Literature Guides
The Princess Bride Characters and Analysis
Main Characters and Analysis
Westley/Dread Pirate Roberts/ The Man in Black
He is the object of Buttercup’s affection and is considered the hero of the story. Westley starts off as a young obedient farm boy in love and he sees the inner goodness in Buttercup despite her rude behavior towards him as he knows they are destined to be together.
Westley’s love is pure as he sees past Buttercups outer shell and sees her for what she truly is. His love for Buttercup motivates him to survive and become the next Dread Pirate Roberts. He evolves into a worthy opponent that can defy all odds in favor of his eternal love for Buttercup.
Buttercup
She is a tomboy who often enjoys tormenting Farm Boy for fun. However as she matures she comes to recognize her love for Westley. Although she fits the stereotypical damsel in distress, Buttercup’s strength to resolve to suicide and then to order the guards to stand down as the queen all stem from her love for Westley. In essence it seems that her love for Westley grows along with her.
Prince Humperdinck
Although he is the biggest villain of them all, he is also the most cowardly. He enjoys showcasing his talents and possessions in order to cover up how much for a coward he is. He takes Buttercup as a wife to make him look good and even his love for hunting stems from his love for showcasing his strength. His vanity is so strong that he forfeits the duel with Westley in fear of his physical mutilation which would show his weakness. However, in the end he is left to wallow in his cowardice.
The three villains
Inigo and Fezzik are good natured and humble in comparison to the arrogant Vizzini. Inigo is thirsty to avenge his beloved father’s death. Fezzik is innocent and kind at heart and loves rhyming and cherishes his friendship with Inigo, in essence he only seeks a sense of belonging.
The two never wanted to kill buttercup, meanwhile the mastermind behind such villainy is Vizzini. He has the same arrogance of Humperdinck and that very arrogance leads to his demise.
Count Rugen
He is a sadist who enjoys the pain of others so much to the point of obsession and even goes as far as to create a torture machine. Rugen kills in unfair situations such as his machine invention and his murder of Inigo’s innocent and helpless father. However Rugen is proven cowardly when prompted to duel and so he meets the consequences of his vices.
