A Game of Thrones

A Game of Thrones

by George R. R. Martin

Petyr Baelish/Littlefinger Character Analysis

Littlefinger serves on Robert’s small council (a group of advisors to the king) and then on Joffrey’s small council after Robert dies. Littlefinger grew up in Riverrun with Catelyn, Lysa, and Edmure and fell in love with Catelyn. When Catelyn travels to King’s Landing with the dagger used in the attempt on Bran’s life, Littlefinger says the dagger once belonged to him until he lost it in a bet to Tyrion. Littlefinger’s assertion that Tyrion had the dagger becomes the basis for Catelyn’s arrest of Tyrion. At the end of the novel, Littlefinger says that he’ll support Ned by bribing the City Watch but ultimately assists the Lannisters in taking the throne, underling Littlefinger’s duplicitous nature and casting doubt on his claim that the dagger used to try and kill Bran belonged to Tyrion.

Petyr Baelish/Littlefinger Quotes in A Game of Thrones

The A Game of Thrones quotes below are all either spoken by Petyr Baelish/Littlefinger or refer to Petyr Baelish/Littlefinger. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Politics and Power Theme Icon
).

Chapter 47: Eddard Quotes

“You wear your honor like a suit of armor, Stark. You think it keeps you safe, but all it does is weigh you down and make it hard for you to move. Look at you now. You know why you summoned me here. You know what you want to ask me to do. You know it has to be done … but it’s not honorable, so the words stick in your throat.”

Related Characters: Petyr Baelish/Littlefinger (speaker), Ned Stark, Robert Baratheon/the Usurper
Page Number: 429
Explanation and Analysis:

Chapter 49: Eddard Quotes

Ned produced Robert’s letter. “Lord Varys, be so kind as to show this to my lady of Lannister.”

The eunuch carried the letter to Cersei. The queen glanced at the words. “Protector of the Realm,” she read. “Is this meant to be your shield, my lord? A piece of paper?” She ripped the letter in half, ripped the halves in quarters, and let the pieces flutter to the floor.

“Those were the king’s words,” Ser Barristan said, shocked.

“We have a new king now,” Cersei Lannister replied.

Related Characters: Ned Stark (speaker), Cersei Lannister, Joffrey Baratheon, Barristan Selmy, Robert Baratheon/the Usurper, Varys, Petyr Baelish/Littlefinger
Related Symbols: The Iron Throne, The Iron Throne
Page Number: 441
Explanation and Analysis:

Chapter 58: Eddard Quotes

He damned them all: Littlefinger, Janos Slynt and his gold cloaks, the queen, the Kingslayer, Pycelle and Varys and Ser Barristan, even Lord Renly, Robert’s own blood, who had run when he was needed most. Yet in the end he blamed himself. “Fool,” he cried to the darkness, “thrice-damned blind fool.”

Cersei Lannister’s face seemed to float before him in the darkness. Her hair was full of sunlight, but there was mockery in her smile. “When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die,” she whispered. Ned had played and lost, and his men had paid the price of his folly with their life’s blood.

Related Characters: Ned Stark (speaker), Petyr Baelish/Littlefinger, Cersei Lannister, Grand Maester Pycelle, Barristan Selmy, Renly Baratheon, Jaime Lannister/the Kingslayer, Varys
Related Symbols: The Iron Throne, The Iron Throne
Page Number: 524
Explanation and Analysis:

Chapter 67: Sansa Quotes

A voice inside her whispered, There are no heroes, and she remembered what Lord Petyr had said to her, here in this very hall. “Life is not a song, sweetling,” he’d told her. “You may learn that one day to your sorrow.” In life, the monsters win, she told herself.

Related Characters: Petyr Baelish/Littlefinger (speaker), Joffrey Baratheon, Ned Stark, Sansa Stark
Page Number: 624
Explanation and Analysis:

Chapter 68: Daenerys Quotes

“You knew,” Dany said when they were gone. She ached, inside and out, but her fury gave her strength. “You knew what I was buying, and you knew the price, and yet you let me pay it.”

“It was wrong of them to burn my temple,” the heavy, flat-nosed woman said placidly. “That angered the Great Shepherd.”

