First, some shameless self-promotion, in the form of feel-good Cat-fic. Because let's face it, Cat and Cat-fans alike could all stand to feel good about something:
A Short Grammar of Eros and Honor: On Naming (http://archiveofourown.org/works/279763) : Catelyn Stark/Ned Stark : Rated T : ~1329 words
‘As the Lady of Winterfell, she has learned to take practical matters into her own hands. She sees no reason why the intimate matters of her marriage should be any different.’ Pre-canon.
*
And now a wee tiny bit of meta.
SPOILERS
I think Cat's story is such a clever parable of what happens when implacable strength meets the brick wall of patriarchy. One of the great things about ASoIaF is that it provides such a huge range of female characters, each with her own distinct relationship to her culture's norms of femininity. Cat's fascinating, because despite some basic tension and difficulty, she embraces her role as wife and mother – and tries to fulfill that role to the greatest extent possible. She is, allegedly, doing everything that you are supposed to do, as a woman, under patriarchy. It gives her power, for a while. And then it kills her. And then – death not really being her thing – re-animated into irrational pursuit of vengeance, she gains the power to avenge herself and her family only at the cost of her basic humanity.
And it's so wildly compelling. Oh, Cat. I'll be in your corner, cheering for you against the odds, forever.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2012-02-02 02:41 pm (UTC)First, some shameless self-promotion, in the form of feel-good Cat-fic. Because let's face it, Cat and Cat-fans alike could all stand to feel good about something:
A Short Grammar of Eros and Honor: On Naming (http://archiveofourown.org/works/279763) : Catelyn Stark/Ned Stark : Rated T : ~1329 words
‘As the Lady of Winterfell, she has learned to take practical matters into her own hands. She sees no reason why the intimate matters of her marriage should be any different.’ Pre-canon.
*
And now a wee tiny bit of meta.
SPOILERS
I think Cat's story is such a clever parable of what happens when implacable strength meets the brick wall of patriarchy. One of the great things about ASoIaF is that it provides such a huge range of female characters, each with her own distinct relationship to her culture's norms of femininity. Cat's fascinating, because despite some basic tension and difficulty, she embraces her role as wife and mother – and tries to fulfill that role to the greatest extent possible. She is, allegedly, doing everything that you are supposed to do, as a woman, under patriarchy. It gives her power, for a while. And then it kills her. And then – death not really being her thing – re-animated into irrational pursuit of vengeance, she gains the power to avenge herself and her family only at the cost of her basic humanity.
And it's so wildly compelling. Oh, Cat. I'll be in your corner, cheering for you against the odds, forever.