Game of Quotes
The end is almost here for Game of Thrones. It has been fun, shocking, entertaining, disappointing and fun again. Let’s look at some of the best quotes from the series and understand their meanings in English.
Going all the way back to season 1 we have the famous quote from the stoic Ned Stark.
The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword - Ned Stark
What does it mean to pass a sentence? A sentence can be a collection of words ending in a full stop (This is an example.) or it can be a prison sentence, or even a death sentence. This is where a person with power says someone will die. In this case Ned Stark is saying someone who wants to execute a person should do it themself.
A lion does not concern himself with the opinion of sheep. - Tywin Lannister
This quote is from Tywin Lannister, brutal leader of house Lannister. Is he really talking about animals? No, it is a metaphor. A metaphor is a phrase where the words represent other things. Here lions represent powerful people and sheep represent weak people.
A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone. That's why I read so much. - Tyrion Lannister
From my favourite character in the series Tyrion Lannister (and a great actor too) we have this quote. When we say something is like something else this is called a simile. We compare two ideas as similar. A whetstone is a stone used to sharpen knives and swords! Reading books for your mind like using a whetstone on your sword, it makes it sharper. We say a mind is sharp when it is smart and quick.
I will not become a page in someone else's history book. - Stannis Baratheon
Are we being literal again? It is another metaphor, he means world history when he says history book. Stannis Baratheon wants full control of the world's history. He's what we call a control freak. Someone who wants total control of his and other peoples' lives!
The past is gone for good. You can sit here mourning it's departure, or prepare for the future. - Petyr Baelish
Very appropriate for the end of this great TV show. Mourning is to feel sad about something that is gone. Petyr Baelish is being pragmatic, meaning he behaves rationally, practically and not theoretically. The past is gone, don't feel sad, plan for the future.
Should we feel sad that Game of Thrones is finishing, or start planning what TV series to watch next?
