Trom (The King) Character Analysis

The King is the father of Orual, Psyche, and Redival. He’s a cruel, selfish man who dislikes Orual and generally ignores his other daughters, as he wants only the son he never gets. He’s physically and emotionally abusive to Orual, often reminding her that her ugliness makes her practically unlovable. The King also proves himself a coward when he readily gives Psyche up for sacrifice, glad of his own safety. When the King lies ill on his deathbed, he becomes desperately afraid of Orual, constantly telling his guards to take her away. He seems to think she’s someone else, someone who wants to torture him, and it’s possible that in his delirium, he perceives Ungit inside of her. Orual considers murdering him, but he eventually dies a natural death.