The rape of Lyanna Stark: “Game of Thrones”’ biggest mystery revolves around a woman’s consent

 

"So if Lyanna Stark could have been fled her home and her engagement of her own choosing, to live with a man who she loved and who loved her, then the narrative of Robert’s Rebellion isn’t of a man raping a woman but a woman’s family preventing her from living her life. Perhaps the Starks and Baratheons, in going after Lyanna, were seeking the restoration of their property and reputation—i.e., Lyanna’s virginity—more than they were seeking her safety.

It is, of course, totally still possible that Rhaegar did kidnap and rape Lyanna. But the most intriguing part of this whole mess—the mess that basically spawned the entirety of the storytelling of “A Song Of Ice And Fire”—is that no one appears to have bothered to ask Lyanna how she felt about the whole thing. It’s ultimately her word that matters—not Rhaegar’s intentions, or the Starks’ desire to protect her, or Robert’s prior “claim” on her.

With this season of “Game Of Thrones,” Lyanna Stark, that screaming woman at the top of the tower, might get a chance to say a few words; to tell her side of the story. It will be intriguing to see how such a simple thing as a woman’s voice can have a profound affect on the history of an entire nation."
read article by Sonia Saraiva>> 

The rape of Lyanna Stark: “Game of Thrones”’ biggest mystery revolves around a woman’s consent - Salon.com