I've been enjoying Game of Thrones on HBO as of late.
In particular interest to me is the character Verys. He is a Eunuch, and the head of a very effective spy network.
http://gameofthrones.wikia.com/wiki/Varys
In the latest episode, he describes some of his life before he was castrated. As a boy he traveled with a group of actors, and was quite a good actor himself. He does not describe why he was castrated, but one suspects it was so he could better portray female parts, or to preserve his voice.
He is a wonderful character, an is very open and honest about his castration. He is once asked by his rival, "Where are your balls now, I wonder?"
Verys replies disarmingly, "I've often wondered that myself. It is a pity, because we were once so close."
Verys may be the only truly honest character in the series. At the beginning of the war central to the series he is asked which king he aligns with. Where do his loyalties lie. He answers, "My loyalties are to the realm. Someone has to."
I am really enjoying a positive portrayal of a eunuch on television. For once the eunuch is not a quivering effeminate, or a silent bit of set dressing in the background. Verys is a complex person, and integral to the plot of the series. He is not subdued by his castration, and has defined himself as a vital cog in the wheels of power.
There are far too few positive portrayals of eunuchs on TV and in Film, I find this refreshing.
Can anyone think of any other examples?
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