“My Life Is My Foe’s Debt”

Reputation in Game of Thrones and Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, may be the greatest love story of all time, but it also is a great tale of children breaking the traditions of their parents, in order to find happiness. Romeo and Juliet is the story of two lovers from battling families attempting to be together. These two children are not just in love, they are also changing each family’s reputation. This idea, of breaking tradition and finding a new path, is seen in several movies and books, but it is clearly seen in the television show Game of Thrones, particularly in the character Daenerys Targaryen who is altering the way the world see’s her family. Game of Thrones uses Romeo and Juliet for inspiration to add depth to their loves stories, but Game of Thrones also takes the notion of breaking a family’s reputation. These two characters both have to surpass great odds to achieve there goals which in turn, will result with the world being more peaceful for the people that live in it.

The Montagues and the Capulets, have been fighting each other for many years which earned them a reputation for war and violence. They have taught their children and everyone that follows them that the other family is their enemy. Romeo, the next heir to the Montagues, understands that the Capulets are their enemies. This sight goes away after he sees Juliet. This is evident when Romeo says, “my life is my foe’s debt”(1.5.132), this statement tells us that Romeo believes that he is in debt to his sworn enemy for giving life to Juliet. He does everything in his power to see her, when he states, “As that vast shore washed with the farthest sea, I would adventure for such merchandise”(2.2.83–34). This love forms a bond with a Capulet never seen before in these two family histories. He is able to change the reputation of both families, but his motivation is not to change his family’s reputation, all he wants to do is be with Juliet. Romeo and Daenerys change their reputation to help themselves, which in turn changes their family’s Reputation.

In Game of Thrones, Daenerys changes the way the world sees her family. Her father found joy in burning people, making them fight each other and believed that war was the only answer. Daenerys decides that she does not want to go down the same path as her father. She believes that she can have a stronger loyalty with the people she rules if she helps them, instead of making them fear her. This change rewrites the Targaryen history and brings peace to many people. The change to her family brings a great deal of controversy to Westeros and the people she wants to rule. To show her change from the reputations her father left, she frees an army of slaves; they are so grateful for this act they support her and what she is trying to accomplish. She also decides to free every slave she can find which leads them to support her as well. Similar to Romeo and Juliet, Daenerys is very young and does not have the clearest vision. Her motive is not to change the reputation of her family, but to become queen and rule. She does want to change her father’s reputation, but that is only to get to the Iron throne and win it back. If she becomes queen se may become like her father without knowing.

Throughout both of the stories, Romeo and Daenerys face challenges Romeo faces his biggest challenge when he kills Juliet’s cousin, Tybalt. Romeos rage leads him to kill Tybalt and and from the people’s point of view, it looks like just another Montague killing and Capulet. Romeo also kills Paris, another man loyal to the Capulets. Daenerys also as show that her father’s blood runs through her veins, when she decides to crucify 163 slave owners. One of the clearest moments is when she yells “I will take what is mine with fire and blood” which are words her father probably said. They also have to sacrifice a lot to achieve there goal. During Game of Thrones, Daenerys tries to free the slaves in Slaver’s Bay, she succeeds, but changes the traditions of their home. She does not realize this and has to sacrifice what she believes in, for the well being of her people. Romeo has to sacrifice a lot more for his goal. Romeo tries to get to Juliet and marry her even though he killed Paris and Tybalt. He gets to Juliet, but he see’s her pale cold body on her bed. He believes that the only way to be with her is to kill himself next to her. This sacrifice wakes up the parents of Romeo and Juliet ending the fight between the two families. Although Romeo did have to kill himself, he was able to stop and tradition that has been fighting for years. That goes the same for Daenerys who was able to stop slaves from being sold, from this she became queen of slaver’s bay not from fear, but from love of the people.

This proves the change that both Daenerys and Romeo face. They chose their own destiny and shows everyone else that there family’s reputation does not define them. Romeo hanges his future for love, Daenerys for the notion of peace. They had trouble along the way and were not always true to themselves, they still persevered to accomplish there goal. There sacrifices may have hurt them, but these behaviors brings peace to the people around them, and perhaps, paves the way for a future that is constantly in peace.

Work Cited

Shakespeare, William, et al. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Simon & Schuster, Barbara A. Mowat, Paul Werstine Paperbacks, 2009.

Abstract

I had some trouble writing this paper. I was watching Game of Thrones and really wanted to make my paper about this. I began the project with a simple story that matched the story of Romeo and Juliet. After having a quick talk with my teacher, I came to the conclusion that my paper could talk more about reputation than love. I than worked on in for the past few weeks and finished it after revising it twice.