Cersei Lannister is a striking character in George Martin's fantasy series. Created by the rich imagination of the writer, Cersei becomes a central figure in several of his books. In the television series Game of Thrones, the role of Cersei Lannister is played by British actress Lena Headey.
Cersei Lannister's identity
Cersei first appears in Game of Thrones (1996). She is Lord Lannister's eldest child and only daughter. Cersei has a twin brother, Jaime, with whom she enters into an incestuous relationship in the book. The heroine's children are bastards who have become the fruits of a criminal relationship with her brother.
A few years before the events described in Martin's book, the heroine married King Robert and began to rule the Seven Kingdoms. However, Cersei never loved her husband and did not respect him in the least. In her marriage to King Robert Cersei gave birth to three children. But later the reader learns that their father is Jaime.
The character of the heroine is not sugar. She is ambitious, cunning, skillfully manipulates people and weaves intrigues all the time. Seeking more power, Cersei, however, becomes increasingly incompetent in governing the country.
Over time, the psyche of the heroine becomes more and more unstable. The reader sees signs of mental illness in her. As a child, she received a prediction and now believes that her younger brother Tyrion, a dwarf, is the true cause of all her misfortunes and problems. This prophecy haunts the heroine.
The basis of the plot
The character traits of the heroine are clearly manifested in the intricacies of the plot and in the description of her life path. Cersei and Robert's marriage is not based on mutual love and affection, but on cold calculation. It is for political purposes only. Both characters seek to unite the powers of the two Great Houses. Spouses cheat on each other all the time. Each of them has children from other partners.
One of the characters, whose name is Ned Stark, learns the truth about Cersei's children and her infidelity to her husband-king. He confesses to the queen that he is privy to the secret and invites her to flee to escape Robert's wrath. Unbeknownst to Stark, Cersei has long been preparing for her husband's death. He must die in a "accident" set up during the hunt. As a result, Cersei executes Ned Stark, accusing him of attempting a coup d'état. And then he gets full control over the capital of the kingdom.
Cersei's father is deeply disappointed that she makes a lot of miscalculations in political matters and cannot control the situation in the country. He made the decision to appoint his son Tyrion as the Hand of the King. This character's task is to take control of Cersei and her son. The ruthless Tyrion engages in a power battle with Cersei, purposefully removing all of her supporters from the political battlefield.
Cersei and the palace intrigues
As a result of palace intrigues, Cersei, tormented by a thirst for power, loses its remnants. She is discouraged by the fact that she is unable not only to influence political events, but also to completely control her own life. Her eldest son, Joffrey, is poisoned at a wedding feast. Distraught with grief, Cersei curses Tyrion, blaming him for her troubles. During the trial of Tyrion, Cersei shows his qualities to the fullest. She manipulates the participants in the shameful trial, intimidates witnesses, bribes some of them. After numerous intrigues, Cersei again manages to seize power in the kingdom.
And yet the heroine continues to make mistakes in her politics. She is trying to revive the abolished religious-military order. And this pushes her former allies away. The political influence of the clergy is increasing in the country. Cersei's attempts to remedy the situation only aggravate it and make it uncontrollable.
It should be noted that since the sixth season, the storyline involving Cersei in the television series is somewhat ahead of the book version. At this point in the story, Cersei buries his daughter. And then he tries to gather information about his enemies. To do this, Cersei sends scouts in all directions. The Queen also has to deal with an army of fanatics who seize the capital.
The reader of the book and the viewer who masters the series witness the constant fights of Cersei with her enemies. She is in continuous conflict with House Stark, fearing that his henchmen might claim the crown. The conflict ends in bloodshed and Cersei's sinister triumph.
The description of this character will be even more complete if we add that as the plot progresses, Cersei becomes morbidly suspicious and ceases to trust his closest associates.
