Joshua Brock GoT Blog #3

Eddard's Chapter (pgs 305-323)

Summary:
In this chapter there is many questions are answered but even more are raised. The tournament is still going on in the beginning of the chapter, but when a skirmish between the hound and his enraged brother takes place, the hound was named champion. Robert wishes to take place in the melee to which he is strongly encouraged not to and so he inevitably doesn't. Towards the end of the chapter it is revealed that the Lannister's are plotting to kill Robert and had intended to use the melee to do so. The eunuch Varys and Eddard have a secret meeting in which this as well as Jon Arryn's killer is revealed. When Eddard asks why Jon was killed, Varys responds with,"asking questions."

Analysis:
This chapter Eddard is constantly thinking about how to get Robert to see the sinister plot that the Lannisters have put into action. He begins to find hope in the fact that Robert might listen when Robert himself begins to proclaim how he doesn't necessarily favor the Lannisters himself. Robert wishes to be doing what he did in his youth but the thought of his son Joffrey on the throne and his mother giving him orders stops him from doing so, which is essentially a foreshadowing of events to come. Also Robert's bastard children are reflected on by Eddard when he is in his room and with the probable assassination of the king looming they might play some sort of role in the events to come though they have no true call to the throne. I think this chapter begins to set in motion key events that will have a very dynamic impact on the novel and storyline in general.