Florian The Fool In A Song Of Ice And Fire: Symbolism And Significance

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms gives us little glimpses into the lives of the less-important folk in the World of Ice and Fire, even showing the puppet shows they go to. One of these puppet shows, put on by Tanselle (Tanzyn Crawford), is about Florian the Fool, and it's good enough that Dunk finds himself smitten with the puppeteer.

George R.R. Martin loves to hint at greater themes in his works with in-universe stories, tales, and even puppet shows. They serve to expand the history and hint at how the audience should be feeling about certain characters. The many references to Florian the Fool in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, for instance, are not a coincidence.

Who Is Florian The Fool In A Song Of Ice And Fire?

Florian the Fool is a legendary hero in A Song of Ice and Fire, from the Age of Heroes, a semi-mythological time in Westeros thousands of years before A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms or any of the shows and books based on Martin's works. Florian was a court jester, and a noble knight.

Florian was not of noble birth, not much to look at, and his armor was cheap. In the legends told about him, he spied the equally legendary lady, Jonquil, bathing, and the pair fell in love. He's a figure who represents the highest ideals of knighthood, which is ironic considering his low birth and depiction as a fool.

Tanselle Performs A Puppet Show Of Florian The Fool In A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms

The tale of Florian the Fool and Jonquil becomes a popular story over the years. It carries the same weight as a story about Lancelot and Guinevere or Aladdin and Jasmine does in our world. Tanselle, the puppeteer who is performing at the Tourney at Ashford puts on the play in episode 2.

Dunk seems particularly taken with the play, and after watching it, he asks Tanselle to paint his shield. Later, in episode 4, after the weight of his actions saving Tanselle come down on him, he hears Tanselle in his head performing the play, specifically shouting "Florian the Fool", as if at Dunk.

Duncan And Florian The Fool Have Similar Stories

When Duncan recalls Tanselle performing Florian the Fool and Jonquil, it's clear that he is thinking of himself as a fool. He's come to this tournament, and in his anger, he ends up harming a member of the royal family, effectively sentencing himself to losing a hand at best and death at worst.

He sees himself as a fool, but it's not the foolish part that makes Florian important. He's important because, despite his low birth, and how people look down on him, he acts honorably. It's the same with Dunk in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and he'll eventually learn why being Florian the Fool is something to aspire to.