POV character
Chapters of A Song of Ice and Fire are presented through different POV characters. Point of view is the way a story is written, determining through whose perspective the story is told. George R. R. Martin adheres to third-person narration. In each chapter the reader is presented with the thoughts of one particular character, but not the thoughts of other characters appearing within the chapter. The differing, sometimes conflicting, points of view within A Song of Ice and Fire present a multi-faceted view of the story.
Although most POV characters have been featured in multiple chapters, the prologues of the published books and the epilogues of A Storm of Swords and A Dance with Dragons feature characters whose points of view have only been featured once. Beginning in A Feast for Crows, some chapters are headed with a descriptive title rather than the POV character's name, although Martin has not yet explained why.[1] The Dunk and Egg novellas have thus far been from the perspective of Duncan the Tall.
POV characters by book
A Game of Thrones
- Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North - 15 chapters
- Catelyn Stark, the wife of Eddard - 11 chapters
- Daenerys Targaryen, the exiled daughter of the late King Aerys II Targaryen and his wife, Queen Rhaella - 10 chapters
- Tyrion Lannister, a dwarf and the brother of Cersei and Jaime - 9 chapters
- Jon Snow, the bastard son of Eddard - 9 chapters
- Bran Stark, the second son of Eddard and Catelyn - 7 chapters
- Sansa Stark, the elder daughter of Eddard and Catelyn - 6 chapters
- Arya Stark, the younger daughter of Eddard and Catelyn - 5 chapters
- Will, a ranger of the Night's Watch - 1 chapter (Prologue)
A Clash of Kings
- Tyrion Lannister - 15 chapters
- Arya Stark - 10 chapters
- Jon Snow - 8 chapters
- Sansa Stark - 8 chapters
- Bran Stark - 7 chapters
- Catelyn Stark - 7 chapters
- Theon Greyjoy, the surviving son of Lord Balon Greyjoy - 6 chapters
- Daenerys Targaryen - 5 chapters
- Davos Seaworth, a former smuggler and now a landed knight in service to Lord Stannis Baratheon - 3 chapters
- Cressen, the maester of Stannis Baratheon - 1 chapter (Prologue)
A Storm of Swords
- Arya Stark - 13 chapters
- Jon Snow - 12 chapters
- Tyrion Lannister - 11 chapters
- Jaime Lannister, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard and the brother of Cersei and Tyrion - 9 chapters
- Catelyn Stark - 7 chapters
- Sansa Stark - 7 chapters
- Davos Seaworth - 6 chapters
- Daenerys Targaryen - 6 chapters
- Samwell Tarly - 5 chapters
- Bran Stark - 4 chapters
- Chett, a steward of the Night's Watch - 1 chapter (Prologue)
- Merrett Frey, the ninth son of Lord Walder Frey - 1 chapter (Epilogue)
A Feast for Crows
- Cersei Lannister, the queen regent and the sister of Jaime and Tyrion - 10 chapters
- Brienne of Tarth, the daughter of Lord Selwyn Tarth - 8 chapters
- Jaime Lannister - 7 chapters
- Samwell Tarly, the elder son and former heir of Lord Randyll Tarly - 5 chapters
- Arya Stark - 3 chapters
- Sansa Stark - 3 chapters
- Aeron Greyjoy, a younger brother of Balon and a priest of the Drowned God - 2 chapters
- Victarion Greyjoy, a younger brother of Balon, the Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet, and the captain of Iron Victory - 2 chapters
- Arianne Martell, the daughter and heir of Doran - 2 chapters
- Asha Greyjoy, the daughter of Balon and the captain of Black Wind - 1 chapter
- Areo Hotah, the captain of guards for Doran Martell, Prince of Dorne - 1 chapter
- Arys Oakheart, a knight of the Kingsguard - 1 chapter
- Pate, a novice at the Citadel in Oldtown - 1 chapter (Prologue)
A Dance with Dragons
- Jon Snow - 13 chapters
- Tyrion Lannister - 12 chapters
- Daenerys Targaryen - 10 chapters
- Theon Greyjoy - 7 chapters
- Quentyn Martell, the elder son of Doran - 4 chapters
- Davos Seaworth - 4 chapters
- Barristan Selmy, the Lord Commander of Daenerys's Queensguard - 4 chapters
- Asha Greyjoy - 3 chapters
- Bran Stark - 3 chapters
- Jon Connington, the exiled Lord of Griffin's Roost and former Hand of the King - 2 chapters
- Cersei Lannister - 2 chapters
- Victarion Greyjoy - 2 chapters
- Arya Stark - 2 chapters
- Areo Hotah - 1 chapter
- Jaime Lannister - 1 chapter
- Melisandre, a red priestess of R'hllor from Asshai - 1 chapter
- Varamyr, a skinchanger - 1 chapter (Prologue)
- Kevan Lannister, a knight and Lord Regent - 1 chapter (Epilogue)
The Winds of Winter (so far confirmed)
| Warning This information has thus far been released in a sample chapter for The Winds of Winter, and might therefore not be in finalized form. Keep in mind that the content as described below is still subject to change. |
- Arianne Martell - 2 chapters
- Barristan Selmy - 2 chapters
- Tyrion Lannister - 2 chapters
- Arya Stark - 1 chapter
- Sansa Stark - 1 chapter
- Theon Greyjoy - 1 chapter
- Victarion Greyjoy - 1 chapter
- Aeron Greyjoy - 1 chapter
Statistics
Statistics, detailing the appearance of POV chapters across the novels.
| POV Character | A Game of Thrones | A Clash of Kings | A Storm of Swords | A Feast for Crows | A Dance with Dragons | The Winds of Winter | Number of Chapters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eddard Stark | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| Catelyn Stark | 11 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| Sansa Stark | 6 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 25 |
| Arya Stark | 5 | 10 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 34 |
| Bran Stark | 7 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 21 |
| Jon Snow | 9 | 8 | 12 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 42 |
| Daenerys Targaryen | 10 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 31 |
| Tyrion Lannister | 9 | 15 | 11 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 49 |
| Theon Greyjoy | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 14 |
| Davos Seaworth | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 13 |
| Samwell Tarly | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Jaime Lannister | 0 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 17 |
| Cersei Lannister | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 12 |
| Brienne of Tarth | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Areo Hotah | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Arys Oakheart | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Arianne Martell | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Asha Greyjoy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| Aeron Greyjoy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Victarion Greyjoy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| Quentyn Martell | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Jon Connington | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Barristan Selmy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| Melisandre | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Other POV characters
Dunk and Egg
Game of Thrones (Cyanide RPG)
Game of Thrones - A Telltale Games Series
Behind the Scenes
All prologue and epilogue POV characters so far have had their point of view featured only once, dying at the end of their chapter or, in the case of Chett, shortly afterward. However, George R. R. Martin has stated, "It's the viewpoint character who always dies. I like to break rules. Just when I get it established what the rule is, I like to break it. So maybe the viewpoint character will die in the prologue, and maybe they won't."[2]
References
- ↑ So Spake Martin: Asshai.com Forum Chat, July 27, 2008
- ↑ ScreenerTV.com: George R.R. Martin skipping 'Game of Thrones' for 'Winds of Winter', July 26, 2014