William Goldman
Goldman is both the author of the novel itself and a character within it. In the framing device that begins the novel, Goldman explains that as a boy, he contracted pneumonia and when he got…
read analysis of William Goldman
Westley/Farm Boy/The Man in Black
Westley, the hero of The Princess Bride, meets Buttercup when he works on her family's farm. Though Buttercup is cruel to him, he loves her and does everything she asks. He's strong, tall, and…
read analysis of Westley/Farm Boy/The Man in Black
Buttercup
Buttercup is the titular princess bride of the novel. She's a very beautiful teenager at the start of the story, though she doesn't care about her looks: she's more concerned with riding her horse, Horse…
read analysis of Buttercup
Fezzik
Fezzik is a kindhearted Turkish man in the story of The Princess Bride. He's the size of a giant and was the size of an adult by the time he started kindergarten. Despite his…
read analysis of Fezzik
Inigo Montoya
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…
read analysis of Inigo Montoya
Get the entire The Princess Bride LitChart as a printable PDF.
Prince Humperdinck
The antagonist of The Princess Bride, Prince Humperdinck is the evil prince of Florin. He's shaped like a barrel and loves to hunt, so when King Lotharon's health begins to go downhill, he and…
read analysis of Prince Humperdinck
Count Rugen
In the story of The Princess Bride, Rugen is Prince Humperdinck's evil sidekick. He's a hulking man who has six fingers on his right hand and was given his title as a birthday…
read analysis of Count Rugen
Vizzini
Vizzini is a Sicilian criminal in the story of The Princess Bride. While others describe him as having a hunchback, Morgenstern describes Vizzini as a bit misshapen and with legs that are two different…
read analysis of Vizzini
Yeste
In The Princess Bride, Yeste is an old friend of Domingo Montoya and a skilled sword maker, though not as skilled as Domingo. He's a fat and wealthy man who does well for himself…
read analysis of Yeste
Goldman's Father
Goldman's father was a Florinese immigrant who came to the U.S. as a sixteen-year-old. He never fully learned English and so though he held a job as a barber, he was never very successful…
read analysis of Goldman's Father
The Dread Pirate Roberts
Within The Princess Bride, the Dread Pirate Roberts is a name that a number of people go by, including Westley. The first Dread Pirate Roberts became a terror on the seas about twenty…
read analysis of The Dread Pirate Roberts
Domingo Montoya
In the story of The Princess Bride, Domingo is Inigo's father. He's an extremely impoverished but secretly talented sword maker who lived in the mountain village of Arabella, Spain. Inigo idolized his father…
read analysis of Domingo Montoya
Jason
Goldman's son. When the reader first meets Jason in the introduction to The Princess Bride, he's an unhappy, serious, and overweight ten-year-old. While Goldman wants to be close to his son, the only…
read analysis of Jason
S. Morgenstern
The fictional Florinese author who, right after World War One, published his self-proclaimed classic The Princess Bride. Goldman says in the introduction to The Princess Bride (i.e. the real-life novel that Goldman wrote) that…
read analysis of S. Morgenstern
Miracle Max
The former miracle man for the Florinese royalty in the tale of The Princess Bride. Though he's quite old and has been married to his wife, Valerie, for 80 years, it's unclear exactly…
read analysis of Miracle Max
Yellin
In the story of The Princess Bride, Yellin is the Chief of All Enforcement in Florin City. He and his cousin, the albino, are the only two commoners that Prince Humperdinck trusts. He's…
read analysis of Yellin
The Albino
The man Prince Humperdinck employs to be the caretaker of his Zoo of Death in The Princess Bride. He's a slippery man who's always around, yet seldom seen. Prince Humperdinck tasks him with caring…
read analysis of The Albino
King Lotharon
Prince Humperdinck's elderly and ailing father in The Princess Bride. His health has been precarious for some time; the novel states that the palace fired Miracle Max because he wasn't able to do…
read analysis of King Lotharon
Fezzik's Mother
In The Princess Bride, Fezzik's mother seems to be a perfectly normal Turkish woman. She cares deeply for Fezzik and wants for the other kids to not pick on him, so she and…
read analysis of Fezzik's Mother
Fezzik's Father
A Turkish carpenter who cares deeply for Fezzik's wellbeing in The Princess Bride. He and Fezzik's mother decide to teach their son to fight. Fezzik's first punch breaks his father's jaw, and he…
read analysis of Fezzik's Father
Waverly
Buttercup and Westley's daughter, introduced in Buttercup's Baby, (she is not present in the original novel, The Princess Bride). She's born via C-section after 50 hours of labor, thanks to something or…
read analysis of Waverly
Buttercup's Father
