Sidney's Blog

The movie directed by Robin Hardy known as The Wicker Man, 1973 version, is a very different movie to say the least. As the police detective was searching for the missing girl, that everyone knew was not actually missing, he witnessed multiple acts of paganism on this island. Or at least what he thought was paganistic material. For instance there where people dancing naked in the fields, and openly having sexual relations in the graveyard. This to a most people seems very weird, but to the people on the island was very normal. Near the end of the movie, when the detective realized what was happening, he tried to explain how sacrificing someone would not “cure” the crops. But the people on the island were set in their ways. All of this information screams paganism. And as the detective was doing his research he was shocked at every corner at finding out what the people of this island were doing with each other.

Re-watching Sherlock for the 100th time, and during the Hounds of Baskerville episode, Sherlock dips into the folklore and superstition of the town of Dartmoor. This man from the town had come to him to help him understand why and how he was seeing this large hound that could not possibly be there. About half an hour into the episode Sherlock travels to this spot in the woods that the hound is said to be seen at. Sherlock and Harry both end up seeing this hound, but john does not. So he tries to figure out how, not only this man that he had never met before, but also himself could have possibly seen this mysterious hound. Sherlock realizes that this man that came to him is not delusional but is actually seeing things. Personally I think that this hound that everyone thinks they are seeing is based on the “Black Dog”. This is a Scottish folk tale about a large dog, that has a “dark-green shaggy coat and to be about the size of a large calf… its eyes were large and had a fiery glow and its tail was long and curled”. This is almost the same as the hound in the episode, but instead of being green to represent the fairy dog, it was black with fiery red eyes. The writers did a wonderful job of portraying the people in the town of Dartmoor as people today, and how not many people today believe in superstition and folk tales. Most of the people in the town did not believe that the hound existed, but also the fact that the one person was using it as a tourist attraction and giving a walking tour of the area in which the hound is said to be. Even though it is a show based in modern times, that is how people react to folktales and superstition today, all over the world there are off road attractions that do not make sense purely because the people that own it can make money, and it is a fun thing for people to do.

Charles I got most of his ideas on how to rule from his father, James VI. Well technically, he got them from a book that his father wrote to him, and then years later was published to the people so that everyone could see what the “ideal ruler/king” should do. So, because of this, the ideas of how to rule were more or less very straight forward. Look after the people, have them respect you, but know that whatever you do it is the right thing. You should fear god, but god chose you to be the king so whatever you say goes. These were written in the Basilikon Doron, the book that James VI wrote. From reading just a small passage from the book, it is very easily understandable that James VI understood that he was chosen for a reason and that reason was because God wanted him to be King. Throughout James VI rule, he knew what to do not only for the people but also for what he thought was the best for himself, and in turn God. During the second book of the Basilikon Doron, James VI mentions many reason of punishment towards others for many reasons, and they are all very detailed, but near the middle of the book, on page 115, he states that

“for offences against your own person and authority, since the fault concerneth yourself, I remit to your own choose to punish or pardon therein as your heart serveth you and according to the circumstances of the turn and the quality of the committer”

This is a very interesting point of view to take. James VI looks at everyone but the kind as people who must follow these strict laws, and rules, but when it comes to the king they are able to make their own choices. This seems like James VI sees the king as a higher being and not needed to be under the same laws/rules as everyone else. The king is a higher being, they are absolute.

A lot of different things happen in Game of Thrones, and they sometimes derive from historical events. Even some of the characters are based off of historical kings and queens. Example of this would be King Joffrey, he is based off of Edward of Lancaster who is the son of King Henry VI and Margaret of Anjou. In this specific episode of Game of Thrones, The Rains of Castamere, George R. R. Martin based it off of two Scottish events from the past and a Japanese event, he has stated “The Red Wedding is based on a couple real events from Scottish history. One was a case called The Black Dinner… [and] the Glencoe Massacre” (George R. R. Martin).The wedding is said to be based on two British massacres and a Japanese event, the Kojiki.

So firstly, the Kojiki is a half historical half mythological text that chronicles the rise of Japan’s first ruler, Emperor Jimmu. In this he murders all of his political rivals at a feast, like the Red Wedding, as well as the Red Wedding, the start of the massacre was a song. Another massacre that the Red Wedding was based off of was The Black Dinner. This happened when the King of Scotland was fighting the Black Douglas clan. In efforts to try to make peace, he offered the young Earl of Douglas safe passage at Edinburgh Castle. He then had a great feast, at the end of the feast the drums started and a black bore was brought out on a platter for the Earl. Once the Earl saw the bore he knew it meant death. The last massacre was the Glencoe Massacre. Clan MacDonald was staying with the Campbells. In the middle of the night, the Campbell's arose and slaughtered all of the MacDonald’s that they could get their hands on.

All three of these events are seen to have an effect on George R. R. Martin and his writing of the Red Wedding. The beginning of the Red Wedding when The Rains of Castamere starts to play, is drawn from the Kojiki. The idea of the Red Wedding can be drawn from the Glencoe Massacre, and how the Stark's were at the Frey’s castle, and during the feast Lord Frey,  slaughtered the Stark’s and their men. Finally from the Black Dinner, because after the Frey’s murdered the Stark’s, the cut off Robb’s dire-wolf's head and put it on Robb Stark’s body and chant as they Frey men lead it out of the castle, proudly showing it off to everyone chanting “here comes the king of the north”.