Difference between revisions of "Maiden"

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[[File:The North Remembers by Isabel Westling.jpg|Despite being married to [[Tyrion Lannister]], [[Sansa Stark]] has remained a maid.<br>© Isabel Westling |thumb|300px|right]]
 
[[File:The North Remembers by Isabel Westling.jpg|Despite being married to [[Tyrion Lannister]], [[Sansa Stark]] has remained a maid.<br>© Isabel Westling |thumb|300px|right]]
A '''maid''' or a '''maiden''' usually refers to a virgin woman. Maidens may be wedded and bedded... however, even there, many husbands will wait until the bride is fifteen or sixteen before sleeping with them. Very young mothers tend to have significantly higher rates of death in childbirth, which the [[maesters]] will have noted.<ref>Age of Sexual Relations in Westeros, October 05, 1999 [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Category/C91/P210/ So Spake Martin]</ref>  
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A '''maid''' or a '''maiden''' usually refers to a virgin woman. Maidens may be wedded and bedded; However, many husbands will wait until the bride is fifteen or sixteen before sleeping with them. Very young mothers tend to have significantly higher rates of death in childbirth, as noted by the [[maesters]].<ref>[[So Spake Martin]]: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Category/C91/P210/ Age of Sexual Relations in Westeros (October 05, 1999)]</ref>  
  
A guarantee of a woman's virginity is normally the presence of a maidenhead. Women are generally expected to be virgins on their wedding night, more so for noble women. For example, because [[Lysa Tully]] was no longer a virgin her father Lord [[Hoster Tully]] found it difficult to arrange a marriage for her to a man of equal rank.
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A guarantee of a woman's virginity is normally the presence of a maidenhead. Women are generally expected to be virgins on their wedding night, more so for noblewomen. However, noblewomen are more likely to lose their maidenheads during horseback riding, it is said, and proof of their maidenhead during the wedding night - a bloody sheet - is therefore not often insisted upon.{{Ref|AFFC|28}}
  
The loss of a noblewoman’s virginity can also become an opportunity for some nobles looking to marry off sons who are not considered good prospects.   After many rejections from other Houses Lord [[Tywin Lannister]] eventually approached the father of [[Delena Florent]] who had given birth to the bastard [[Edric Storm]].  Tywin proposed that his dwarf son [[Tyrion Lannister|Tyrion]] be married to Delena. Her father rejected the proposal, preferring to marry her off to one of his household knights, like Hoster Tully he probably wanted a "whole man" for his daughter.{{Ref|asos|19|p  221}}
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The loss of a noblewoman's virginity can diminish her possibilities for marriage. After [[Jason Lannister (son of Gerold)|Jason Lannister]] took the virginity of Lady [[Alys Stackspear]], during which she became pregnant, his brother, Lord [[Tytos Lannister]], insisted upon their marriage.<ref>Unabridged edition of ''[[The World of Ice and Fire]]: [http://www.georgerrmartin.com/world-of-ice-and-fire-sample/ The Westerlands (georgerrmartin.com)]</ref> However, [[Delena Florent]] who had been deflowered by King [[Robert I Baratheon]] and who had given birth to a bastard son by the King, was eventually offered Lord [[Tywin Lannister]]'s youngest son, the dwarf [[Tyrion Lannister|Tyrion]], as a husband. While Lord Tywin himself made the offer, he considered it to be below the standards of his house nonetheless.{{Ref|ASOS|19}}
  
Virginity can also be held in high esteem by the [[Dothraki]] on occasion. It is quite likely that a ''[[khaleesi]]'' should be a virgin bride.  If [[Daenerys Targaryen]]’s brother had succeeded in claiming her maidenhead the night before her wedding it would have, according to [[Illyrio Mopatis]], undone years of planning{{Ref|aDwD|5}} – meaning that Khal [[Drogo]] would not have accepted Daenerys if she had not come to him a virgin.  
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Virginity can also be held in high esteem by the [[Dothraki]]. According to [[Magister]] [[Illyrio Mopatis]], when [[Viserys Targaryen]] attempted to claim his [[Daenerys Targaryen|sister's]] maidenhead prior to her wedding to ''Khal'' [[Drogo]], he would have undone years of planning,{{Ref|aDwD|5}} implying that Khal Drogo would not have accepted Daenerys as his bride if she had not come to him a virgin.  
  
