The Princess Bride a Mistake I Will Not Make Again
The Princess Helpmate is a damn near perfect movie, and contains one of the greatest sword fights of all time, some of the best onscreen chemistry of whatsoever love story, and a stellar blend of comedy, action, and romance that is hard to find anywhere else. But… permit'south talk nearly Buttercup. The world'due south nearly beautiful woman. But also and so much more. Although she is the titular character (even though most of the action centers on stopping the marriage that would brand her an actual Princess Helpmate—more on that in a chip), she's often disregarded in discussions most the movie; she rarely gets the recognition she deserves for being a well-crafted female character in a male-dominated story.
Consider: hither'south a adult female who has no training at all when information technology comes to weapons, fighting, or cocky-defense. Aye, a behemothic rat is going to terrify her, at to the lowest degree momentarily. On the other manus, every chance she has to exist defiant, stand her ground, and become in a good insult, she takes. She's not intimidated by Vizzini, or the Dread Pirate Roberts, or even the prince who could take her murdered as shortly as ally her.
And even before discovering that Westley is alive (and hey, fifty-fifty if he wasn't, death cannot stop true dearest!), Buttercup shows her mettle over again and again. I should note at this point that I am going to exist referring entirely to the flick version of the character—those who've read the original novel will know that at that place are some differences between Book!Buttercup and the version brought to the screen by Robin Wright. Although I think William Goldman (who also wrote the screenplay) played Buttercup's innocence/ignorance for laughs in the book far more the film does, I however believe he created the bones of a gloriously defiant character in Buttercup, providing a solid grounding for the depths and dash that Wright adult in the function.
So feel complimentary to practice a quick rewatch (those of you who don't have the movie memorized from get-go to stop), and follow forth with me as we explore Buttercup's heroism, scene past scene….
To begin with, there'due south this subcontract boy—yup, another dude who has a crush on Buttercup. Yep, she gives him a hard time at first, but we have to assume she'south had guys hanging effectually gawking at her for years. Can you really blame her for non taking him seriously the first fourth dimension he makes optics at her? Simply Westley, of course, is unlike: here's a guy who's not pushy, never fell, not trying to persuade her of anything or harass her into making out in the befouled. He'south just in that location for her, supporting her, even when she's beingness silly and bossing him around. And it doesn't take long before she realizes that she truly loves him back. At which indicate, she doesn't mess around. She gets correct to flirting, oh, la, good sir, hand me that pot! And she's not backing away. Await at that flirty grin. Every bit soon as she realizes that she loves Westley, she gets right on that, and—
Wait, wait, is this a kissing book? Well not as much as it SHOULD be, kid. Please note that the story starts with Buttercup. Because she is the hero of her own story. Even if, at the moment, she is neither princess nor bride.
Okay, so Westley takes off, is killed virtually immediately, and Buttercup has already lost the dear of her life. She takes fourth dimension to grieve for someone she feels the loss of deeply and truly. There's no lighthearted "Oh, well, I'grand still young!" here. (Maybe in contempo years we've all adult a bit more empathy for moments like this, when simply breathing, simply existing, is all one can practise.) But Buttercup hardly recovers before….
"The law of the land gave Prince Humperdinck the right to cull his helpmate…"
Let'due south pause hither for a moment, shall we?
Screenshot: 20th Century Fob
It'south been v years since Buttercup got the news that Westley was dead, and during that time she's defenseless the centre of the local royalty. She is beautiful, and that's enough for Humperdinck to decide that she's perfect for his purposes. And what else has she actually got going on? She could refuse him… or can she? He'due south a prince, and—while we might express joy at his scheming because Goldman's dialogue is really excellent—he'due south also a murderous sociopath. And remember that, although they don't feature in the flick, she's got parents who will be set up for life now. If her ain life is meaningless (in her own mind and center), doesn't this give her a take chances to make something meaningful out of information technology? Maybe she can be a adept princess, become a skillful queen one day, and wait out for poor farmgirls similar herself. If nothing else, she's conveying on as all-time she can, depressed and grief-stricken but moving forward
At least now she has the freedom to go for a daily ride, reclaiming a bit of joy in her life. We get a tiny glimpse of the kind of queen she might wish to be, stopping to assistance poor lost circus performers—oof, terrible luck, Buttercup! (Of course it's not luck one way or the other, only from her perspective, she simply stopped for the wrong travelers.) How many times has she stopped to give directions, or mitt out some bread, or simply to have a conversation with the people of her kingdom? Nosotros don't become to know because that's not what the story is about, merely you tin can see that the woman is both kind and helpful to strangers.
