In comparative mythology and narratology, the monomyth, or the hero’s journey, refers to the transformation of a hero’s identity through a particular adventure that presupposes the existence of a decisive crisis. In other words, moving through its stages, a hero may experience a series of challenges that test his nature and teach him, uncovering his potential to return home transformed and changed. However, on several phases, the monomyth is gender-specific – it ignores the existence of heroines and the peculiarities of their transformation. Thus, in 2007, Creed established the neomyth to describe the structure of the heroine´s journey (19). In particular, she defined eight main structures in the heroine’s journey that may be divided into three parts. This paper aims to analyze the journey of Yara Greyjoy on the basis of neomyth’s concept. According to it, it is possible to state that the story of this heroine corresponds with the framework of neomyth following all its stages.
Yara Greyjoy is the character of Game of Thrones, an American fantasy TV series. She has the titles of Lady Reaper of Pyke the Lady of the Iron Islands. Yara may be characterized as a strong, courageous, determined, proud, and intelligent ironborn leader. Having no fear of challenges, she is ready to confront anyone who expresses concerns related to her abilities connected with her gender. Along with a sharp, sarcastic, and cynical sense of humor, Yara’s excellent combat skills, courage, and justified aggression allowed her to earn authority among men and become the commander of a personal longship.
The heroine’s story traditionally starts with an event that changes her usual circumstances. According to Creed, it may be defined as “The Call” (21). In relation to Yara Greyjoy, “The Call” is her father’s decision to rise in rebellion and start the war against the Iron Throne in order to become an independent realm. Before it, the Iron Islands were part of the Six Kingdoms ruled by Balon Greyjoy, who had four children – Rodrik, Maron, Yara, and Theon. While Rodrik and Maron were killed in the war and Theon was given to the Lord of the North as a guarantee of Balon’s obedience, Yara remains the only child of House Greyjoy. Left without sons, Balon undertakes all efforts to raise his daughter as a man. In this case, Creed’s second phase,” The Cause,” which requires the heroine “[…] to fight for a cause for which she is prepared […] to sacrifice her life,” implies Yara’s formation as a strong leader who will take the Salt Throne to become the Queen of the Iron Islands in the future (21). However, from the next stage, changes that presuppose the whole journey begins.
The first part’s final stage is called “The Obstacle,” in which the heroine’s resolve is tested. According to Creed, “the obstacles invariably put her into an antagonistic relationship with the male symbolic order. These obstacles may include emotional issues such as pressures or […] barriers created by the fact she is a woman” (21). For Yara, this stage began with the return of her brother Theon who came to present the suggested alliance of Robb, his sworn brother and the King of the North. Although her father is pleased with her, Yara feels extremely dissatisfied with Theon’s return as she expects to become the queen, however, as a male sibling, he may take her place.
The second part of the heroine’s journey, “The Threshold,” presupposes the existence of two phases: The Paternal Symbolic Order” and “The Threshold.” The first implies “an open conflict with the paternal symbolic order, [and] the other is [an] endorsement of the same order” (Creed 21). In the case of Yara, this stage begins with her decision to save Theon, captured by Ramsay Snow. Although Theon is her rival and Yara was raised without him, she realizes that she loves her brother and understands that no one will help him except her. Even though the rescue attempt is unsuccessful, Yara does not apologize and confronts her father. This event opens for her the way of the “action heroine,” “always skilled in physical combat and an expert with guns or heavy weaponry” (Creed 23). Although there are multiple gender-related aspects in relation to Yara, her journey cannot be regarded as one against patriarchy. In turn, while she is supported by the majority of ironmen, she wants to revenge for her father’s death and take the Salt Throne from Euron, her uncle.
The final part, “Self-Discovery,” that has three stages, including an assertion of a new identity, a female hero as “other,” and death and rebirth, demonstrates the changed beliefs of the heroine. First of all, Yara realizes that she loves her brother, and he loves her as well. In addition, she understands that people’s actions cannot always be interpreted directly – although Theon left her due to remembering his suffering in the past, he returned and saved her. At the end of the series, Yara does not die – on the contrary, she achieves her goal and becomes the queen. In this case, death may be related to her identity as a female, as for the ruler she became, it is not essential. She became equal to ironmen, however, due to her journey, she became more confident and wiser.
Work Cited
Creed, Barbara. “The Neomyth in Film: The Woman Warrior from Joan of Arc to Ellen Ripley.” Women Willing to Fight: The Fighting Woman in Film, edited by Silke Andris and Ursula Frederick, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2007, pp.15-37.