Lysa Arryn Character Analysis in A Game of Thrones

Lysa Arryn is Jon Arryn’s widow; she’s Catelyn and Edmure’s sister. She sends a message to Catelyn early in the novel saying that she suspects the Lannisters killed Jon Arryn. Later in the novel, Lysa is portrayed as mentally unstable, and Catelyn becomes frustrated when Lysa grants Tyrion a trial by combat, a decision that ultimately leads to Tyrion’s freedom.

Lysa Arryn Character Timeline in A Game of Thrones

The timeline below shows where the character Lysa Arryn appears in A Game of Thrones. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...time, Robert Baratheon, who is now the king. Jon Arryn had also married Catelyn’s sister, Lysa, at the same time that Ned married Catelyn. Catelyn then tells Ned that there is... (full context)

Robert tells Ned that Jon Arryn’s death seems to have driven his wife Lysa (Catelyn’s sister) mad. She has taken her son, Robert Arryn—Robert Baratheon’s namesake—to the Eyrie. Robert... (full context)

Catelyn says the message is from her sister, Lysa. It’s written in a private language that the two shared as children. In the note,... (full context)

...woman wonders if Ned accepting the offer means that he’s onto them. Perhaps Catelyn’s sister, Lysa, sent Ned and Catelyn a message, she says. The man tells the woman that Lysa... (full context)

...Ned thinks this is a horrible idea but doesn’t tell Robert about the message from Lysa accusing the Lannisters of murdering Jon Arryn. Instead, Ned expresses his hesitance by reminding Robert... (full context)

The others express their disbelief, and Catelyn swears them to secrecy before telling them about Lysa’s message, which claimed that the Lannisters killed Jon Arryn. Catelyn says she suspects that Bran... (full context)

...more or less suspicious than the countless other deaths he’s witnessed. He also says that Lysa has not seemed like she’s in her right mind recently. Ned raises the possibility that... (full context)

...follow them off their trail. Tyrion thinks they must be going to see Catelyn’s sister, Lysa. At first, Tyrion is handcuffed and forced to wear a hood over his head, but... (full context)

...finally reach the Vale on their way to the Eyrie, the castle where Catelyn’s sister Lysa went after Jon Arryn’s death. The Eyrie is still a day’s travel away. Ser Rodrik... (full context)

...to set up camp, a woman named Mya Stone finds them and tells them that Lysa wants to see Catelyn immediately. Catelyn and Brynden think it’s madness. Catelyn has been riding... (full context)

...help her in the last stages of the climb. When Catelyn arrives at the Eyrie, Lysa at first seems excited to see her. But Lysa quickly drops the façade. She menacingly... (full context)

...as he could want. All he has to do is pass on a message to Lysa. Tyrion tells the guard to pass on the message that he wants to confess to... (full context)

Later that night, Lysa summons Tyrion and is prepared to hear his confession. Tyrion begins describing a litany of... (full context)

...opening. Tyrion then says he wants a trial by combat. The room erupts in laughter. Lysa agrees and chooses one of her soldiers to fight in her stead. Tyrion says he... (full context)

Catelyn wakes up on the morning of Tyrion’s trial intent on speaking with her sister Lysa. Catelyn wants to stop the trial. She thinks that Tyrion has expertly played her sister,... (full context)

When Catelyn speaks to Lysa, Lysa refuses to call off the trial. She is convinced that her champion will defeat... (full context)

Ser Vardis (Lysa’s champion) and Bronn (the hired soldier who stands in for Tyrion) begin to fight. Bronn... (full context)

...the process. Bronn knocks Vardis over and stabs him through the ribs. Robert Arryn tells Lysa again that he wants to see Tyrion fly, but Lysa says that Tyrion is now... (full context)