A virgin man can also be referred to as a maiden{{Ref|asos|75|p 858}} or a man-maid{{Ref|adwd|68}} on occasion.
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A virgin man can also be referred to as a maiden{{Ref|asos|75}} or a man-maid{{Ref|adwd|68}} on occasion.
  
 
==See Also==
 
==See Also==
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==Quotes==
 
==Quotes==
{{Quote|I am still a maid.{{Ref|asos|68|p 775}}}} – [[Sansa Stark]], to [[Lysa Tully]]
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{{Quote|I am still a maid.{{Ref|asos|68}}}} – [[Sansa Stark]], to [[Lysa Tully]]
  
  
{{Quote|[[Daenerys Targaryen]] is no maid.{{Ref|aDwD|22}}}} - [[Tyrion Lannister]]
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{{Quote|[[Randyll Tarly|He]] told me once I was sure to die a maiden.{{Ref|asos|75}}}} – [[Samwell Tarly]], to [[Jon Snow]]
 
 
 
 
{{Quote|[[Randyll Tarly|He]] told me once I was sure to die a maiden." {{Ref|asos|75|p 858}}}} – [[Samwell Tarly]], to [[Jon Snow]]
 
  
  
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{{Quote|[[Myrcella Baratheon|Myrcella]] never shed a tear, though it was she who was leaving hearth and home to seal an alliance with her maidenhood.{{Ref|affc|13|p 240}}}} - Ser [[Arys Oakheart]]
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{{Quote|[[Myrcella Baratheon|Myrcella]] never shed a tear, though it was she who was leaving hearth and home to seal an alliance with her maidenhood.{{Ref|affc|13}}}} - Ser [[Arys Oakheart]]
  
 
==References and Notes==
 
==References and Notes==

Revision as of 20:51, 8 October 2016

Despite being married to Tyrion Lannister, Sansa Stark has remained a maid.
© Isabel Westling

A maid or a maiden usually refers to a virgin woman. Maidens may be wedded and bedded; However, many husbands will wait until the bride is fifteen or sixteen before sleeping with them. Very young mothers tend to have significantly higher rates of death in childbirth, as noted by the maesters.[1]

A guarantee of a woman's virginity is normally the presence of a maidenhead. Women are generally expected to be virgins on their wedding night, more so for noblewomen. However, noblewomen are more likely to lose their maidenheads during horseback riding, it is said, and proof of their maidenhead during the wedding night - a bloody sheet - is therefore not often insisted upon.[2]

The loss of a noblewoman's virginity can diminish her possibilities for marriage. After Jason Lannister took the virginity of Lady Alys Stackspear, during which she became pregnant, his brother, Lord Tytos Lannister, insisted upon their marriage.[3] However, Delena Florent who had been deflowered by King Robert I Baratheon and who had given birth to a bastard son by the King, was eventually offered Lord Tywin Lannister's youngest son, the dwarf Tyrion, as a husband. While Lord Tywin himself made the offer, he considered it to be below the standards of his house nonetheless.[4]

Virginity can also be held in high esteem by the Dothraki. According to Magister Illyrio Mopatis, when Viserys Targaryen attempted to claim his sister's maidenhead prior to her wedding to Khal Drogo, he would have undone years of planning,[5] implying that Khal Drogo would not have accepted Daenerys as his bride if she had not come to him a virgin.

A virgin man can also be referred to as a maiden[6] or a man-maid[7] on occasion.

See Also

Quotes

I am still a maid.[8]

Sansa Stark, to Lysa Tully


He told me once I was sure to die a maiden.[6]

Samwell Tarly, to Jon Snow


A Frey girl, and not of my choosing, she is not even a maiden.[9]

- Lancel Lannister, on his chosen bride


Do you want to die a man-maid?[7]

- Ser Gerris Drinkwater, to Quentyn Martell


Myrcella never shed a tear, though it was she who was leaving hearth and home to seal an alliance with her maidenhood.[10]

- Ser Arys Oakheart

References and Notes