, and the dragons are all dead!” He pointed at Robb with the blade. “There sits the only king I mean to bow my knee to, m’lords,” he thundered. “The King in the North!”

Related Characters: Greatjon (speaker), Robb Stark, Daenerys Targaryen, Jaime Lannister/the Kingslayer
Page Number: 665
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 72: Daenerys Quotes

Ser Jorah Mormont drew her aside as the sun was creeping toward its zenith. “Princess …” he began.

“Why do you call me that?” Dany challenged him. “My brother Viserys was your king, was he not?”

“He was, my lady.”

“Viserys is dead. I am his heir, the last blood of House Targaryen. Whatever was his is mine now.”

“My … queen,” Ser Jorah said, going to one knee. “My sword that was his is yours, Daenerys. And my heart as well, that never belonged to your brother.

Related Characters: Daenerys Targaryen (speaker), Jorah Mormont (speaker), Viserys Targaryen, Khal Drogo
Page Number: 668
Explanation and Analysis:

As she climbed down off the pyre, she noticed Mirri Maz Duur watching her. “You are mad,” the godswife said hoarsely.

“Is it so far from madness to wisdom?” Dany asked. “Ser Jorah, take this maegi and bind her to the pyre […] I thank you, Mirri Maz Duur,” she said, “for the lessons you have taught me.”

Related Characters: Daenerys Targaryen (speaker), Mirri Maz Duur (speaker), Khal Drogo, Jorah Mormont, Aerys II Targaryen
Page Number: 671
Explanation and Analysis: