A Game of Thrones

A Game of Thrones

by

George R. R. Martin

Robb Stark Character Analysis

Robb is Catelyn and Ned’s son and Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Rickon’s brother. He is also Jon Snow’s half-brother. After Ned is arrested and executed, Robb becomes the Lord of Winterfell and leads the Stark army and bannermen into war against the Lannisters. Robb is only 15 years old at the time, and many consider him too young to be an effective leader. Robb gradually proves many of those who doubt him wrong, though, and Catelyn sees him as a direct continuation of Ned’s legacy. As a character, Robb serves as a subtle foil to Jon Snow, illustrating the inherent injustice of the feudal system of Westeros in which the circumstances of one’s birth determine one’s fate. Jon and Robb are about the same age and have almost identical upbringings. Both are considered to be people of upstanding character with potential for leadership. The primary difference between them is that they have different birth mothers. Thus, while Jon becomes a steward to the commander of the Night’s Watch, Rob is anointed the King in the North.

Robb Stark Quotes in A Game of Thrones

The A Game of Thrones quotes below are all either spoken by Robb Stark or refer to Robb Stark. 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 1: Bran Quotes

“Robb says the man died bravely, but Jon says he was afraid.”

“What do you think?” his father asked.

Bran thought about it. “Can a man still be brave if he’s afraid?”

“That is the only time a man can be brave,” his father told him.

Related Characters: Ned Stark (speaker), Bran Stark (speaker), Jon Snow, Robb Stark, Gared
Related Symbols: The Others
Page Number: 13
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 26: Jon Quotes

Fat and awkward and frightened he might be, but Samwell Tarly was no fool. One night he visited Jon in his cell. “I don’t know what you did,” he said, “but I know you did it.” He looked away shyly. “I’ve never had a friend before.”

“We’re not friends,” Jon said. He put a hand on Sam’s broad shoulder. “We’re brothers.”

And so they were, he thought to himself after Sam had taken his leave. Robb and Bran and Rickon were his father’s sons, and he loved them still, yet Jon knew that he had never truly been one of them. Catelyn Stark had seen to that. The grey walls of Winterfell might still haunt his dreams, but Castle Black was his life now, and his brothers were Sam and Grenn and Halder and Pyp and the other cast-outs who wore the black of the Night’s Watch.

Related Characters: Jon Snow (speaker), Samwell Tarly (speaker), Robb Stark, Catelyn Stark, Bran Stark, Tyrion Lannister, Maester Aemon , Grenn, Pyp, Rickon Stark
Related Symbols: The Others
Page Number: 228
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:
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Robb Stark Quotes in A Game of Thrones

The A Game of Thrones quotes below are all either spoken by Robb Stark or refer to Robb Stark. 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 1: Bran Quotes

“Robb says the man died bravely, but Jon says he was afraid.”

“What do you think?” his father asked.

Bran thought about it. “Can a man still be brave if he’s afraid?”

“That is the only time a man can be brave,” his father told him.

Related Characters: Ned Stark (speaker), Bran Stark (speaker), Jon Snow, Robb Stark, Gared
Related Symbols: The Others
Page Number: 13
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 26: Jon Quotes

Fat and awkward and frightened he might be, but Samwell Tarly was no fool. One night he visited Jon in his cell. “I don’t know what you did,” he said, “but I know you did it.” He looked away shyly. “I’ve never had a friend before.”

“We’re not friends,” Jon said. He put a hand on Sam’s broad shoulder. “We’re brothers.”

And so they were, he thought to himself after Sam had taken his leave. Robb and Bran and Rickon were his father’s sons, and he loved them still, yet Jon knew that he had never truly been one of them. Catelyn Stark had seen to that. The grey walls of Winterfell might still haunt his dreams, but Castle Black was his life now, and his brothers were Sam and Grenn and Halder and Pyp and the other cast-outs who wore the black of the Night’s Watch.

Related Characters: Jon Snow (speaker), Samwell Tarly (speaker), Robb Stark, Catelyn Stark, Bran Stark, Tyrion Lannister, Maester Aemon , Grenn, Pyp, Rickon Stark
Related Symbols: The Others
Page Number: 228
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: