The Princess Bride Character Analysis

William Goldman

Goldman is both the author of the novel itself and a character within it. In the framing device that begins the novel, Goldman explains that as a boy, he contracted pneumonia and when he got… read analysis of William Goldman

Westley/Farm Boy/The Man in Black

Westley, the hero of The Princess Bride, meets Buttercup when he works on her family's farm. Though Buttercup is cruel to him, he loves her and does everything she asks. He's strong, tall, and… read analysis of Westley/Farm Boy/The Man in Black

Buttercup

Buttercup is the titular princess bride of the novel. She's a very beautiful teenager at the start of the story, though she doesn't care about her looks: she's more concerned with riding her horse, Horse… read analysis of Buttercup

Fezzik

Fezzik is a kindhearted Turkish man in the story of The Princess Bride. He's the size of a giant and was the size of an adult by the time he started kindergarten. Despite his… read analysis of Fezzik

Inigo Montoya

In the story of The Princess Bride, Inigo is a fencing wizard" who was born in a village in Spain and idolizes his father, a sword maker named Domingo. Inigo has been interested… read analysis of Inigo Montoya

Prince Humperdinck

The antagonist of The Princess Bride, Prince Humperdinck is the evil prince of Florin. He's shaped like a barrel and loves to hunt, so when King Lotharon's health begins to go downhill, he and… read analysis of Prince Humperdinck

Count Rugen

In the story of The Princess Bride, Rugen is Prince Humperdinck's evil sidekick. He's a hulking man who has six fingers on his right hand and was given his title as a birthday… read analysis of Count Rugen

Vizzini

Vizzini is a Sicilian criminal in the story of The Princess Bride. While others describe him as having a hunchback, Morgenstern describes Vizzini as a bit misshapen and with legs that are two different… read analysis of Vizzini

Yeste

In The Princess Bride, Yeste is an old friend of Domingo Montoya and a skilled sword maker, though not as skilled as Domingo. He's a fat and wealthy man who does well for himself… read analysis of Yeste

Goldman's Father

Goldman's father was a Florinese immigrant who came to the U.S. as a sixteen-year-old. He never fully learned English and so though he held a job as a barber, he was never very successful… read analysis of Goldman's Father

The Dread Pirate Roberts

Within The Princess Bride, the Dread Pirate Roberts is a name that a number of people go by, including Westley. The first Dread Pirate Roberts became a terror on the seas about twenty… read analysis of The Dread Pirate Roberts

Domingo Montoya

In the story of The Princess Bride, Domingo is Inigo's father. He's an extremely impoverished but secretly talented sword maker who lived in the mountain village of Arabella, Spain. Inigo idolized his father… read analysis of Domingo Montoya

Jason

Goldman's son. When the reader first meets Jason in the introduction to The Princess Bride, he's an unhappy, serious, and overweight ten-year-old. While Goldman wants to be close to his son, the only… read analysis of Jason

S. Morgenstern

The fictional Florinese author who, right after World War One, published his self-proclaimed classic The Princess Bride. Goldman says in the introduction to The Princess Bride (i.e. the real-life novel that Goldman wrote) that… read analysis of S. Morgenstern

Miracle Max

The former miracle man for the Florinese royalty in the tale of The Princess Bride. Though he's quite old and has been married to his wife, Valerie, for 80 years, it's unclear exactly… read analysis of Miracle Max

Yellin

In the story of The Princess Bride, Yellin is the Chief of All Enforcement in Florin City. He and his cousin, the albino, are the only two commoners that Prince Humperdinck trusts. He's… read analysis of Yellin

The Albino

The man Prince Humperdinck employs to be the caretaker of his Zoo of Death in The Princess Bride. He's a slippery man who's always around, yet seldom seen. Prince Humperdinck tasks him with caring… read analysis of The Albino

King Lotharon

Prince Humperdinck's elderly and ailing father in The Princess Bride. His health has been precarious for some time; the novel states that the palace fired Miracle Max because he wasn't able to do… read analysis of King Lotharon

