ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim from the perspective of the political theory of Carl Schmitt. Schmitt argued that law was always at risk of being suspended during emergencies, as its structures are only of use in ‘normal’ circumstances. On first blush, Skyrim sits perfectly in a Schmittian setting: set during a bloody civil war in a world fraught with racial tensions, territorial disputes, and struggles over sovereignty. However, upon closer examination, it demonstrates what Schmitt’s concept of emergency lacks – appreciation of the coordinating force of law that remains relevant even among chaos. Even in unprecedented circumstances, the world of Skyrim sustains legality, creating a whole new dimension of the in-game world for the player to interact with.
