The Princess Bride

by

William Goldman

Inigo Montoya Character Analysis

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 in fencing from a young age, given that Domingo makes them, but he doesn't decide to dedicate his life to learning to fence until after Count Rugen brutally murders his father. After this, Inigo spends the next ten years training all over the world to learn to fence so he can avenge his father's death, though he does briefly fall in love while studying in Italy. When finding Count Rugen proves more difficult than Inigo expected, he turns to brandy and is an alcoholic when Vizzini finds him. With Vizzini, Inigo finds that he has a purpose and always knows what to do. He befriends Fezzik, Vizzini's other employee, and the two men become great friends. Inigo doesn't think Fezzik is silly for being interested in rhymes, so he makes up rhymes and plays games with him. Both men, however, seriously doubt their own abilities to think and plan thanks to Vizzini's abuse, though Inigo is better about standing up for himself. Inigo is thrilled at first to fight Westley, but he becomes distraught when he loses their fencing match. He returns to the Thieves Quarter and to brandy until Fezzik rescues him a month later. Once Inigo learns that Count Rugen is in the castle, he formulates a plan to find Westley so that Westley can plan their attack on the castle. Despite this, Inigo is the one who does most of the planning and legwork as he and Fezzik penetrate Prince Humperdinck's Zoo of Death and then purchase a miracle to bring Westley back to life. When Inigo finally confronts Count Rugen, Rugen immediately throws a knife into Inigo's belly. Inigo's rage and desire for revenge is so great that he's able to rise above the pain and cut out Count Rugen's heart.

Inigo Montoya Quotes in The Princess Bride

The The Princess Bride quotes below are all either spoken by Inigo Montoya or refer to Inigo Montoya. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Fact vs. Fiction  Theme Icon
).
Chapter 5 Quotes

“I just feel better when I know what's going on, that's all,” the Turk mumbled. “People are always thinking I'm so stupid because I'm big and strong and sometimes drool a little when I get excited.”

“The reason people think you're so stupid,” the Sicilian said, “is because you are so stupid. It has nothing to do with your drooling.”

Related Characters: Fezzik (speaker), Vizzini (speaker), Buttercup, Inigo Montoya
Page Number: 101
Explanation and Analysis:

“I can feel him,” Fezzik said. “His body weight on the rope.”

“He'll never catch up!” the Sicilian cried. “Inconceivable!”

“You keep using that word!” the Spaniard snapped. “I don't think it means what you think it does.”

Related Characters: Fezzik (speaker), Inigo Montoya (speaker), Vizzini (speaker), Westley/Farm Boy/The Man in Black, Buttercup
Page Number: 114
Explanation and Analysis:

Inigo lay flat, staring down, trying to pierce the moonlight and find the climber's secret. For a long while, Inigo did not move. He was a good learner, but not a particularly fast one, so he had to study.

Related Characters: Westley/Farm Boy/The Man in Black, Inigo Montoya
Page Number: 101
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 6 Quotes

“I understand everything,” he said.

“You understand nothing, but it really doesn't matter, since what you mean is, you're glad to see me, just as I'm glad to see you because no more loneliness.”

“That's what I mean,” said Fezzik.

Related Characters: Fezzik (speaker), Inigo Montoya (speaker), Westley/Farm Boy/The Man in Black
Page Number: 278
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 7 Quotes

“Down is our direction, Fezzik, but I can tell you're a bit edgy about all this, so, out of the goodness of my heart, I will let you walk down not behind me, and not in front of me, but right next to me, on the same step, stride for stride, and you put an arm around my shoulder, because that will probably make you feel better, and I, so as to not make you feel foolish, will put an arm around your shoulder, and thus, safe, protected, together, we will descend.”

Related Characters: Inigo Montoya (speaker), Fezzik
Related Symbols: The Zoo of Death
Page Number: 299
Explanation and Analysis:

“I wish I could remember what it was like when I was dead,” the man in black said. “I'd write it all down. I could make a fortune on a book like that. I can't move my legs either.”

Related Characters: Westley/Farm Boy/The Man in Black (speaker), Fezzik, Inigo Montoya
Page Number: 333
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 8 Quotes

“Fezzik, I need you,” Inigo screamed.

“I'll only be a minute,” Fezzik said, because there were some things you did, no matter what, and when a friend needed help, you helped him.

