12 Northern Stereotypes Game Of Thrones Gets Completely Right

3. The Women Are As Hard As The Men

For as much as the men will willingly embark in a scrap up here, we northern women have a bit of a reputation ourselves. Going back again to the hard industries that have carved the north of England, the wives of those men had to be hard too, often raising large families more-or-less singlehandedly and, if the worst happened, then being left to fend for themselves. Northern women have, historically, been total strangers to luxury and the idea of being "kept", whereas we're no strangers to manual labour and long, tiring days. Though the coal and ship building trades are long gone, the north is still predominantly working class and, as so, the strong women prevail. The northern women in Game of Thrones echo the strength of our northern women, especially in Arya and Ygritte. Both are outspoken young women, pushing their way forward in men's territory. Even before the misfortune that befell her family, Arya was more interested in swordplay and archery - and far better at it than her brother Bran was (before he fell, obviously. I'm not that mean.) - than she was in needlework. Rather than dissuading her from this course, her father and brother encouraged it, the latter presenting her with Needle, her own sword, and the former hiring Syrio Forel to teach her the fighting art of Water Dancing. Ygritte not only defends herself among her wildling hoard, but is respected among those higher up because of her fighting skills and her sharp wit. She's tough, strong-willed, fiercely loyal and knows how to use her sexuality for her own gain. Even when she falls in love,she still shoots him three times for betraying her. Could be a story in the Newcastle Chronicle.