65 pages • 2 hours read
Samantha ShannonA Day of Fallen Night
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2023A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Background
Historical Context: Legend of Saint George and the Dragon
There are many versions of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon, but the general narrative is consistent: Saint George, a valiant and faithful Christian knight, discovers a dragon is terrorizing a kingdom while its king sacrifices a woman per day to the dragon. Victims are selected by lottery, and when the king’s daughter is chosen, Saint George vows to kill the dragon in exchange for the maiden’s hand in marriage and the kingdom’s conversion to Christianity. He finds a gap in the dragon’s scales, piercing its heart with his lance.
The similarities between the legend of Saint George and the Dragon and the supposed actions of Galian Berethnet in A Day of Fallen Night are clear, though Samantha Shannon subverts the myth and shifts the heroic action to the “maiden.” Like Saint George, Galian fights the Nameless One for Cleolind’s hand in marriage and the conversion of Lasia to the Six Virtues, but in the novel, Galian cowers, and Cleolind takes up his sword, thus defeating the beast. She refuses his hand, banishes him, and her realm does not convert. A Day of Fallen Night gives the maiden figure agency, autonomy, and the power to not only defend herself but lead her people. Additionally, it reframes the actions of Saint George from heroic to predatory, as he feigns courage and valor for his own selfish purposes rather than acting to save a vulnerable realm. In this sense, Cleolind assumes the traditional role of both Saint George and the maiden, thus complicating genders norms and subverting the narrative of the hero and the damsel in distress.
Cultural Context: LGBTQIA+ Storytelling in Fantasy
LGBTQIA+ storytelling in fantasy literature is a well-established avenue through which new worlds with greater acceptance are created. The structure and purpose of fantasy gives space for LGBTQIA+ stories to explore narratives that may not suit other genres. Indeed, fantasy is defined as imaginative fiction dependent for effect on strangeness of setting (such as other worlds or times) and of characters (such as supernatural or unnatural beings). Fantasy, therefore, allows for world-building free of the constraints and expectations of the real world. Many fantasy novels are set in mirror worlds in which magic equals unlimited possibility. This allows for authors to create worlds in which anti-LGBTQIA+ biases do not become pillars of society. LGBTQIA+ characters can exist in these alternate worlds and societies where lives and existences are not questioned or condemned, as they often are in the real world.
Fantasy allows LGBTQIA+ readers to engage in possibilities wherein the characters may fight monsters and villains without contending with the toxicity of anti-LGBTQIA+ biases: Characters can simply exist without needing to overcome social barriers that exist in the real world. In A Day of Fallen Night, there are many LGBTQIA+ characters, and few have a narrative constructed around a secret identity that must painfully come to light. LGBTQIA+ characters can fall in love, live happy lives, and feel support without worrying of social condemnation. The world of the novel does not demonstrate an institutional connection between LGBTQIA+ identity and internalized shame, and while Dumai does essentially come out, her relationship with Nikeya results from Nikeya’s family’s greed. Fantasy constructs new worlds in which LGBTQIA+ possibilities can be explored and LGBTQIA+ characters can live without the pressure and legacy of a homophobic society judging and policing their identities.
Societal Context: Feminism and Monarchy
One of the most striking qualities of the world of A Day of Fallen Night is the existence of women-led realms, matriarchal lines of succession, and queens as powerful and effective leaders. It is an inverse of the real world where monarchies are historically dominated by men, following patriarchal lines. A Day of Fallen Night depicts women using power to defend and inspire their people. At times, their effectiveness as rulers is questioned, but their gender is never the cause. The world of A Day of Fallen Night is defined by feminist thinking, yet the women in power still feel constrained, revealing that the issue with monarchy is not gender inequality, but monarchy itself.
Both Dumai and Glorian are heirs to their respective realms and face pressure to bear an heir to extend their lines. Glorian struggles throughout the novel as she is constantly reminded that her purpose is to have a child and, until she does so, she will not be in control of her own body. It is only in the finale of the novel when she gives birth that Glorian realizes her true potential and leads as she sees fit. Across the sea, Dumai knows she does not want to have a child but must still extend the Noziken line. Her grandmother recognizes this and would rather see their dynasty end than force her granddaughter to bear children. In both cases, the responsibility of protecting and extending monarchy falls to the women as child bearers. They are not given a choice, as monarchy necessitates heirs to survive, leading to questions of the system’s legitimacy and ethics.
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