Sandor and Gregor Clegane enter the Cleganebowl (GET HYPE twitter account, @cleganebowl)
With the degree to which modern entertainment has moved online, it has become impossible to separate popular shows, books, and games from the internet followings they attract. Fan-created videos, memes, songs, and more are created in tribute to popular series both in print and on screen. This is a world in which students will almost certainly be involved; as such, it is a worthwhile venture to demonstrate to them what value can be gained from examining this internet culture. In terms of the Game of Thrones phenomenon, the medievalism of these tributes is part of what them worth studying: what attracts people to Game of Thrones memes, what makes parody videos so appealing, and what does this say about how we approach the Middle Ages? By examining these questions, students can be taught the medievalism of the Game of Thrones internet culture and gain an insight into why the memes and videos that become popular do so. Largely distinct from fandom culture, internet culture describes the images, videos, and parody songs that are established around Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire rather than elements such as cosplay, musical recreations, fan theories, and fanfiction. Through studying the reason these elements of internet culture become so popular, students will be able to identify the medievalism of them and be introduced to a variety of medieval topics.
A good starting point for exploring the medievalism of internet culture is Umberto Eco’s “Ten little middle ages”, a basic summary of which is available in a preview of one of his works via Google Books. An effective active learning activity could be to assign the students a collection of memes or videos and have them compare Eco’s approaches to the Middle Ages to determine if any apply the selected works. Keep in mind that Eco did not write this ideas during the time of mass internet culture, and as a result, many memes and videos will not fit neatly into any of Eco’s categories. Common themes from these works should be identified and elaborated upon, explaining why they appeal to their audience and what about them can be seen as Medieval. Crossovers, hatred of characters such as Joffrey, poking fun at Martin’s glacial writing pace and frequent killing off of characters, Jorah Mormont as living in the ‘friendzone’, Hodor Hodoring, and more emerge as common elements of memes and videos; using these as gateways, one can use the Game of Thrones internet culture to introduce their students to various topics in Medieval studies..
Game of Thrones Red Wedding reference/Wedding Crashers crossover (The Chive)
For the above image, as an example, students may not initially recognize the Medieval elements present in it. By exploring the meme’s reference to the in-series Red Wedding students will be able to observe not only that this mix of fantasy, history, and modern media make for an amusing meme, but will also be introduced to its Medieval elements. By having students explore the nature of guest right in Game of Thrones and the Medieval origins from which Martin drew it, they can be introduced to this medieval concept that plays such a huge role in Martin’s world.
Danaerys finally gets her coffee (Boredpanda)
Memes can also be explored to show how comparison to the present day can help popularize them. In this example, one can see a popular character from the series being transplanted into problems faced in fans’ daily lives – in this case, the ‘difficulties’ of getting coffee at Starbucks. In this meme the the medievalist element is exaggerated in that her name is almost a dozen lines long as it contains all of her titles, hereditary and earned. Examining such combinations of the modern and Medieval will help students understand the medievalism behind them as they connect elements of their daily life with characters from Game of Thrones and its medievalist elements (in this case, excessive naming schemes). Mixing more humour focused and less content-heavy memes such as this one into a lesson will also help keep students interested.
A Meme reflecting on how much we all hate Joffrey (Pastemagazine)
As one of Game of Thrones‘ most hated characters, Joffrey Baratheon is a common target of derisive memes. While students may be tempted to leave their analysis of this at ‘he’s bad/evil/a monster‘, they should be encouraged to think about why they feel this way about him. Joffrey embodies nearly all the worst aspects that come to mind when somebody thinks about the negative connotations of the Middle Ages; he gleefully murders, calls for executions at will, abuses women, and acts with entirely undeserved pompousness. He is a prime example of the stereotype of a Medieval tyrant, a focus for the hatred of what some people interpret as what was ‘wrong’ with the Middle Ages. By exploring examples of how rulers such as Charlemagne, Henry VI of England, Emperor Basil II, and others reigned and comparing them with Joffrey, students can gain a stronger impression of Medieval kingship (and emperorship) using anti-Joffrey memes as a gateway. Figures such as Henry VI and Richard III are especially good to use as they have fiercely debated historiographies both condemning and praising them. Useful readings for this sort of activity could be drawn from secondary sources, but primary sources such as Charlemagne’s letter to Abbot Bagaulf should also be used to engage students. Fordham University’s Internet Medieval Sourcebook contains a massive variety of works that could be used for kings ranging from the 5th century, such as Clovis, to 15th century English kings like Edward IV and Richard III
A video building hype for the predicted fight between Gregor and Sandor, the Clegane brothers, dubbed the “Cleganebowl” (Contains foul language, violence, drug references, and partial nudity).
Not all tributes come in image form; others, like the above, are videos that combine fan-favourite characters with modern elements such as music, cultural references, and memes. Especially noteworthy in terms of internet culture is the idea of “hype”, excitement over characters and/or events that is propagated by fans rather than the media or marketing campaigns. Sandor Clegane has become the target of such hype, as have other characters such as Stannis Baratheon. While it is easy to be distracted by the flashing lights, dubstep, marijuana leaves, and blaring horns often shotgunned across these videos, they contain a great deal of craftsmanship and fan-theorywork; this can be seen even in Cleganebowl videos of minimal length. Cleganebowl videos draw on Game of Thrones lore involving Cersei’s childhood prophecy and the identities of Robert Strong and the Gravedigger alongside fan love for Sandor Clegane to build hype for Cersei’s trial-by-combat. This juxtaposition of modern and Medieval elements working in tandem to build fan-constructed enthusiasm should by identified by students when examining these videos; examination could also include what makes characters such as the Hound or Stannis so popular. Beyond physical qualities, these characters provide a break from the politics and scheming of the series, returning in a way to Eco’s little middle ages as a barbaric age; Sandor Clegane’s bluntness, love of violence, and deeply buried soft side make him a “badass” in an intensely complicated world. Stannis Baratheon, likewise, presents a simplified character through his strict adherence to honour, tradition, and what be believes to be right, making him a fan favourite – especially with Ned Stark, another honour-bound man, being long dead. Students should be able to observe that the fan perceptions of Sandor Clegane and Stannis Baratheon create simplified, idealized characters who cut through what Game of Thrones portrays as Medieval intrigue and politics in favour of mixed brutality and honesty.
Fans also use memes to express dislike of beloved characters’ actions
By examining examples of internet culture such as those exemplified above, students will be able to form connections between what we perceive as Medieval and why that perception becomes popularized; from there, students can be given the historical background to these perceptions to discover in what ways they are true to the scholarship of the Middle Ages. Connections between the Medieval and modern elements of Game of Thrones can be explored through the use of memes and videos, with the Wedding Crashers/Red Wedding meme serving as an example of this. Other memes, such as those expressing dislike for Joffrey, could be used to introduce students to the realities of medieval kingship. These examples of what could be used and taught are just a few of an almost limitless supply; memes of Hodor could be used to discuss the treatment of different mental states in the Middle Ages, images of Jaime Lannister could be used to discuss loyalty, memes about the Mountain and Brienne of Tarth could be used to discuss knighthood and chivalry, serve as only a few ideas. The products of internet culture that could be used to teach about the Middle ages are vast, as are the specific topics that can be taught, but for almost any topic, internet culture and memes will make it more accessible to students.
The Digital Citadel 