For her pains, she finds herself stuck on a boat with these iii clowns, and instead of going into daze, she taunts them—Prince Humperdinck will catch upward and have their heads. Of course it doesn't take her long to realize that her life is at stake here, but once more, she doesn't give up in despair. She waits for an opportunity and then swims boldly toward what might or might not be assistance—information technology's away from "these dudes are definitely gonna impale me," and that is enough to make information technology worth the risk.
How anyone tin can spotter her jump in the water and swim toward the slimmest hope, and nevertheless retrieve of Buttercup as a wimp, I honestly don't know.
Of course, she's forced to return to the boat. In that location are the damned eels! That was not part of her calculation—and she'south still trying to live. Of class, she doesn't get eaten by the shrieking eels—she doesn't even really choose to become dorsum on the boat, of course. Fezzik is there to dial the eel out and grab her. Vizzini has to tie her hands because chances are she'll still risk her life again to get away from them, if she spots the right moment. And Vizzini now knows that she's feisty; he tin no longer presume she'll permit herself be helplessly dragged along. So she is forced into compliance, or at least not outright defiance, with her kidnappers as they climb the Cliffs of Insanity (pursued by the mysterious Human being in Black).
Screenshot: 20th Century Trick
The chase continues, and once the Man in Black catches upward to Buttercup and Vizzini for the third time, having defeated Inigo and Fezzik, Buttercup's lost any run a risk of an upper manus confronting Vizzini: she's tied up, blindfolded, and there's a dagger at her throat. How did she go into this predicament? Nosotros don't know, simply Vizzini is awfully clever; I'm sure he found a way to persuade her to cooperate for her own safety. Or maybe the dagger and having her hands tied were plenty—it would be for me! Merely she's not exactly zoning out, either, every bit we detect; she listens carefully to the entire Battle of Wits, drawing her ain conclusions and always, always waiting for a risk to get away or observe a way to stall and effigy out her adjacent pace…
And all of a sudden Vizzini is dead, only she finds herself in a new predicament, with a stranger who isn't exactly gentle, although he's not actively threatening her. Nonetheless, she's got a suspicion that she knows who he is, and information technology doesn't exactly brand her feel comfortable or relax her suspicions…
We get so much out of this conversation between Buttercup and—let's continue to call him the Man in Black for the moment. At this point, remember, she thinks that she's dealing with the Dread Pirate Roberts. Who else could defeat a primary swordsman, beat a giant in gainsay, and outwit Vizzini? Simply someone whose status is full-on LEGENDARY.
…Aaaand who just happens to exist the man who killed her truthful dearest. Of form, she's not certain that this guy is the aforementioned person; perhaps he's a random opportunist who swooped in for an easy payday! She tries offering him but that… merely he only laughs when she suggests releasing her for bribe. And so she threatens him with the first thing that comes to heed: Humperdinck's formidable hunting skills.
The Human being in Black taunts her back immediately: "You lot recollect your honey love will relieve you?"
"I never said he was my dearest love!" Oh, she'south been holding that pain then shut, for FIVE YEARS, and this guy has the nervus to throw information technology in her face? Now she's getting mad, and her suspicions are growing.
But Westley—yes, yes, we all know it'southward Westley, is also dealing with hurt and betrayal—he'due south come dorsum for Buttercup to discover that she'due south engaged to exist married to the richest man in the state. And then she hits a nerve and… he doesn't… actually… hit her.
Only, ouch, this moment hurts to scout.
Screenshot: 20th Century Pull a fast one on
I like to think that in that location's aught Buttercup could say that would make Westley actually physically injure her, but at the moment he'south committed to being the person she hates most in the world. I'one thousand certainly not the start to call this moment out for being uncomfortable and problematic. Y'all tin debate that Westley is simply playing a function, but it's hard to escape the feeling that he'due south legitimately angry at her perceived adultery and/or indifference—fifty-fifty if he'd never hit her, he's using his Human being in Blackness persona both to intimidate her and to lash out. He'southward terrified that if he does reveal himself, she'll simply shrug and say, "Oh, that's nice that you lot aren't dead, tin yous take me back to my prince and my palace now?" He thinks she simply moved on, while he carried a torch for her all those years. But that doesn't excuse the threat.