Fezzik's Mother

In The Princess Bride, Fezzik's mother seems to be a perfectly normal Turkish woman. She cares deeply for Fezzik and wants for the other kids to not pick on him, so she and… read analysis of Fezzik's Mother

Fezzik's Father

A Turkish carpenter who cares deeply for Fezzik's wellbeing in The Princess Bride. He and Fezzik's mother decide to teach their son to fight. Fezzik's first punch breaks his father's jaw, and he… read analysis of Fezzik's Father

Waverly

Buttercup and Westley's daughter, introduced in Buttercup's Baby, (she is not present in the original novel, The Princess Bride). She's born via C-section after 50 hours of labor, thanks to something or… read analysis of Waverly

Buttercup's Father

Morgenstern writes in The Princess Bride that Buttercup's father isn't particularly handsome, so nobody is exactly certain how he fathered the most beautiful woman on earth. He and his wife, Buttercup's mother, fight… read analysis of Buttercup's Father

Queen Bella

Prince Humperdinck's "gumdrop-shaped" stepmother in The Princess Bride. She and King Lotharon have been married since Prince Humperdinck was a child. She's a kind, bubbly, and generous woman who is very affectionate with… read analysis of Queen Bella

Falkbridge

In The Princess Bride, Falkbridge is a criminal who owns an alehouse in the Thieves Quarter of Florin City. He's been bribing Yellin for 20 years in order to avoid prison, as he's one… read analysis of Falkbridge

Princess Noreena

A princess of Guilder known for her extensive hat collection in The Princess Bride. Queen Bella arranges for her to visit Florin so that Prince Humperdinck can court her, as she's very beautiful and… read analysis of Princess Noreena

Valerie

Miracle Max's wife in The Princess Bride. They met at miracle school, where Valerie was a potion ladler. Because every miracle man needs to have a witch, Valerie learns enough witchcraft to pass… read analysis of Valerie

Edith Neisser

An author of parenting books who lived in Goldman's neighborhood when he was a teenager. She learned that he secretly wanted to be a writer and so they'd talk about writing. In the novel's… read analysis of Edith Neisser

Buttercup's Mother

Morgenstern writes in The Princess Bride that Buttercup's mother isn't a beautiful woman; the fact that she was able to give birth to the most beautiful woman on earth is a mystery. She and… read analysis of Buttercup's Mother

The Countess

Count Rugen's wife in The Princess Bride. She's very beautiful and takes an interest in Westley when she and Count Rugen visit Buttercup's parents' farm. She purchases expensive dresses that she wears only… read analysis of The Countess

Andre the Giant

The seven-foot-tall Frenchman who plays Fezzik in the film version of The Princess Bride. (Note that though he is mentioned in the introductions to the 25th and 30th anniversary editions, he is not an… read analysis of Andre the Giant

Stephen King

A prolific American author of horror and suspense novels and short stories; according to Goldman, he's also of Florinese descent. Goldman notes in the introduction to the 30th anniversary edition of The Princess Bride… read analysis of Stephen King

Sandy Sterling

A "starlet" who takes an interest in Goldman when he's in Los Angeles to work on the script for The Stepford Wives. She's busty and beautiful, but loses interest when Goldman ignores her in… read analysis of Sandy Sterling

Miss Roginski

William Goldman's teacher for several of his elementary school years. He explains in the introduction to The Princess Bride that she thinks he's very bright but is perplexed by his unwillingness to read or… read analysis of Miss Roginski

Kermit Shog

The lawyer in charge of the Morgenstern estate. He sues Goldman and Goldman's publisher thirteen times in the name of the Morgenstern estate and stops Goldman's publisher from printing or distributing Goldman's reunion scene. He's… read analysis of Kermit Shog

Karloff Shog/Carly

The final member of the Shog family to argue with Goldman about his abridgement. Karloff, Goldman explains, is the most popular name for girls in Florin, and Carly is a beautiful woman in her mid-thirties… read analysis of Karloff Shog/Carly

