“Beyond the Known World”: Medieval Travel Literature and Orientalism in Game of Thrones
This page examines the medieval genre of travel literature, in which real and fictive European travellers wrote about far away, quasi-magical lands beyond the known world. Travel literature is a great introduction to the medieval world and worldview, and it also introduces students to the concept of orientalism.
From the Outside Looking In: Analyzing Medieval Europe from New Perspectives
The Middle Ages is best observed from multiple perspectives, and the numerous points of view offered in Game of Thrones can help to establish the importance of multiple perspectives in the minds of students. This post explores the process of studying Medieval Europe from the perspectives of the “peripheries” while utilizing parallels to Game of Thrones to actively engage students.
When Winter Comes: The Long Night, The Dust Veil of 536CE, and Norse Mythology
Winter is coming, and no one seems to be worried about it. Showing how the seasons in Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire work compared to the natural phenomenon in the Middle Ages and how they both affected the people living in those world with regards to religion and everyday life.
The Madness of Kings: Using Game Of Thrones To Discuss Medieval Madness And The Kings Who Had It
The mind is a mysterious place and people in the Middle Ages attempted to understand it just as much as we do today. Game of Thrones and its “Mad King” can serve as an entry point to discussing the medieval views on mental illness, the kings may have had one, how modern views on mental health affects the study of the medieval and medievalism.
The Digital Citadel 