Also, "there are penalties when a woman lies"? If anybody'south lying, hither, information technology'due south the guy in the mask pretending to be a pirate…
There is a trend to forget—considering The Princess Bride is a comedy—that corruption comes in many forms, and the globe in which this movie is set is not one in which women are considered equal to men. Humperdinck doesn't hitting Buttercup; he doesn't scream at her; he doesn't even neg her. Just you cannot forget the residuum of ability: Buttercup doesn't. She knows she's living with a powerful man who has total control over her life. And as we know, his supposed affection for her doesn't remove the threat of violence, since he's planning to murder her in a matter of days—her unabridged being at this betoken in the movie has been precarious at best, subject to the whim of whichever man happens to be claiming possession of her at a given moment. It'due south… rather dour.
Buttercup is the only woman with a speaking part that lasts for more than a few moments in the unabridged moving-picture show, and practically the only 1 we run across at all (non that Ballad Kane every bit Valerie isn't great in her brief scene). She's certainly the only young, unmarried woman, and look at how she's treated—she's kidnapped, threatened repeatedly, held at knifepoint, and now confronted with a raised manus… and this is all in the larger context of Humperdinck'southward murder plot. She is constantly told that she is dispensable and treated as such, and these threats are more often than not aimed at keeping her compliant every bit men callously decide her fate. She understands her place in the world, just she doesn't take it—she repeatedly bides her time until she tin can brand her motility (whether information technology be jumping out of the boat, shoving the Human in Black down a hill, or finally getting gratuitous of Humperdinck). She's used to threats, used to being told she's powerless, but she never stops resisting that narrative. Similar and then many other women, she's a survivor.
So when Westley-every bit-The Homo in Black stops to let her grab her breath, she's more prepare to have another go at him. She confronts him with the suspicion that he's the very human who destroyed her life, and we go a glimpse of Westley's pain and insecurity—maybe she doesn't honey Humperdinck, but perhaps her then-called "true love" was another prince, or another rich guy, from the intervening years. His taunt reflects his ain fears, but Buttercup brushes information technology aside: her lost honey has risen to the surface of her thoughts, her rage breaks and she tells the pirate exactly what she thinks of him.
Screenshot: 20th Century Fox
He mocks her pain, and she calls him on it—and nosotros get to see what Westley has learned over the final five years: "Life is pain, highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something."
Buttercup tin can't argue with that; it surely matches her own experience.
Westley gets a few more digs in as he tells Buttercup of the "last days" of her dearest and do yous run into the wait on his confront when he brings up the memory of "a girl of surpassing beauty"?! The heartbreak in his expression is right there on the surface…and then he breaks off: "Now tell me truly. When you found out he was gone, did you get engaged to your prince that same hour, or did yous expect a whole calendar week out of respect for the dead?"
Because of class, she's left him—and no matter that he left first, because he didn't leave HER, he left to gain the means to support their life together. Then when he comes home to her, he finds she's given upwards on him.
Simply it turns out Buttercup didn't give up on him. When she found out that Westley was expressionless, she was equally good as dead, too. "I died that day!" she declares—and so she direct up tries to murder the man who killed her truthful love.
Yessss daughter, get him!
Okay, equally we all know, this turns out to be a SLIGHT miscalculation, but on the other hand, felix culpa, as Humperdinck loses track of them again. Perchance flinging herself over the cliff the instant she realizes that Westley is the Homo in Blackness isn't the best move, simply it turns out fiiiiine. (It'southward still a one-act, dammit.)
And tin you tell me this reunion isn't the genuinely sweetest moment in all of cinema:
"Can you move at all?"
"Motion? You're alive… If you want, I tin wing."
Screenshot: 20th Century Fox
Buttercup finally gets to appreciate the total scope of Westley'south enduring faithfulness: he'southward outwitted pirates and Vizzini, fairly browbeaten both Inigo and Fezzik, evaded Humperdinck, all to go dorsum to her side. It's a moment that changes Buttercup. She says she will never doubt again, and as we will see, she truly means it. Sealed with a kiss (again, there should be More Kissing!), so nosotros move on to the burn swamp.
