House of the Dragon: Criticism of Female Character Depiction

Despite its success, House of the Dragon has faced criticism for its portrayal of women on screen. Many have expressed disappointment in the show’s decision to limit their involvement in war, arguing that it does them a disservice.

Undoubtedly, the women of Westeros hold significant influence in House of the Dragon. The root cause of the Targaryen Civil War revolves around the controversy surrounding Princess Rhaenyra’s right to the Iron Throne, ultimately leading to the current Targaryen king usurping it from her.

Despite the fact that this, along with the tumultuous past between Rhaenyra and Alicent, serves as the central focus of Season 2 of House of the Dragon, there are some who believe that the show’s female characters are not being accurately represented. Specifically, there is frustration over the women being relegated to the sidelines while the men control the war.

According to a post on Reddit, the show’s portrayal of the ‘men are violent, women strive for peace’ trope is detrimental to the female characters. The constant reinforcement of this stereotype undermines the complexity of the female characters in the Dance and is nonsensical.

Emma D'Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen in her Small Council — HBO

“I desire female characters who make complex and selfish decisions, engage in ‘evil’ actions, and act solely for their own benefit rather than feeling the need to justify their actions for moral reasons.”

The authors also observed distinctions between the TV adaptation and the source material, House of the Dragon, which support their argument. According to the book, Alicent possesses a superior level of cunning and manipulation compared to her portrayal on screen, while Rhaenyra is portrayed as significantly more ruthless.

In House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 3, it should be noted that Rhaenyra had a strong desire for peace when she secretly entered King’s Landing to meet with Alicent.

Some also shared the belief that the House of the Dragon’s female characters have been toned down to appear agreeable, supporting the initial statement.

As stated by a different user, I fully support women’s rights, but it is also important for us to acknowledge any mistakes made by women.

Another person expressed concern that the show’s portrayal of women perpetuates harmful stereotypes and undermines their intelligence. They suggested that the show may be afraid to depict women in a negative light, fearing backlash similar to that received for Daenerys’ character development. However, it should be noted that the issue with Daenerys’ storyline was not her descent into madness, but rather the lack of proper buildup and development.

A comment was added stating that women should be given the opportunity to take initiative and be active. They should have agency and be able to fully express their range of human emotions and actions, as these qualities make a character more captivating.

One user criticized House of the Dragon’s portrayal of gender relations, stating that it was frustratingly immature. They pointed out that all female characters were depicted as flawless, wise, and lacking ambition, and any malicious actions were attributed to misunderstandings, errors, or the influence of men.