Tracing the Rise of Female Status in A Song of Ice and Fire Through Translation: A Case Study of Daenerys Targaryen

School of Foreign Languages, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212003, China

^* Corresponding author: lbx20060419@outlook.com

Abstract

This study explores Daenerys Targaryen’s ascent to power in A Song of Ice and Fire as a lens to analyze contemporary female empowerment and social mobility. Through translation studies, it uncovers persistent constraints on women’s status evolution. While modern women demonstrate growing agency, translational frameworks perpetuate gendered stereotypes, reflecting patriarchal norms in literature and society. The analysis reveals a paradox: women who attain authority often replicate rigid patriarchal hierarchies, leading to extremization rather than liberation—exemplified by Daenerys’ transformative arc from marginalized figure to autocratic ruler. The research argues that true progress requires dismantling reductive identity constructs in translated narratives. New-era women must transcend binary definitions of power, resisting both passive victimhood and masculinized dominance. Achieving gender equity necessitates dual efforts: cultivating authentic discursive authority while demanding equitable representation in cross-cultural literary frameworks. Only by subverting translation’s role in reinforcing patriarchal paradigms can women transform provisional gains into sustained socio-cultural advancement. The findings advocate for intersectional approaches to reinterpret female narratives globally, challenging both textual and contextual limitations.