Related Characters: Fezzik (speaker), Inigo Montoya (speaker)
Page Number: 346
Explanation and Analysis:
Buttercup's Baby: 4. Fezzik Falling Quotes

We've traveled a long way, you and I, from when Buttercup was only among the twenty most beautiful women on earth (because of her potential), riding Horse and taunting the Farm Boy, and Inigo and Fezzik were brought in to kill her. You've written letters, kept in touch, you'll never know how much I appreciate that. I was on the beach at Malibu once, years back, and I saw this young guy with his arm around his girl and they were both wearing T-shirts that said WESTLEY NEVER DIES.

Loved that.

Related Characters: William Goldman (speaker), Westley/Farm Boy/The Man in Black, Buttercup, Fezzik, Inigo Montoya
Page Number: 449
Explanation and Analysis:
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Inigo Montoya Quotes in The Princess Bride

The The Princess Bride quotes below are all either spoken by Inigo Montoya or refer to Inigo Montoya. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Fact vs. Fiction  Theme Icon
).
Chapter 5 Quotes

“I just feel better when I know what's going on, that's all,” the Turk mumbled. “People are always thinking I'm so stupid because I'm big and strong and sometimes drool a little when I get excited.”

“The reason people think you're so stupid,” the Sicilian said, “is because you are so stupid. It has nothing to do with your drooling.”

Related Characters: Fezzik (speaker), Vizzini (speaker), Buttercup, Inigo Montoya
Page Number: 101
Explanation and Analysis:

“I can feel him,” Fezzik said. “His body weight on the rope.”

“He'll never catch up!” the Sicilian cried. “Inconceivable!”

“You keep using that word!” the Spaniard snapped. “I don't think it means what you think it does.”

Related Characters: Fezzik (speaker), Inigo Montoya (speaker), Vizzini (speaker), Westley/Farm Boy/The Man in Black, Buttercup
Page Number: 114
Explanation and Analysis:

Inigo lay flat, staring down, trying to pierce the moonlight and find the climber's secret. For a long while, Inigo did not move. He was a good learner, but not a particularly fast one, so he had to study.

Related Characters: Westley/Farm Boy/The Man in Black, Inigo Montoya
Page Number: 101
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 6 Quotes

“I understand everything,” he said.

“You understand nothing, but it really doesn't matter, since what you mean is, you're glad to see me, just as I'm glad to see you because no more loneliness.”

“That's what I mean,” said Fezzik.

Related Characters: Fezzik (speaker), Inigo Montoya (speaker), Westley/Farm Boy/The Man in Black
Page Number: 278
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 7 Quotes

“Down is our direction, Fezzik, but I can tell you're a bit edgy about all this, so, out of the goodness of my heart, I will let you walk down not behind me, and not in front of me, but right next to me, on the same step, stride for stride, and you put an arm around my shoulder, because that will probably make you feel better, and I, so as to not make you feel foolish, will put an arm around your shoulder, and thus, safe, protected, together, we will descend.”

Related Characters: Inigo Montoya (speaker), Fezzik
Related Symbols: The Zoo of Death
Page Number: 299
Explanation and Analysis:

“I wish I could remember what it was like when I was dead,” the man in black said. “I'd write it all down. I could make a fortune on a book like that. I can't move my legs either.”

Related Characters: Westley/Farm Boy/The Man in Black (speaker), Fezzik, Inigo Montoya
Page Number: 333
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 8 Quotes

“Fezzik, I need you,” Inigo screamed.

“I'll only be a minute,” Fezzik said, because there were some things you did, no matter what, and when a friend needed help, you helped him.

Related Characters: Fezzik (speaker), Inigo Montoya (speaker)
Page Number: 346
Explanation and Analysis:
Buttercup's Baby: 4. Fezzik Falling Quotes

We've traveled a long way, you and I, from when Buttercup was only among the twenty most beautiful women on earth (because of her potential), riding Horse and taunting the Farm Boy, and Inigo and Fezzik were brought in to kill her. You've written letters, kept in touch, you'll never know how much I appreciate that. I was on the beach at Malibu once, years back, and I saw this young guy with his arm around his girl and they were both wearing T-shirts that said WESTLEY NEVER DIES.

Loved that.

Related Characters: William Goldman (speaker), Westley/Farm Boy/The Man in Black, Buttercup, Fezzik, Inigo Montoya
Page Number: 449
Explanation and Analysis: