Red Wedding: A Symbolic Celebration Or A Sign Of Danger?

The term Red Wedding originates from the Game of Thrones episode The Rains of Castamere, in which a wedding turns from a happy occasion into a bloody massacre. The term is now used to refer to a disaster or a complete change of fortune, often involving betrayal and bloodshed.

The Red Wedding in Game of Thrones

The Red Wedding is the name given to an infamous episode of Game of Thrones, which first aired in June 2013. It is also the name of a chapter in George R. R. Martin's book 'A Storm of Swords', on which the episode is based. The episode is considered one of the best in the series and in television history, but also one of the most violent and disturbing.

The Red Wedding takes place during the War of the Five Kings, and sees the downfall of House Stark. Robb Stark, King in the North, has made an enemy of Lord Walder Frey by breaking his betrothal to one of Lord Frey's daughters. Robb instead marries Talisa Maegyr, who is pregnant with his child. Robb, his wife, his mother Catelyn, and a host of Stark bannermen attend the wedding of Catelyn's brother Edmure Tully to Roslin Frey, in an attempt to make amends with Lord Frey.

At the wedding feast, the musicians play 'The Rains of Castamere', a song that details the past triumphs of the Lannisters, the family that the Starks are at war with. Catelyn realises that Roose Bolton, sitting beside her, is wearing chainmail under his clothes, and that he is working as a double agent for the Lannisters. She slaps him, and chaos ensues. Robb's pregnant wife is stabbed in the stomach, and Robb is shot with arrows. Catelyn is forced to watch her son die, before she herself is killed. Robb's decapitated body is ridden out of the castle with his direwolf's head sewn on top.

The episode ends in silence, and signals the end of an era for House Stark.

The Red Wedding as a disaster

The term "red wedding" originates from the "Game of Thrones" episode "The Rains of Castamere", which aired on June 2, 2013. In the episode, a wedding between Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey turns from a happy occasion into a bloody massacre, with many of the guests, including Robb Stark, his wife, and his mother, being murdered.

The term "red wedding" is used to describe a disaster, such as when things go wrong at an event or when a person's life is in disarray. The colour red in this context signifies blood and violence, indicating that a red wedding is a violent and chaotic event.

The Red Wedding in "Game of Thrones" was a massacre that took place during the War of the Five Kings. It was arranged by Lord Walder Frey as revenge against Robb Stark, the King in the North, for breaking a marriage pact between House Stark and House Frey. The betrayal and violence that occurred during the wedding caused the annihilation of the Northern army and the capture or death of many important figures.

The Red Wedding was a significant event in the "Game of Thrones" narrative, as it concluded the Stark-Lannister war and set new plotlines in motion. It was a disaster for House Stark, resulting in the death of Robb Stark and the end of their northern rebellion. The betrayal and violence of the Red Wedding also violated the ancient law of guest right, earning the perpetrators the loathing of many in the Seven Kingdoms.

The Red Wedding as a betrayal

The Red Wedding was a massacre that took place during the War of the Five Kings, orchestrated by Lord Walder Frey as revenge against Robb Stark, ruling King in the North, for breaking a marriage pact between House Stark and House Frey.

The betrayal was scheduled to occur after the formal ceremony and the bedding, with Edmure Tully and his bride safely away in another part of the castle consummating their marriage. Robb and his mother, Catelyn, were lulled into a false sense of security by Lord Frey, who vowed to assure his guests' safety in accordance with the guest right. Neither Robb nor Catelyn imagined that Lord Frey would sink so low as to break such a sacred pact.

The signal for the massacre to begin was an instrumental version of "The Rains of Castamere", a song associated with Robb's enemy, Lord Tywin Lannister. Robb and Catelyn were betrayed by Roose Bolton, who gave Catelyn a knowing look, revealing the chainmail he was wearing underneath his sleeve. Catelyn realised they had been led into a trap and tried to warn Robb, but it was too late. Lothar Frey, at Walder Frey's signal, approached Talisa Stark from behind and stabbed her repeatedly in the abdomen, killing her unborn child instantly. The musicians hired for the wedding revealed themselves to be assassins, brandishing crossbows and firing at Robb and the Northern guests gathered in the main hall. Robb was murdered by Roose Bolton, who drove a dagger through his heart.

