Character Analysis Of Renly Baratheon In A Clash Of Kings By George R.R. Martin

Observe and provide a detailed character analysis of Renly Baratheon in A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin

Renly is the youngest of the three sons of Lord Steffon Baratheon and Cassana Estermont and the younger brother of Robert and Stannis Baratheon. He is the lord of storm end and the lord paramount of the storm land s. he served as master of laws in his eldest brothers small council before crowning himself king in the wake of Robert’s death with the support of the reach and the storm lands, an act that helps to throw away  the war of five kings. This act of Renly brings him into conflict with his older brother Stannis, whose claim is greater for the throne.

Although, Renly Baratheton is very popular character, he is also a social black sheep and his personality is very unusual given the gender norms of the seven kingdoms. It has been noted that when Renly was growing up he liked bright colors and fabrics, and he loved his game as well. The type of games that he liked includes playing as dragons and wizards and rain gods. He used to have a very fanciful imagination nature.

He is a handsome and charismatic man that can make friends quickly ands easily his humble behavior attract more people. His friendly nature has made him very popular with the small folk. His looks are very similar to that of his elder brother Robert, albeit smaller and slimmer, inheriting the Baratheon height and long black hair. Although he is well liked and charismatic, many powerful lords at court secretly consider him vain and frivolous. He is described as disdainful of reading although he enjoys hunting and jousting.

Renly was not a point of view character in the novel, so his actions are interpreted from the eyes of other people like Ned and Catalyn stark.  Brianne of Tarth who has fallen in love with him at a young age has also made Renyl as one of the most popular character in the novel. The character of Renly always remains in the background of the novel.

It has been observed that Renly never grow out of his love of color and pageantry, his fondness on colors and pageantry can be observed from the parties he gives on his way to war with the lannisters. His nature is very different from that of his brother Robert Baratheon, who enjoyed fighting killing drinking and grunting. As he is very different from the other male characters, that allows him to ask question openly to the feudalist society in which he lives. When Catelyn upheld the fact that Stannis is the elder brother and therefore he would be the legitimate king Renly give reply to that in this manner   “though it’s a fool’s law wouldn’t you agree? Why the eldest son and not the person who is the best fitted? The crown suits me the best as it never suited Robert and would not suit stannis. I have it in me to be a great king.”

Sure, Renly has the most to gain from the questioning this as pact of his society, but it still makes him a unique character few other character openly criticize the social norms and the laws of the feudalist society . While Renly is the only person who openly criticizes the rules of the feudalist society the other characters like the Eddard stark, Stannis Baratheon even Davos does not show the courage to directly criticize the norms of the society. Renly always show the courage to speak against the wrong methods and norms of the feudalist society and to do things in the correct manner this nature of the character makes him progressive by seven kingdoms standard.

The open minded and courageous character of Renly has made him very popular among all the popular characters of the clash of kings. The character of the Renly is very imaginative and very attractive he always protest against the wrong methods of the society and try to protect the interest of the common people. He has the quality to rule and to set the correct norms and regulation that will be effective for every class of the society. He always believe that a man should be judged on the basis of his quality and not on the basis of his origin, according to him the king should be selected on the basis of the leadership quality and not on the basis that he is the eldest son of the king. Renly is a man with leadership quality who always believes that to become a true leader it is required to stand against the wrong rules and methods of the society. The character of Renly will be known for its courage open mindedness and the leadership quality.

Renly was a straight up gay and Loras tyrell is his paramour. In the novels, though it is not specifically mentioned, but there are several evidences that Renly is not a straight dude. When Renly and stannis are squabbling, Renly notes that stannis refused to come to his wedding, but that his brother should not worry as Margery came to his bed a virgin. Stannis retorts that the wedding was a mummer’s farce and that in Renly’s bed Margaery would likely die a virgin. This is the only hint to Renly’s sexual character in a clash of kings.

Renly agrees to Catelyn to allow Robb stark to keep the title of the king in the north and rule the north and river lands, but on the condition that he swear fealty to Renly as king on the iron throne. When Renly tried to march on the capital though, he hears that Stannis is besieging storm’s end. Renly marches there, intending to kill his brother in the battle and will take the thrown. However, unfortunately before the battle he is assassinated by a shadow conjured by the melisndre, though it is not clearly stated in the novel that whether Stannis is aware of this fact or not.