Getting a seat at the table in Westeros is reserved for the high-born, the princes, and the knights who prove their worth with a sword. So, when George R.R. Martin expanded his fictional universe with Tales of Dunk and Egg with a hedge knight at the center of it all, fans were taken aback. Up until now, they were used to experiencing stories of people from great families and lineage who would do anything to get a chance at ruling the vast continent.
From Daenerys Targaryen to Cersei Lannister, the characters were abundant in the Game of Thrones universe. One thing that binds them all is their great ancestry. They all come from great houses and families who rule over certain territories of Westeros.
Peter Claffey’s Dunk is not a high-born
Credit: HBO
Fans are getting to experience the story of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms from a whole new perspective. Rather than being an accomplished knight or a high-born member of society, Dunk comes from nothing. He is a nobody who wishes to find his place in Westeros and make an impact on the world. He wants to fight, prove his worth, and live a life of dignity.
Unlike the previous protagonists from George R.R. Martin’s universe, who all led a life of convenience and ease, Dunk has had to fight his way into adulthood, as discussed on the official Game of Thrones podcast. He squired for Ser Arlan of Pennytree, slept under trees even when it was raining, and lived off the food he found in small inns. Peter Claffey, who plays Dunk, said,
“Dunk comes from nothing. Like, um, and I think what’s different about that with everybody else and even your like Jon Snows or, as you said, like Petyr Baelish and stuff, they’re all of a highborn sort of status at some point. They’re in the rooms. They’re in the big families. And I think it’s kind of maybe slightly more relatable. Dunk is just because he’s kind of like an everyday person of the small folk and stuff, just trying to make his way, um, but I suppose like, his chivalry and his honor are stuff that you can quite, you know, sort of relate to and like with a character like that.”
Martin wanted to pen a story from a commoner’s perspective and show how an underdog can emerge victorious in the end, too. If you believe in yourself enough and have the courage to make your dreams come true, anything is possible. Dunk’s story is relatable and more encouraging for the readers and viewers. His journey shows the travails of people when the ruling class is constantly fighting and igniting civil wars.
On top of that, Dunk is portrayed as a genuinely good man. He wants to live by the words of a knight and keep promises that he makes. Unlike people ruled by betrayal and unkind attitudes, Dunk is a man who is trustworthy and dependable, qualities highly rare in the people of Westeros.
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Peter Claffey is a big fan of the Game of Thrones universe
Credits: HBO
Before bagging the role of Dunk in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Claffey was aware of the brilliance and success of the Game of Thrones universe and had been a big fan of the show. He knew the stakes were high for this prequel, too.
Naturally, the audition process was gruelling and tough, but Claffey was ecstatic upon learning that he got the lead role in a show that is meant for greatness. He blended into the role seamlessly, giving fans an accurate depiction of a hedge knight.
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