Game of Thrones follows the nobles and knights at the highest peaks of society in the fantastical continent of Westeros. Watching the aristocratic monsters around King's Landing might convince a viewer that their culture has no laws. Though brutal violence is common, there are strict rules in Westeros, some of which may be enforced by the gods. Guest right is one of the continent's oldest and most sacred laws, and it's charming in its simplicity.
Fate plays a tremendous part in Game of Thrones. Whether perceived or genuine, prophecies and portentous visions often pay off with substantial effects across the Known World. Though no character is safe in Game of Thrones, one that violates the gods' rules signs their death warrant in most cases. Whether they suffer because violence breeds violence or because there is a divine Father passing judgment, the people of Westeros violate the guest right at their peril.
What is the Guest Right?
The guest right is the sacred bond between a host and those who take their hospitality. When one opens their home to a guest, the homeowner and the visitor must remain civil and nonviolent during their stay. The guest right is symbolized by the host sharing food, usually bread and salt. Once they've broken bread, they silently vow not to harm each other until their stay has ended. This law applies to every citizen of Westeros, no matter their social standing. If a king entertains a peasant, that peasant is promised the same guarantee of safety that the king would receive from a fellow noble. Visiting guests sometimes bring or leave behind gifts to thank their hosts for offering food and shelter. The guest right may have been the first established rule in Westeros. It predates human settlement on the continent and seemingly coincides with the first historical examples of civilization.
The guest right is meant to be a guarantee. Friends, enemies, and strangers enter every interaction with the fundamental promises of food, shelter, and safety. Hosts, in turn, have peace of mind knowing that even the lowest bandit wouldn't dare harm them after they've taken them in. It's possible to refuse guest right to a visitor. A host can keep a bare sword across their knees to signal hostility and reject their company. When Robb Stark summons Tyrion Lannister to his castle, he displays a sword on his dining room table. He later sheaths his sword and offers hospitality, though Tyrion respectfully declines. Guest right is a contract that binds both parties under the most fundamental shared needs of sustenance and safety. Mance Rayder, the King-Beyond-the-Wall, explains his promise to Jon Snow like this:
Once I had eaten at his board I was protected by guest right. The laws of hospitality are as old as the First Men, and sacred as a heart tree … Here you are the guest, and safe from harm at my hands … this night, at least.
What Happens if Someone Breaks the Guest Right?
In Westeros, few laws are sacred. Kinslaying, murdering a member of one's bloodline, is considered a sin so severe that the gods mete out punishment. Bastardry, siring a child out of wedlock, is shameful under almost any circumstances. Incest, sexual relations with a family member, is an aberration to all of Westeros. Violation of the guest right sits alongside those cardinal sins. A host or guest who breaks hospitality will suffer legal punishment. King's Landing places violators in the dungeons. The North holds the guest right even higher, as refusing food or shelter in the frozen region is likely to be a death sentence. Imprisonment or execution will be legal punishment, but the guest right is upheld by gods as well as men.
Every character depicted breaking the guest right is brutally punished, often by forces beyond the vengeance of those they offended. The best example is Walder Frey, who offered Robb Stark and his family hospitality before killing them. Arya Stark makes herself an avatar of the Many-Faced God and delivers an appropriately severe punishment. She butchers his sons, bakes them into pies, feeds them to him, slits his throat, and poisons most of his family, bringing his house to ruin. Less outlandish tragedies befall most examples. Crastor, a Wildling who extends limited hospitality to the Night's Watch, tries to attack his guest after one insults him, leading to his death. The mutinous rangers who killed him then die violently moments later. The show is more careful about this rule than the books, inventing new scenarios to ensure its sanctity. Jamie Lannister's first action in the story is to nearly murder Bran Stark in violation of guest right. His imprisonment, torture, and the loss of his hand could be seen as his punishment.
The guest right is the most fundamental acknowledgment of human decency in a franchise based around cruelty and violence. Sharing food and shelter is virtuous, and the simple promise of peace during a host/guest relationship keeps society alive. The gods may not truly punish those who violate the laws of hospitality. Perhaps every criminal who tosses aside the guest right suffers the violent consequences of their universally reviled sins. Even in a world of endless hostility, there's nothing more sacred than treating a guest well.