Buttercup is understandably daunted—she'south heard well-nigh the mortiferous terrors lurking in this place her entire life: Nobody survives the fire swamp. Simply where Westley leads, she will follow; it'southward the first exam of her newfound religion. Better to dice at Westley'south side than return to Humperdinck. Withal, you can meet her entire face calling him out on his BS when he declares the identify quite lovely. But it doesn't go likewise badly, really, until one of the R.O.U.Southward.s suddenly appears…
This is sometimes held up equally ane of her then-called "helpless damsel" moments. We've seen that Buttercup is an accomplished horsewoman, a strong swimmer, and a decent distance runner, but no matter how strong or athletic someone happens to be, I defy anyone not to exist terrified of a giant rat that jumps out and starts trying to bite you. And to give credit where it's due, she still has the wherewithal to grab a stick in an attempt to beat the thing while it'due south trying to chew her foot off. Fortunately, Westley now has loads of preparation and practise at fighting, and her momentary stalling is plenty to give him a run a risk to impale the thing.
(For what it's worth, this is one of the few special furnishings that I wish could be redone out of an otherwise almost completely perfect flick. I think mod picture magic could make the R.O.Uss properly terrifying; we lose something in translation where the rubber rat suit is involved. But allow your imagination to stretch a piddling and yous tin can certainly understand what Westley and Buttercup were going through in that moment!)
"At present," Westley says, "was that so terrible?"
And the look she gives him: "Aye, yous dingdong! It was awful! But I'd all the same rather accept an atrocious time with you than a good time with anybody else."
Screenshot: 20th Century Fox
Unfortunately, Humperdinck used the time that they spent vacationing in the burn down swamp to race around and meet them on the other side…that canny bastard. He's got plans for Buttercup, and they don't include her being kidnapped and whisked away by a pirate. While Westley is decorated bantering and putting on a dauntless face, probably hoping to buy some fourth dimension, Buttercup watches the guards menacingly surround them.
You tin can make the argument here that Buttercup is still misreading Humperdinck's true character, but also proceed in mind that for her, Westley died, far away from her, and all she could exercise for v long years was miss him badly and mourn his loss. Now they have a second gamble and she'south about to spotter him die again, right in forepart of her, and she can end it. And so she's willing to brand the huge personal and emotional cede of giving him upwardly, going back to her empty life in the palace, so that he will at least be alive, somewhere in the world.
"I idea you were expressionless once, and it almost destroyed me. I could not bear it if you died again, not when I could save y'all." Tell me that's not valiant. TELL ME, I Cartel Yous.
Of course she immediately has regrets, and nightmares. Such nightmares. Buttercup feels wretched afterwards leaving Westley, even if information technology was for the best possible reason. Maybe they could accept escaped. Maybe he could accept somehow defeated Humperdinck and all his men. Either way, she's dorsum in an empty, loveless being, and at present she knows that Westley is out at that place. How tin she possible settle for anything else?
Equally soon equally she realizes that truth, she lays information technology out for Humperdinck: she'd rather die than marry anyone but Westley.
Screenshot: 20th Century Pull a fast one on
Humperdinck immediately twists this around to endeavour to make her uncertainty her ain decisions with lies and some pretty impressive gaslighting. He buys a piffling time for his ain plans, although if you watch her face when he asks for her agreement, yous tin see a potent flicker of skepticism play across her features.
She'southward non willing to give Westley up again, but she's willing to await a few days before undertaking whatever desperate activity. Subsequently all, she KNOWS that Westley will come for her. Humperdinck underestimates her; he thinks he tin can play her, stringing her forth right until the moment he murders her—he doesn't know her, and sees her only as a pawn: a unproblematic, foolish daughter.
She's soon tested, directly confronted with Humperdinck's perfidy when she catches him in an outright lie. But Buttercup is fearless, not because she'southward in no physical danger—in fact, Humperdinck could easily overpower her, physically—just considering she knows that she and Westley are made safe by their accented religion in each other. She knows that Westley volition come up save her from marriage, and and then she'south able to defy Humperdinck and telephone call him out as the coward that he is. This leads almost directly to Westley'southward death—only that's just because she's absolutely right nigh Humperdinck and, for that affair, nigh Westley.
A miracle and a lot of luck later, we tune back in on Buttercup, stuck biding her time with Humperdinck before the "hymeneals," while the prince carries on with his sociopathic assumptions that everything volition go co-ordinate to his programme. Buttercup does not play forth or pander to him, assuring him that she volition not be married tonight, any finery they put on and whatever motions they go through. Her organized religion shines, and Humperdinck tin can't fifty-fifty see it, he's and then smugly certain of his inevitable victory.
Even through the chaos and confusion outside the wedding ceremony hall, she is calmly certain of Westley'southward devotion.
