In the second place, so-called "deconstruction" can only go so far in a universe populated
by dragons and ice monsters, wherein heroes ride horses and swing swords, and hidden lore can
shift the course of a tale. Martin wanted to ground some of the tropes of high fantasy in the
realities of medieval European history, true. But he didn't and doesn't want to destroy them. Just
as it matters that Aragorn is the Heir of Elendil, it matters (in the sense that it affects the story)
that Jon Snow is really a Targaryen. You don't spend decades on a series like A Song of Ice and
Fire because you dislike high fantasy, but because you love it.
So we shall need a more fundamental explanation for the difference in mood and tone of
the two series. I will argue that the difference is precisely fundamental: it is religious. Lord of the
Rings was written by a passionate Catholic whose faith permeated every part of his art, A Song of
Ice and Fire, on the other hand, creates a universe that can only be described as Pagan.