Playing the Game

Tyrion Lannister, one of the Children of Lord Tywin, takes position within council of the Lannister house as well as is titled Hand of the King for his nephew, King Joffrey. From reading Clash of Kings, Tyrion’s involvement within his family’s life is a little unstable due to the fact his twin siblings are having incestial affairs and his nephew seems to be very unfit as a king. His return is analyzed when his father sends him to speak to Cersei about her son’s actions. Joffrey committed a spontaneous decision to behead Ned Stark, the ruler of the Starks and the father of the woman that was betrothed to him, Sansa Stark. The original decision that was supposed to occur was to allow Ned to live as suggested by both Cersei and Sansa, however Joffrey believed that they were just weak minded women and had other intentions in which was a thirst for blood. Tyrion stands in the middle, relative to the King yet sickened by the mistakes made that inevitably led to war. With masked feelings of Joffrey's reign of the iron throne hidden, he keeps his intentions lowkey to continue to fall on the good side of his sister. Cersei, though not pleased to have their father send Tyrion due to the doings of her son, tolerates his company later on since he also helps with the Lannister army against Stannis Baratheon during the war of the five kings (also known as the Battle of the Blackwater). The treatment he receives from both the council and his sister are a little questionable since the only one that really helps him is Varys, another member of the council, and Jaime Lannister. Cersei finds him intolerable since Tyrion does contain a witty side that makes snarky comments and can put on a false persona of compliance. Not only this, but their mother died during the birth of Tyrion, which turned their father, Tywin, cold as well as Cersei herself. Personally, I feel that Tyrion is one of the stronger characters in this series by seeing the corruption of the Houses for the power of the throne. He finds out that his sister was the true murderer of a prostitute and her child because that child’s father was Robert Baratheon. He also has dealt with the cruel actions of his father from the loss of his first love, a prostitute named Tysha, whom he saved from being victimized. He also always felt degraded due to his dwarfism, especially through Joffrey's mistreatment of him. His false persona keeps his high position in the kingdom and quiets his tongue. Though getting accused and betrayed in later books, Tyrion works his way around it and grows to be wiser. He learns to play the game to keep himself alive and end his suffering through corrupt leaders like King Joffrey and Lord Tywin.

-KW