Why did the Old Bear take the Black?

[cape_royds]

I've just finished re-reading the four books, but I still can't figure out why Jeor Mormont went to the Wall.

Can someone help me out here?

[Young stormlord]

Mormonts live close to the Wall and still see the Night watch as honorable profession. Jeor was old and he felt useless on Bear island. He had a son so he didn't want to stay in his way. I think he probably thought that Watch can find use for him.

[JDP]

I thought he took the Black because of his son's disgrace...?

[Lubbock]

Yup he did indeed take the black, due to his sons disgrace. its mentioned in Clash of Kings.
After his sons sells slaves to get cash for his wife and is busted by the starks, he took the black for his disgrace.

[Boaz]

YS is correct. Jeor took the Black to retire... this was so Jorah could inherit. It was not for a number of years that Jorah disgraced himself.

I do believe that Jeor knew that the NW needed help and that he could assist them and his family by serving on the Wall.

[YOSSARIAN]

Not everyone takes the black due to dishonor. Benjen Stark, Alliser Thorne, and Denys Mallister chose to join, as did the (late?) Ser Waymar Royce.

[cape_royds]

Thanks for the quick replies! It looks like I've come to the right place to talk about this series.

I did think that Jeor's taking the Black predated Jorah's exile--that's why I was a little mystified about his motives.

I see the passage now in Clash. It appears that Jeor joined the Watch after his son's first marriage (to the Glover), but before Jorah's second marriage, to Lynesse Hightower.

Might such a timing have coincided with Robert's usurpation of the throne?

I'm wondering whether one factor in Jeor's retirement was a desire to avoid being disloyal to either the throne or to the Starks, at the time when the latter rose against Aerys.

Chronologically: Jorah married Lynesse shortly after Balon's Rebellion, i.e. about nine years before. Call that D-9.

An unknown amount of time, possibly years, passed between the decease of Jorah's first wife and his remarriage.

About D-15 or D-16 was Robert's uprising. (Roughly coincides with the ages of Jon Snow and Robb Stark, who were born around the end of that war.)

Jorah's first marriage lasted ten years. At some point during that period, his father went to the Wall. We know this because Jorah tells Danaerys that he was Lord of Bear Island by the time he became a widower.

So depending on how long was the hiatus between Jorah's marriages, it would seem at least chronologically possible that the Old Bear abdicated in favour of his son around the time of the Usurpation.

Last question: are there any passages in the series where the Old Bear himself mentions his motive for joining the Night's Watch? I can't remember seeing any.

Thanks in advance for your patience, in case I've asked any stupid questions!

[cape_royds]

Originally Posted by YOSSARIAN

Not everyone takes the black due to dishonor. Benjen Stark, Alliser Thorne, and Denys Mallister chose to join, as did the (late?) Ser Waymar Royce.

Indeed the Watch is considered honourable, all the more so for old northern families like the Mormonts.

However, Ben Stark and Waymar Royce, although they came of great Houses, and while they joined the Watch for honour's sake, were nevertheless younger sons. Jeor Mormont, on the other hand, was already an incumbent Lord.

So Jeor's taking the Black raises the possibility that he had some motive additional to the honour of serving the Watch.

The desire to leave the way clear for his son (and expected grandsons) is one possible additional motive.

Perhaps the desire to escape Maege's sharp tongue was another additional motive :-)

But the thinking that Jeor was feeling ready for pasture doesn't make sense, because joining the Watch (and later letting himself be named Commander) was probably more arduous than ruling Bear Island. Besides we know the Old Bear was hale, and that he lost his temper when Smallwood so much as suggested that he was too old to march.

Is that the profile of a man seeking retirement for no reason other than making things easier for his successor?

[Boaz]

CR, I don't believe that Jeor was admitting that he was too old to rule Bear Island. I believe he was confessing that his son was ready to rule Bear Island. And yes, retiring and moving on does make things better for successors. If the old leader stays, then many people still look to him and will never give loyalty to the new ruler.

Yoss, when Tyrion is at the Wall, it is mentioned that Thorne and one other (mayhaps Jaremy Rykker) were offered the choice to take the black or have their heads mounted on spikes for supporting Aerys.

[YOSSARIAN]

Huh..I don't recall that bit of info at all. I wonder how my brain chooses which bits of trvia to retain or forget. As soon as I start believing I have gained TOTAL ASOIAF KNOWLEDGE I get proved wrong.

[Boaz]

Yoss, it's not about proving you wrong or about me being right... I've been wrong more on these forums than I'll probably ever be right.

It's amazing the info my brain retains and sometimes I'm flumoxed at the info my brain chooses to forget... worst of all is the info that my brain mis-remembers into a half-truth, that's embarrassing.

P.S. - I just re-read that passage about a week ago... that's the only way the info was even remotely in my brain... and you'll notice I don't remember Thorne's partner that Lord Tywin sent to the Wall.