Piccoli

An Italian "master of the mind" whom Inigo trains with for a while in Buttercup's Baby. Rather than working on Inigo's strength or skill, Piccoli makes Inigo tune into his mind by doing nothing… read analysis of Piccoli

Mandy Patinkin

The actor who plays Inigo in The Princess Bride film; he does not feature in the original novel. According to Goldman, he was essential to getting Andre the Giant prepared to play the role… read analysis of Mandy Patinkin

Guilietta

A young woman whom Inigo meets in Spain, according to Buttercup's Baby; she does not feature in the original novel. She is, according to him, the living embodiment of a woman he created in… read analysis of Guilietta

Giulietta

A character who does not appear in the original novel. Instead, she appears in The Unexplained Inigo Fragment, which is part of the Buttercup's Baby chapter that Goldman included in the 25th anniversary edition… read analysis of Giulietta

Minor Characters

Helen

Goldman's wife; she's a "famous shrink" who works with children. She insists that their son, Jason, is overweight because he hasn't decided to slim down yet, and Goldman detests that she constantly tries to psychoanalyze him.

Mrs. Goldman

William Goldman's mother; she appears in the frame story of the novel. She met Goldman's father on the boat to the U.S. from Florin.

Hiram Haydn

William Goldman's editor. In the novel's frame story, he's insistent that Goldman can't add scenes to his abridgement.

Horse

Buttercup's horse in The Princess Bride, named thus because Buttercup's imagination isn't expansive.

MacPherson

In The Princess Bride, MacPherson is a Scottish fencing master who trained Inigo.

Willy

Willy is Goldman's grandson. He's named after Goldman, which helps Goldman feel even closer to his son Jason, who's Willy's dad. Goldman takes being a grandfather very seriously and showers Willy with gifts and attention. He's also thrilled that Willy loves The Princess Bride.

Carl Reiner

A director and Rob Reiner's father; he does not feature in the original novel. Goldman mentions that he passes on a copy of his abridgement of The Princess Bride onto his son in the 25th anniversary introduction.

The Old Woman

A woman who appears in Buttercup's dreams in The Princess Bride and boos her for choosing to marry Prince Humperdinck instead of Westley.

Mandrake Shog

Kermit Shog's son. Goldman explains in the introduction to Buttercup's Baby that he takes over for his father in suing Goldman and Goldman's publishing house about Goldman's abridgement.

The Madman

A man who kidnaps the infant Waverly and throws her off a cliff in the first chapter of Buttercup's Baby; he does not feature in the original novel.

Professor Bongiorno

The leading scholar in Florinese history and literature at Columbia University; Goldman consults with him for parts of The Princess Bride.

Cary Elwes

The actor who plays Westley in the film adaptation of The Princess Bride; he does not feature in the original novel. He attends a script reading that Goldman details in the introduction to the 25th anniversary edition.

Robin Wright

The actress who plays Buttercup in the film adaptation of The Princess Bride; she does not feature in the original novel. She attends a script reading that Goldman details in the introduction to the 25th anniversary edition.

The Archdean

The very old Archdean of Florin in The Princess Bride. He marries Prince Humperdinck and Buttercup.

Rob Reiner

The director of the film adaptation of The Princess Bride; he does not feature in the original novel. He attends a script reading that Goldman details in the introduction to the 25th anniversary edition.

Charley

Goldman's lawyer; he appears in the introductions to The Princess Bride and Buttercup's Baby.

Peggy

Jason's wife. Goldman mentions that Jason and Peggy get married in his introduction to Buttercup's Baby, though she also appears in the introduction to the 30th anniversary edition of the novel.

Evarts Ziegler

Goldman's movie agent; Goldman mentions him in the introduction to The Princess Bride.

The Count

Guilietta's father in Buttercup's Baby.

Pierre

In Buttercup's Baby, Pierre is a doctor on the pirate ship Revenge.

The Princess Bride Characters