Now, would Buttercup have said "I exercise," if she'd actually been asked the question? I don't retrieve and then. But she finds herself Man-and-Wifed before she can object. And nosotros encounter her more than honestly flabbergasted in that moment than at whatsoever other time: He didn't come for her, and now she'southward, ugh, married to Humperdinck?!
And she knows that the ONLY reason Westley wouldn't come up back for her is he is truly dead. Therefore, she volition go to him…
Screenshot: 20th Century Fox
Y'all tin read this next scene with the dagger a couple of dissimilar ways; in fact, my dad and I have argued over information technology (yes, we accept whole Princess Bride -themed arguments in my family). He says that Buttercup would have changed her listen and used the dagger to take out Humperdinck before he could strangle her. I'm not opposed to that theory, merely I retrieve at that place's something else going on here.
This is, afterward all, a fantasy, and although there aren't a lot of dragons or magic spells, there are miracles. I suggest that Buttercup is absolutely certain of existence reunited with Westley in death. She's non running away from anything, she'southward running back to Westley, dorsum to true love. He's already shown her they'll be reunited always, no matter what. In this moment later the wedding ceremony when she thinks she'south lone, in that location'south no fear on her face, only resolve. If Westley can't come to her, she will go to him.
Luckily for life and honey, Westley finds his mode back to her side and speaks up earlier she can accept that step. And he has non a moment of hesitation when she tries to beg his forgiveness—he knows that she would not ally anyone else, regardless of circumstances, regardless of how long it took him to come up back to her. Even every bit she fears that she's betrayed him, he is utterly certain that she hasn't. He, too, has learned to have religion in her, and learned the depths of her devotion to him.
Together they are fearless, as we encounter when Westley verbally eviscerates Humperdinck. Buttercup jumps right in to tie upwardly the prince (which I think might exist technically treason?). But she is, every bit I've said, utterly fearless at present that she is reunited with her true love. Watching her help Westley to the window is nigh a more perfect example of their fulfillment than even their absolutely iconic, perfect kiss at the finish of the moving-picture show: they support each other, emotionally and physically; they are each other's happy ending.
Screenshot: 20th Century Play tricks
Even as a about perfect moving-picture show, The Princess Bride still has its flaws, and Buttercup might not be a PERFECT heroine, but who's demanding perfection? And what are the standards? At that place seems to be this weird arbitrary rule floating effectually, this conventional wisdom that holds that a adult female isn't a strong character unless she's able to wield a sword and exist ready and willing to kicking butt. It makes me tired. Buttercup is a heartbroken woman in a situation and civilisation where she holds very fiddling power and agency, and instead of meekly obeying the men pushing her around, she cuts them (figuratively) to the quick with her words and her backbone. She doesn't take the physical forcefulness or training to claiming her persecutors physically, but she does stand up to them—and when a choice has to be made, she makes the call, bravely putting herself back into the terrible predicament she'd merely just escaped in order to save the life of her truthful love.
Buttercup is all the more than interesting to me for non being perfect in every fashion—she'south written as a vulnerable, isolated woman who is rarely in control of the events effectually her, and she still manages to strive for freedom, speak truth to power, and brandish disobedience wherever she tin.
The Princess Bride could exist seen as a story that's really about all the men and action effectually the championship character, rather than Buttercup herself. Subsequently all, "Princess" and "Bride" are both titles and identities that are being forced upon her—it's how Humperdinck and other outsiders might run across her role, only information technology doesn't describe who she is. When you lot really pay attention, it'due south articulate that the movie recognizes exactly who Buttercup is: She constantly scrounges whatever agency is available in a world that is all about men and what they desire (and where she loves the one man who truly cares near her wishes, of course). She makes mistakes, but she's certainly no helpless damsel who flops around helplessly when she'south able to actively participate in her rescue. She sometimes acts in ignorance merely never in cowardice. Buttercup is the true hero of her story, irresolute more than any other graphic symbol every bit she is challenged and tested and learns to have religion in herself, in Westley, and in the bond of beloved between them. In the end, as neither a princess nor a helpmate, she gets the fulfillment of living on her own terms, by her own choices. As she wishes.
Rachel Ayers lives in Alaska, where she writes cabaret shows, daydreams, and looks at mountains a lot. She has a caste in Library and Informatics which comes in handy at odd hours, and she shares speculative poetry and flash fiction (and cat pictures) atpatreon.com/richlayers.
citation
Source: https://www.tor.com/2022/03/28/neither-princess-nor-bride-why-buttercup-is-the-hero-of-her-own-story/comment-page-1/
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