Posted June 02, 2017
I've only played all three Witcher games. And glanced through some of the books that were officially translated into English. So I'm hoping someone with better understanding of the Witcher world can enlighten me on Yennefer. Why is she such a b!tch all the time? And how are we supposed to sympathize, even fall in love with, with someone who is basically your fairytale evil stepmother?
1) No explanation to her vilness or motivation - In the books I have read they never really get into why she's so filled with contempt or disrespect for everyone (except for the Emperor - more on that later). We know she was an ugly woman with a hunchback. And people hated her because she's a sorceress. But neither reason seemed severe or unique enough to justify her colossal b!tchiness. In the world of the Witcher, everybody is suffering. She's not special.
She is portrayed as an "emcipated, strongwilled" woman, as Vesemir puts it. But her behavior says the exact opposite. Strong people don't put other people down to make themselves look good, like Geralt. Yennefer bahaves like a insecure, overcompensating woman with an ugly duckling complex, which could have made her an interesting character. But it just wasn't framed that way and hence a lot (most?) of us failed to sympathize with her.
Contrast her to Lambert, another colossal prick. We found out why he's such a jerk - because he deeply resents becoming a witcher. He's vulnerable. And you feel sorry for him. The game practically lured you into a trap and dumped that revelation on you. With Yennefer you're just expected to accept that's how she is w/o objection.
2) Hyprocrisy and incompetence - She's mean to everyone. She's mean to the people of Skellige, who had shown her nothing but hospitality. She's mean to Geralt's friends and orders them around like servants. She's downright abusive to Geralt in so many ways/occassions.
But the thing that irks me the most is not her supposed "b!tchiness" or "independence". But her hyporcrisy. She's completely docile and loyal to the emperor. It's particularly infuriating considering Emhyr is sworm enemy to both Geralt and Crach, and is at war with her home of Vergenberg. If she's gonna be a b!tch, at least have the decency to be b!tch at all times to all people.
And for all her talk of being independence, all she does is rely on other people, not as a leader like Cerys or even Triss, but either abuses their love for her (Geralt & his friends, Crach) or straight up creates mess and leave others to clean up her mess (Mousecrack). She defiled her hosts' sacred garden and almost brough tsunami upon its people, without permission and with no remorse.
There's being an strong woman, and there's being a bully. She places firmly in the latter.
3) Lack of nuiance and development - storytelling is about arcs and payoffs, meaning at the end of a good story Yennefer needs to either redeem herself, or get her comeuppance. Neither happens in Witcher 3. She began as a b!tch, and ended as a b!tch. We didn't even have the option to tell her off as Geralt. If you're not already a fan of hers, then playing W3 is deeply dissatisfying when it comes to her.
Geralt and Yennefer's relationship is a deeply unhealthy one. In the books it's specified that nothing good shall ever come of it. And it ended badly for all involved. Somehow the games failed to convey that.
Is there supposed to be some redeeming qualities that I've missed or the books and games didn't show? Cuz as of now I find her game-ruiningly insufferable.
1) No explanation to her vilness or motivation - In the books I have read they never really get into why she's so filled with contempt or disrespect for everyone (except for the Emperor - more on that later). We know she was an ugly woman with a hunchback. And people hated her because she's a sorceress. But neither reason seemed severe or unique enough to justify her colossal b!tchiness. In the world of the Witcher, everybody is suffering. She's not special.
She is portrayed as an "emcipated, strongwilled" woman, as Vesemir puts it. But her behavior says the exact opposite. Strong people don't put other people down to make themselves look good, like Geralt. Yennefer bahaves like a insecure, overcompensating woman with an ugly duckling complex, which could have made her an interesting character. But it just wasn't framed that way and hence a lot (most?) of us failed to sympathize with her.
Contrast her to Lambert, another colossal prick. We found out why he's such a jerk - because he deeply resents becoming a witcher. He's vulnerable. And you feel sorry for him. The game practically lured you into a trap and dumped that revelation on you. With Yennefer you're just expected to accept that's how she is w/o objection.
2) Hyprocrisy and incompetence - She's mean to everyone. She's mean to the people of Skellige, who had shown her nothing but hospitality. She's mean to Geralt's friends and orders them around like servants. She's downright abusive to Geralt in so many ways/occassions.
But the thing that irks me the most is not her supposed "b!tchiness" or "independence". But her hyporcrisy. She's completely docile and loyal to the emperor. It's particularly infuriating considering Emhyr is sworm enemy to both Geralt and Crach, and is at war with her home of Vergenberg. If she's gonna be a b!tch, at least have the decency to be b!tch at all times to all people.
And for all her talk of being independence, all she does is rely on other people, not as a leader like Cerys or even Triss, but either abuses their love for her (Geralt & his friends, Crach) or straight up creates mess and leave others to clean up her mess (Mousecrack). She defiled her hosts' sacred garden and almost brough tsunami upon its people, without permission and with no remorse.
There's being an strong woman, and there's being a bully. She places firmly in the latter.
3) Lack of nuiance and development - storytelling is about arcs and payoffs, meaning at the end of a good story Yennefer needs to either redeem herself, or get her comeuppance. Neither happens in Witcher 3. She began as a b!tch, and ended as a b!tch. We didn't even have the option to tell her off as Geralt. If you're not already a fan of hers, then playing W3 is deeply dissatisfying when it comes to her.
Geralt and Yennefer's relationship is a deeply unhealthy one. In the books it's specified that nothing good shall ever come of it. And it ended badly for all involved. Somehow the games failed to convey that.
Is there supposed to be some redeeming qualities that I've missed or the books and games didn't show? Cuz as of now I find her game-ruiningly insufferable.
