- Joined
- Aug 1, 2022
I've noticed a common (if not stated out loud) assumption among Zelda fans that take it for granted that Hyrule takes after the King Arthur/ Lord of the Rings tradition of being based mostly on medieval England or Wales, but I think a closer look at the games complicates that a bit.
Zelda II in particular gives off a distinct Mediterranean vibe to me. The most noticeable are all the Greek/Roman-looking pillars both in and out of the palaces. The setting also makes Hyrule look like a sunny, sandy place (there's a preponderance of deserts and beaches) in a temperate southern climate where even the swamps, grasslands and mountains appear "warm."
The townspeople of Hyrule are virtually all black-haired and even Link and Zelda have their darkest hair ever (I've always wondered about how as the series goes on they both seem to get blonder and blonder). The many stocky bearded gents in particular give off a particularly evocative "swarthy" look. They're also ostensibly Christian, and all the crosses and churches were such a rare sight on the NES that they have an air of extravagance here that's easy to read as "Catholic" along with the rest of the setting.
Honestly a lot of this may well be unintentional but it does leave an impression, and I think it's a reminder that the Zelda universe is pretty broad and more varied than we might assume. I think Hyrule is a loose "pan-Europe" in general.
Zelda II in particular gives off a distinct Mediterranean vibe to me. The most noticeable are all the Greek/Roman-looking pillars both in and out of the palaces. The setting also makes Hyrule look like a sunny, sandy place (there's a preponderance of deserts and beaches) in a temperate southern climate where even the swamps, grasslands and mountains appear "warm."
The townspeople of Hyrule are virtually all black-haired and even Link and Zelda have their darkest hair ever (I've always wondered about how as the series goes on they both seem to get blonder and blonder). The many stocky bearded gents in particular give off a particularly evocative "swarthy" look. They're also ostensibly Christian, and all the crosses and churches were such a rare sight on the NES that they have an air of extravagance here that's easy to read as "Catholic" along with the rest of the setting.
Honestly a lot of this may well be unintentional but it does leave an impression, and I think it's a reminder that the Zelda universe is pretty broad and more varied than we might assume. I think Hyrule is a loose "pan-Europe" in general.