Tywin Lannister: actor, character biography

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Tywin Lannister is the kind of antagonist you can't hate just because the story tells you to. Lord of Casterly Rock, Hand of King Joffrey and Aerys the Mad, Guardian of the West, strategist, great commander and manager - he personifies everything that the aristocracy should have owned. Unfortunately, this also characterizes him as cold, ambitious and cruel. This article explores how Tywin Lannister took charge of a ruined home and led it to greatness.

Character Description

Having seen or read about Tywin Lannister for the first time, a fan of Martin's work will hardly remain indifferent to this hero. At the time of the story of A Song of Ice and Fire, he is 56 years old. Over the course of his life, the lord of Casterly Rock has earned a reputation as a true lord, step by step he lifted his House to the heights of power, proving the oldest bloodline. Despite the fact that the character acts as an antagonist throughout the story until the "Feast of the Vultures", Tywin Lannister is striking in his sophistication. It can be seen that Martin dedicated to thishero a lot of attention, creating a solid image. There is an opinion that it was written from Richard Neville, one of the most famous English lords of the Wars of the Roses era.

Appearance

In "Game of Thrones" Tywin Lannister got the appearance of Charles Dance. The actor managed to recreate the inner character of the hero, but not the appearance. The book prototype of the Lord of the Cliff is a strongly built man who remains fit even in old age, bald with lush sideburns. Tywin prefers a simple camisole in the colors of his House, rarely emphasizing his appearance with jewelry or a pompous piece of clothing. Despite the fact that he is over 50, the man is still strong and keeps well in the saddle. Tywin Lannister has never been a talented swordsman, but rather a brilliant and brutal strategist. In addition to the characteristic appearance of a warrior, it is easy to remember him by an overly serious expression on his face and a cold look in his green eyes. According to him, only Joanna could make Tywin smile.

Personality and traits

A real aristocrat, cold, cruel, ambitious. It is quite possible that the weakness of his father, who led the House to the abyss and almost pushed him there, made the hero so. In any case, as you can see in the photo, Tywin Lannister has restraint, inner strength, a tough core that allows him to win victories, even without considering the cost. However, sometimes humanity can slip through behind the armor of composure. So, for example, this is easy to see in the relationship between Tywin Lannister and Arya Stark. Vladyka took her to him, notknowing the true identity by appointing a chalice. After the death of his wife, he became much stricter towards everyone around him, he was never famous for strong fatherly feelings, putting the well-being of the House above the future of his family.

Family ties and relationships

Tywin Lannister's father is Tytos, a weak ruler who was afraid of his son even when he was only ten years old. On his initiative, Tywin was sent to King's Landing, where, as a page, he met Aerys Targaryen and Steffon Baratheon. Already being the head of the House, he married his cousin Joanna, who was the maid of honor to the wife of Aerys. The king often glanced at the wife of his vassal, made vulgar jokes about her, publicly declared how he regretted the abolition of the right of the wedding night. Tywin became the father of the twins Cersei and Jaime, as well as Tyrion. The last head of the House always considered the bastard of Aerys, but he could not prove it. According to him, the conception occurred when the royal court lived in Lannisport for a year.

Rise of the Tarbens and Reins

In 260, Tywin Lannister returned to his homeland, finding the House in a terrible state. Titos handed out money in debt, being afraid to demand it back, easily made concessions to the vassals, could not show toughness and spent the gold mined near Casterly on "butterflies" and booze. Tywin declared that he would cleanse the West, after which he began his actions against the rebellious subjects. Recalling his debts, he took hostage several heirs of famous families, quicklypressed the vassals to the nail, demanded the return of all loans. First the Tarbens, and then the Rhines, opposed him. Both Houses were destroyed to the root, as cruelly as possible. Tarben Castle was burned to the ground, forbidding to build there in order to leave a reminder to everyone about the fate of the rebels. The Rein family home, Castamere, was flooded along with the people. According to rumors, it was then that the expression that Lannisters always pay their bills appeared.

Everyday life of the Hand of the King and disagreements with the monarch

In 262, he assumed the position of Hand of King Aerys, serving in that position for 20 years. After Titos had a heart attack while climbing the tower of his mistress, the candlemaker's daughter, Tywin took the throne. Having driven the former "butterfly" of his father naked around Lannisport, he put things in order. He paid off the crown's debts to the Iron Bank of Bravos by beginning to lend money to the throne. Until the last, he loved Joanna, but he could not forgive the king for his jokes and unambiguous behavior. People said that in 259, during the marriage period, Joanna gave her virginity to Aerys, not Tywin. In 273, his wife died, which hit the head of the family very painfully. Three years later, he made an attempt to reconcile with Aerys by offering the hand of his daughter, Cersei Reigar. The king answered with a laugh and said that he would not give an heir for the offspring of his servant. Despite the difficulties in relations with the overlord, he greatly respected and loved Rhaegar, openly calling him a much better king.

Rise of Baratheon

At first, Tywin Lannister took the side of the crown, but when the rebel troops approached King's Landing, he opened the gate and let them in. Oberyn Martell believed to the last that it was the head of the House who ordered Gora, Clegane, to kill the mother of the royal heirs, Rhaegar's wife, and his offspring. There is a theory that Tywin Lannister's death was caused not so much by Tyrion's bolt, but by the venom of the Red Serpent. In any case, both before the uprising and after it, he proved himself to be a brilliant manager, building roads, strengthening infrastructure and the army. In his actions, he relied on the aristocracy, not the people. King Baratheon himself admitted to Ned Stark that there were only Lannisters around him, but Tywin achieved his success for the House.

Game of Thrones events and death

After Ned Stark was executed, King Joffrey appointed his grandfather as the Hand. Tywin proved himself to be a fearless commander, easily reading the actions of the enemy. Having developed an open military company, he won several brilliant victories. The character is disliked for the events of The Red Wedding and his decision to abolish enemy command in this way, but in terms of the position of the Lannister camp and the crown, it was brilliant. Having achieved the conquest of the North, the Hand married his grandson to Margaery Tyrell, strengthening the position of the throne. He was killed by his son Tyrion, for blaming him for the death of Joffrey and thus getting rid of the "objectionable offspring." As mentioned above, there is a theory thatwas poisoned by Oberyn. He met death in a latrine, in the face of the killer he was not afraid and did not betray his anxiety in any way.

In the series, the role of the head of House Lannister is played by Charles Dance, a brilliant actor. Tywin Lannister is amazing in his performance. It was this role that brought him recognition among the younger generation. He approached his image with the utmost scrupulousness, which resulted in a worthy prototype.