The events of the Red Wedding effectively ended the conflict between House Stark and House Lannister, resulting in a decisive victory for the Lannisters and King Joffrey Baratheon.

The Red Wedding as a massacre

The Red Wedding was a massacre that took place during the War of the Five Kings. It was orchestrated by Lord Walder Frey as revenge against Robb Stark, the King in the North, for breaking a marriage pact between House Stark and House Frey.

The Freys initially rose in rebellion against the Iron Throne, and their support was contingent on Robb Stark's betrothal to a daughter of Walder Frey. However, Robb married Talisa Maegyr instead, breaking his betrothal.

To make amends, Catelyn Stark, Robb's mother, arranges for her brother, Edmure Tully, to marry Roslin Frey, one of Lord Walder's daughters. A wedding is held at the Twins, the seat of House Frey, and Lord Walder shares bread and salt with his guests, invoking the sacred tradition of Guest Right. This tradition dictates that once invoked, neither the host nor the guests can inflict harm upon each other for the length of the stay.

However, this tradition is broken when, after the bedding ceremony, the musicians begin to play "The Rains of Castamere", a song associated with Robb's enemy, Lord Tywin Lannister. The musicians are revealed to be crossbow-wielding assassins, and they kill many of Robb's personal guard. Robb is wounded by multiple arrows, and Catelyn takes hostage Jinglebell, Walder's simple-minded grandson, offering to exchange his life for Robb's. Lord Walder refuses, and Roose Bolton slays Robb with a thrust to the heart. Catelyn then slits Jinglebell's throat and is herself killed by Ser Raymund Frey.

Outside, Arya Stark witnesses the massacre of Robb's soldiers in the camps. Robb's direwolf, Grey Wind, is also killed, and his head is sewn onto Robb's decapitated body in mockery. Catelyn's corpse is also desecrated and thrown naked into the river, flouting traditional House Tully funeral customs.

The Red Wedding effectively ends the conflict between House Stark and House Lannister, resulting in a decisive victory for the Lannisters and King Joffrey Baratheon. It also severely damages House Frey's reputation, as the massacre violates the ancient custom of Guest Right.

The Red Wedding in A Storm of Swords

The Red Wedding is a pivotal moment in George R. R. Martin's "A Storm of Swords", the third book in the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series. The event is also depicted in the third and fourth seasons of the HBO television adaptation, "Game of Thrones".

The Red Wedding sees the massacre of Robb Stark, his bannermen, and his mother Catelyn at the wedding of Catelyn's brother Edmure Tully and one of Lord Walder Frey's daughters, Roslin. The Freys and the Boltons turn on the Starks, with Roose Bolton personally killing Robb, and Catelyn's throat is slit. Edmure is kept alive as a hostage.

The event is precipitated by Robb's decision to marry Jeyne Westerling, breaking his promise to wed one of the Frey daughters. This alienates and angers his allies, weakening his military position. Lord Walder Frey, notorious for being sensitive to slights against his family's honour, plots his revenge with the Lannisters.

The wedding feast is filled with ominous signs. The music is uncharacteristically loud, and Catelyn senses something is wrong. Her suspicions are confirmed when Edwyn Frey violently rejects a dance with Dacey Mormont, and she feels chainmail beneath his sleeve. The musicians begin to play "The Rains of Castamere", a song about Tywin Lannister destroying a family that crossed him, and the slaughter begins. The musicians are revealed to be crossbowmen, and Catelyn watches in horror as Robb is shot with multiple bolts. Catelyn attempts to intervene, grabbing a dagger and taking Jinglebell Frey, one of Lord Walder's sons, hostage. She pleads with Lord Walder to spare Robb's life, but he refuses, stating that Jinglebell is "only a grandson". Robb is then stabbed in the heart by a Lannister soldier, and Catelyn, keeping her word, kills Jinglebell before being killed herself.

The Red Wedding is one of the two climaxes of "A Storm of Swords", with the novel employing a unique narrative structure to build suspense. The chapters leading up to the event are told from the perspectives of Catelyn and her daughter, Arya, who is outside the castle during the wedding. Both characters notice small details that add up to a sense of mounting dread, such as the loud music, creating a feeling of anxiety for the reader. The technique effectively conveys the sense of surprise and horror that Catelyn and Arya experience.

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