The practice of tongue mutilation is a method of punishment and torture, usually enforced to render the victim mute and unable to spread certain tales or information.
Culture
A tongueless person is disadvantaged by being rendered mute, and can therefore tell no tales.[1][2] Removal of the tongue can be done out of cruelty, punishment, torture, or vengeance. The mere threat to rip out tongues can be effective.[3] Tongues can be torn out with hot pincers[3][4] or cut out with a blade.[5]
The silent sisters are falsely rumored to have had their tongues removed,[6] but in actuality they have taken a vow of silence.[7]
History
When Harmund III Hoare, a King of the Iron Islands, outlawed reaving and the taking of salt wives, a priest of the Drowned God known as the Shrike led a rapid rebellion, and Harmund was cast down and mutilated, including losing his tongue so he may never again speak "lies and blasphemies".[8]
Following the short-lived Sistermen's Rebellion, Queen Marla Sunderland had her tongue removed en route to end her days with the silent sisters, tending to the noble dead.[9][10]
King Viserys I Targaryen decreed that any person who questioned the paternity of his daughter Rhaenyra's children with Ser Laenor Velaryon would have their tongues ripped out.[11] The silent five were five nephews of Corlys Velaryon that suffered that punishment.[12][13]
During the Dance of the Dragons, a crossbowman called Bean claimed to have killed Syrax in the the Storming of the Dragonpit, so one of Rhaenyra's loyalists cut his tongue.[14]
King Aerys II Targaryen had Ser Ilyn Payne's tongue ripped out with pincers[15] as punishment for claiming that Lord Tywin Lannister, the Hand of the King, was the one who truly ruled the Seven Kingdoms.[16]
The miller's wife gave birth to Ramsay Snow, the bastard son of Lord Roose Bolton, who cut out the tongue of the old miller's brother, so that he could not relay Lord Bolton's unlawful activities to his liege lord, Rickard Stark, Lord of Winterfell,[5] and he later also did the same to Grunt, for speaking carelessly in Roose's hearing.[17]
Euron Greyjoy removes the tongues of many who serve him.[18][19][2] Craster once cut out the tongue of an envoy sent by Mance Rayder, King-Beyond-the-Wall.[20]
Varys employs children with their tongues removed as his little birds.[21]
Recent Events
A Game of Thrones
When Ser Jorah Mormont advises Viserys Targaryen to be patient regarding the Dothraki's own time, the Beggar King threatens to remove his tongue.[22]
While escorting Lady Catelyn Stark and her prisoner Tyrion Lannister into the Mountains of the Moon, a Bracken asks Catelyn permission to toss Tyrion's tongue at her feet.[23]
When a plump tavern singer is accused of making a song ridiculing the late King Robert I Baratheon, the new King Joffrey gives him one day to choose between keeping either his fingers or his tongue.[24]
A Feast for Crows
Victarion Greyjoy spies the Silence and is disturbed to note that her motley crew of mutes and mongrels speak no word as the Iron Victory sails near. [25] Victarion later confides his doubts regarding Euron Greyjoy to the tongueless dusky woman.[18]
Lord Robert Arryn complains about Marillion's singing and says to Alayne Stone that her supposed father, Lord Petyr Baelish should have cut out the imprisoned singer's tongue. Alayne thinks to herself that Marillion needed his tongue so that he could confess to the murder of Lady Lysa Arryn.[26]
Ser Jaime Lannister reveals many of his darker secrets to Ilyn Payne, knowing the mute and illiterate knight can never reveal them to anyone.[1]
During the raid on Saltpans, Brother Clement had his tongue cut out by attackers in mockery of his vow of silence.[7]
The normally placid King Tommen I Baratheon becomes furious when his mother says she would gladly have Margaery Tyrell's tongue torn out.[27] To punish him, she orders that Tommen is to whip Pate and if His Grace refuses or protests, Qyburn is to be summoned to remove Pate's tongue.[27]
A Dance with Dragons
Following Hazzea's death at the hands of Drogon, Skahaz mo Kandaq advises Queen Daenerys Targaryen to rip out the tongue of Hazzea's father to silence him about the girl's death.[17]
Daario Naharis cuts out the tongue of one of the Long Lances for saying Meereen would soon be under siege.[28]
When Ralf the Limper suggests that the Iron Fleet is on a cursed voyage, Victarion slaps him twice and threatens to nail his tongue to the mast.[2]
The Winds of Winter
| 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. |
Falia Flowers is lashed next to Aeron Greyjoy onto the prow of the Silence. He sees that she is naked, pregnant and her tongue has been cut out.[29]
Characters
- Characters left alive with no tongue
- Bean - a crossbowman who claimed to have killed Syrax[14]
- Falia Flowers – tongue torn out by Euron Greyjoy[29]
- Grunt – lost his tongue for speaking carelessly in Roose Bolton's hearing[17]
- King Harmund III Hoare - his tongue was taken by the Shrike so he may never again speak "lies and blasphemies"[8]
- Ser Ilyn Payne – tongue torn out by King Aerys II Targaryen
- Lelia Lannister – tongue torn out, lips, ears, eyelids removed by the Shrike[8]
