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The Unexplained Inigo Fragment
The Zoo of Death is a five-level, underground creation built by Prince Humperdinck and Count Rugen. It's filled with all manner of animals for Humperdinck to hunt, and he chooses an animal to hunt and kill daily. Morgenstern insists that Humperdinck and Rugen constructed the Zoo of Death to fix the problem of Humperdinck's absences (he needs to be around in case Lotharon dies and he becomes king) and while this may be technically true, it also offers Humperdinck a place where there's no chance of him failing to kill any of his targets. In this way, the Zoo of Death becomes symbolic of Humperdinck's cowardice and his belief that he's above rules of fair conduct. is especially true with regard to Westley's death. While Humperdinck does catch Westley out in the wider world, the process of actually killing Westley gives Westley no chance at a fair fight because he's caged and chained—Humperdinck is guaranteed to be successful against a helpless victim, as all the animals in the Zoo are. The Zoo thus also contrasts the cruel Humperdinck with Inigo and Fezzik, both of whom are presented as honest men who go out of their way to ensure a fair fight against Westley.
The Zoo of Death Quotes in The Princess Bride
The The Princess Bride quotes below all refer to the symbol of The Zoo of Death. 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:
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Chapter 6
Quotes
“I'm very interested in pain,” the Count said, “as I'm sure you've gathered these past months. In an intellectual way, actually. I've written, of course, for the more learned journals on the subject. Articles mostly. At the present I'm engaged in writing a book. My book. The book, I hope. The definitive work on pain, at least as we know it now.”
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“Westley dies,” my father said.
I said, “What do you mean, ‘Westley dies’? You mean dies?”
My father nodded. “Prince Humperdinck kills him.”
“He's only faking thought, right?”
My father shook his head, closed the book all the way.
“Aw shit” I said and I started to cry.
“I'm sorry,” my father said. “I'll leave you alone,” and he left.
“Who gets Humperdinck?” I screamed after him.
He stopped in the hall. “I don't understand.”
“Who kills Prince Humperdinck? At the end, somebody's got to get him. Is it Fezzik? Who?”
“Nobody kills him. He lives.”
“You mean he wins, Daddy? Jesus, what did you read me this thing for?”
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Chapter 7
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“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.”
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The Zoo of Death Symbol Timeline in The Princess Bride
The timeline below shows where the symbol The Zoo of Death appears in The Princess Bride. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter Two: The Groom
...hunt, but once King Lotharon's health started to decline, Humperdinck and Count Rugen built the Zoo of Death . It's five underground levels full of creatures to hunt. The fifth level is empty...
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Chapter Five: The Announcement
Prince Humperdinck quietly tells Count Rugen to put Westley in the fifth level of the Zoo of Death as Buttercup approaches. She takes Humperdinck's hand and the two walk away. Westley watches her...
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Chapter Six: The Festivities
...with him. Humperdinck screams at Buttercup, throws her into her room, and runs for the Zoo of Death .
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Back in the story, Humperdinck runs to the Zoo of Death and startles Count Rugen when he bursts in. He shouts at Westley that Buttercup somehow...
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Back in the fifth level of the Zoo of Death , Count Rugen declares Westley dead. Prince Humperdinck leaves. Annoyed that he lost his interesting...
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Chapter Seven: The Wedding
...that this doesn't make sense, as Prince Humperdinck should of course lock up his beloved Zoo of Death . Morgenstern explains this door is the one intended to foil people like Inigo as...
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Buttercup's Baby: 3. Buttercup and Westley
...Fezzik explains that the scream they all heard yesterday was from Westley dying in the Zoo of Death , and says that he and Inigo got Westley to Miracle Max. This makes Pierre...
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