“This was no god’s work,” Dany said coldly. If I look back I am lost. “You cheated me. You murdered my child within me.”

“The stallion who mounts the world will burn no cities now. His khalasar shall trample no nations into dust.”

Related Characters: Mirri Maz Duur (speaker), Daenerys Targaryen (speaker), Khal Drogo, Ned Stark, Petyr Baelish/Littlefinger
Page Number: 635
Explanation and Analysis:
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Petyr Baelish/Littlefinger Character Timeline in A Game of Thrones

The timeline below shows where the character Petyr Baelish/Littlefinger appears in A Game of Thrones. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 18: Catelyn
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...her to the Red Keep under orders of Petyr Baelish, who is also known as Littlefinger. Catelyn doesn’t know who would have told Littlefinger that she was in King’s Landing. She... (full context)
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Catelyn grew up with Littlefinger. He had been her father’s ward, and Catelyn thought of him as a brother. But... (full context)
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When Catelyn reaches Littlefinger’s room, he tells her that Lord Varys, the master of whisperers, told him that Catelyn... (full context)
Chapter 20: Eddard
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...a small council meeting. When Ned reaches the council in the Red Keep, he finds Littlefinger, Renly Baratheon, Lord Varys, and Grand Maester Pycelle already there. Ned asks if they should... (full context)
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The urgent matter, Littlefinger explains, is that Robert wants to hold a tournament with jousting, archery, and other festivities... (full context)
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After Ned leaves the council, Littlefinger escorts him to a brothel and says that Catelyn is inside. Ned thinks that Littlefinger... (full context)
Chapter 25: Eddard
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Ned then talks to Littlefinger. Littlefinger tells Ned that he promised Catelyn to help Ned get to the bottom of... (full context)
Chapter 27: Eddard
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...Jory, the captain of the Stark guards. Jory has been looking into the leads that Littlefinger gave to Ned regarding Jon Arryn’s death. (full context)
Chapter 31: Tyrion
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...and continue riding. As they ride, Tyrion begins to poke holes in the story that Littlefinger told. In Littlefinger’s story, Littlefinger had once owned the dagger used in the attempt on... (full context)
Chapter 33: Eddard
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...way. Ned is convinced that Stannis knows something about Jon Arryn’s death. Before he leaves, Littlefinger comes to see Ned and tells him that he can show him the brothel he’s... (full context)
Chapter 35: Eddard
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Littlefinger brings Ned to a brothel. There, Ned finds another one of Robert’s “bastard” children and... (full context)
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Jaime takes out his sword. Littlefinger is taken aback and can’t believe what’s happening. Jaime asks Ned why Catelyn took Tyrion... (full context)
Chapter 40: Catelyn
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...to dodge Vardis’s attacks until Vardis is worn out. As Catelyn watches, she remembers when Littlefinger fought Brandon after her father said she would marry Brandon. Brandon tried to spare Littlefinger... (full context)
Chapter 45: Eddard
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Ned hears that the Hound has returned to King’s Landing with Joffrey. Littlefinger warns Ned that the Hound may be feeling vengeful after learning that Ned ordered his... (full context)
Chapter 47: Eddard
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Ned says he wants to see Littlefinger. Littlefinger says that Ned should make peace with the Lannisters and take his seat as... (full context)
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...he needs to ensure that the relevant forces in King’s Landing will recognize his authority. Littlefinger proposes a method to ensure that Ned’s plan will work. Littlefinger will pay the City... (full context)
Chapter 49: Eddard
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...is the Kingsguard, who will side with Joffrey, and the City Watch, who Ned believes Littlefinger has paid to support Ned. The City Watch outnumber Joffrey’s men five to one. Ned... (full context)
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...the City Watch lower their spears. But they attack Ned’s men instead of the Lannisters. Littlefinger reaches down from behind Ned. He takes the dagger from Ned’s waist and holds it... (full context)
Chapter 51: Sansa
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...council. She hopes that she might find Joffrey there. Instead, she finds Cersei with Varys, Littlefinger, and Maester Pycelle. (full context)
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...a traitor. Sansa can’t believe it. She says her father would never commit treason. Varys, Littlefinger, and Maester Pycelle all attest to Cersei’s version of events. They say that they heard... (full context)