Q&A Thursdays #17: Jane’s Question
For some time now, I’ve been reprising a Daughter of Blood (and by extension The Wall Of Night) Q&A series that featured in 2019. As noted in the most recent instalment on January 18, we are nearing the end — but I aim to enjoy it while it lasts. 😀
Today I’m refeaturing Jane’s Question, which is about the female characters’ exercise of “hard” and “soft” power. I thought it was an interesting question and one that remains very relevant. And would have been awesome on March 8, International Women’s Day, if only I had thought about it at the time!
Jane: In Game Of Thrones, people talked about Daenerys having “hard power” and Sansa “soft power.” Would you say that’s the difference between Malian and Myr in Daughter of Blood?
Helen: I have read some of those discussions, enough to understand the context anyway, including that Daenerys “hard power” is because she commands armies and dragons in her own right and also claims the Iron Throne by right as the Targaryen heir. Whereas Sansa’s “soft power” is said to be because she works through and with others, and is awarded her command and status, chiefly by more powerful men. (I hope I’ve gotten that right from the discussions, because I haven’t watched the TV series, only read the books (to date.)
With that context established, I think there may be some overlaps with Malian and Myr but it’s not absolutely clearcut. I also think that while “hard power” and “soft power” may be good summary phrases for each, it’s not for the same reasons as in Game Of Thrones (GoT.)
So if we take Malian, she definitely has magical power of her own in spades, which gets used in a “hard power” way. She’s also the chosen champion and the Heir (crown prince/princess) of Night, so makes a claim to leadership of the Derai on both those grounds. Her “hard power” also includes learning the assassin’s arts through the Shadow Band of Ar. Plus she wields the chosen champion’s weapons of power, which are another aspect of hard power. BUT although Malian may make a claim to lead the Derai, she’s still an exile so doesn’t lead anyone yet. And although she’s made a strategic military alliance, the army that’s brought her isn’t actually hers. So the power she has comes from her personal magical strength, including the personal weapons of power, but not directly from commanding armies. (Alas, too, she has no dragons!)
On to Myr, who is definitely the “softer” character, in personality as well as power. She has no magical powers and isn’t interested in weapons and fighting although she’s been taught both. In terms of standing in her society, she’s a disregarded youngest daughter, albeit of a ruling house — ALTHOUGH she does claim a leadership role as Daughter of Blood during the siege, which is hers by right. She has to remind others present of that fact, but it’s not the same as them giving her the rights. Overall, though, her power in the story stems from personal integrity and moral suasion, a far “softer” power than Malian wields.
I think, in the best Elven fashion from The Lord of the Rings, I have now said both “yes” and “no”—which is a different thing entirely from a Kiwi “YeahNah”, which is really just “Nah.” Whereas I think in this case it’s a “Yes”, overall, but not quite in the Daenerys/Sansa mould.
Previous Thursday Q&A Refeatures:
2022:
March 31 — #1 Phoebe’s Question on Book Planning
April 21 — #2 Sam’s Question on Deleted Scenes
April 28 — #3 Sandy’s Question on Characters That Take Charge
May 19 — #4 Lindsay’s Question on Research
June 23 — #5 Chris’s Question on Tirael & “What Would Have Happened If…”
June 30 — #6 Rosie’s Question on the Web of Mayanne
September 8 — #7 Jason’s Question on Weapons & Names
October 6 — #8 Robin’s Question on Tuckerization Characters
November 24 — #9 Josh’s Question on Whether I Have A Favourite Moment in Daughter of Blood
December 15 — #10 Shannon’s Question re Sections or Characters that were Hard to Write
2023
March 30 — #11 Jenny’s Question re Inspiration and Keeping Going
May 18 — #12 Tom’s Question re Food and Feasts
June 15 — #13 Ashley’s Question on Writing Through the Christchurch Earthquakes
August 10 — #14 Bethany’s Question On A Villain
September 28 — #15 Andrew’s Question on Black Blades
2024
January 18 — #16 Forrest’s Question on Research