- Marla Sunderland, forced into exile after the Sistermen's Rebellion[30]
- Sandoq the Shadow - had his lips and tongue removed[31]
- Ramsay Snow's maternal uncle – Roose Bolton cut out his tongue to silence him about Ramsay's birth[5]
- Dusky woman – tongue torn out[18]
- Little birds – child spies with tongues removed[21]
- crew of the Silence - Euron Greyjoy's infamous mutes
- envoy sent by Mance Rayder to Craster - Craster cut out his tongue[20]
- wife, sons, and cousins of Ser Vaemond Velaryon - punished by Viserys I Targaryen[13]
- Characters de-tongued and killed
- Brother Clement - tongue cut out by attackers during the raid on Saltpans[7]
- Queen Ceryse Hightower - killed by Ser Maladon Moore and Ser Owen Bush[32]
- KingHagon Hoare - before being hanged, suffered the same mutilations which had been done to Lelia Lannister[8]
- Lords Rosby and Stokeworth, executed by Rhaenyra Targaryen[33]
- Lady Serala of Myr - was burned alive, though her tongue was torn out first[34]
- the Shepherd - tongue torn out and then burned by order of King Aegon II Targaryen[35]
- a member of the Long Lances - Daario Naharis cuts out his tongue and feeds it to a yellow dog[28]
- captain of the Ghiscari Dawn - had his tongue torn out for saying to Victarion Greyjoy that Daenerys Targaryen was dead, before being thrown overboard[36]
- Characters who remove tongues
- Lord Roose Bolton[5]
- Craster[20]
- King Euron Greyjoy[2]
- Lord Captain Victarion Greyjoy[36]
- Daario Naharis[28]
- King Aegon II Targaryen[35]
- King Aerys II Targaryen[15]
- King Maegor I Targaryen[32]
- Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen[33]
- King Viserys I Targaryen[13]
Quotes
You have a bold tongue, little man. One day someone is like to cut it out and make you eat it.[37]
When you tear out a man's tongue, you are not proving him a liar, you're only telling the world that you fear what he might say.[38]
I am not in the habit of being questioned by servants, Nan. Must I have your tongue out?[39]
Aerys also felt the need to remind men that he was king. And he was passing fond of ripping tongues out as well. You could ask Ser Ilyn Payne about that, though you'll get no reply.[40]
Lie to me, and I'll take your tongue.[41]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 27, Jaime III.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 56, The Iron Suitor.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 17, Cersei IV.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 19, Davos III.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 32, Reek III.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 65, Arya XII.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 31, Brienne VI.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 The World of Ice & Fire, The Iron Islands: The Black Blood.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, Reign of the Dragon - The Wars of King Aegon I.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Vale.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Viserys I.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, Under the Regents - The Hooded Hand.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Fire & Blood, Heirs of the Dragon - A Question of Succession.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Overthrown.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 15, Sansa I.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 11, Jaime II.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 11, Daenerys II.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 29, The Reaver.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 45, Catelyn V.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 23, Jon III.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 32, Arya III.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 11, Daenerys II.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 31, Tyrion IV.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 67, Sansa VI.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 18, The Iron Captain.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 23, Alayne I.
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 36, Cersei VIII.
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 23, Daenerys IV.
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 The Winds of Winter, The Forsaken
- ↑ Fire & Blood, The Reign of the Dragons - The wars of King Aegon I.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, The Lysene Spring and the End of Regency.
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 Fire & Blood, The Sons of the Dragon.
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Triumphant.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 9, Brienne II.
- ↑ 35.0 35.1 Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - The Short, Sad Reign of Aegon II.
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 63, Victarion I.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 62, Tyrion VIII.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 15, Tyrion III.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 64, Arya X.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 53, Tyrion VI.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 20, Reek II.