Morgenstern writes in The Princess Bride that Buttercup's father isn't particularly handsome, so nobody is exactly certain how he fathered the most beautiful woman on earth. He and his wife, Buttercup's mother, fight…
read analysis of Buttercup's Father
Queen Bella
Prince Humperdinck's "gumdrop-shaped" stepmother in The Princess Bride. She and King Lotharon have been married since Prince Humperdinck was a child. She's a kind, bubbly, and generous woman who is very affectionate with…
read analysis of Queen Bella
Falkbridge
In The Princess Bride, Falkbridge is a criminal who owns an alehouse in the Thieves Quarter of Florin City. He's been bribing Yellin for 20 years in order to avoid prison, as he's one…
read analysis of Falkbridge
Princess Noreena
A princess of Guilder known for her extensive hat collection in The Princess Bride. Queen Bella arranges for her to visit Florin so that Prince Humperdinck can court her, as she's very beautiful and…
read analysis of Princess Noreena
Valerie
Miracle Max's wife in The Princess Bride. They met at miracle school, where Valerie was a potion ladler. Because every miracle man needs to have a witch, Valerie learns enough witchcraft to pass…
read analysis of Valerie
Edith Neisser
An author of parenting books who lived in Goldman's neighborhood when he was a teenager. She learned that he secretly wanted to be a writer and so they'd talk about writing. In the novel's…
read analysis of Edith Neisser
Buttercup's Mother
Morgenstern writes in The Princess Bride that Buttercup's mother isn't a beautiful woman; the fact that she was able to give birth to the most beautiful woman on earth is a mystery. She and…
read analysis of Buttercup's Mother
The Countess
Count Rugen's wife in The Princess Bride. She's very beautiful and takes an interest in Westley when she and Count Rugen visit Buttercup's parents' farm. She purchases expensive dresses that she wears only…
read analysis of The Countess
Andre the Giant
The seven-foot-tall Frenchman who plays Fezzik in the film version of The Princess Bride. (Note that though he is mentioned in the introductions to the 25th and 30th anniversary editions, he is not an…
read analysis of Andre the Giant
Stephen King
A prolific American author of horror and suspense novels and short stories; according to Goldman, he's also of Florinese descent. Goldman notes in the introduction to the 30th anniversary edition of The Princess Bride…
read analysis of Stephen King
Sandy Sterling
A "starlet" who takes an interest in Goldman when he's in Los Angeles to work on the script for The Stepford Wives. She's busty and beautiful, but loses interest when Goldman ignores her in…
read analysis of Sandy Sterling
Miss Roginski
William Goldman's teacher for several of his elementary school years. He explains in the introduction to The Princess Bride that she thinks he's very bright but is perplexed by his unwillingness to read or…
read analysis of Miss Roginski
Kermit Shog
The lawyer in charge of the Morgenstern estate. He sues Goldman and Goldman's publisher thirteen times in the name of the Morgenstern estate and stops Goldman's publisher from printing or distributing Goldman's reunion scene. He's…
read analysis of Kermit Shog
Karloff Shog/Carly
The final member of the Shog family to argue with Goldman about his abridgement. Karloff, Goldman explains, is the most popular name for girls in Florin, and Carly is a beautiful woman in her mid-thirties…
read analysis of Karloff Shog/Carly
Piccoli
An Italian "master of the mind" whom Inigo trains with for a while in Buttercup's Baby. Rather than working on Inigo's strength or skill, Piccoli makes Inigo tune into his mind by doing nothing…
read analysis of Piccoli
Mandy Patinkin
The actor who plays Inigo in The Princess Bride film; he does not feature in the original novel. According to Goldman, he was essential to getting Andre the Giant prepared to play the role…
read analysis of Mandy Patinkin
Guilietta
A young woman whom Inigo meets in Spain, according to Buttercup's Baby; she does not feature in the original novel. She is, according to him, the living embodiment of a woman he created in…
read analysis of Guilietta
Giulietta
A character who does not appear in the original novel. Instead, she appears in The Unexplained Inigo Fragment, which is part of the Buttercup's Baby chapter that Goldman included in the 25th anniversary edition…
read analysis of Giulietta
Minor Characters
Helen
Goldman's wife; she's a "famous shrink" who works with children. She insists that their son, Jason, is overweight because he hasn't decided to slim down yet, and Goldman detests that she constantly tries to psychoanalyze him.
Mrs. Goldman
William Goldman's mother; she appears in the frame story of the novel. She met Goldman's father on the boat to the U.S. from Florin.
Hiram Haydn
William Goldman's editor. In the novel's frame story, he's insistent that Goldman can't add scenes to his abridgement.
Horse
Buttercup's horse in The Princess Bride, named thus because Buttercup's imagination isn't expansive.
MacPherson
In The Princess Bride, MacPherson is a Scottish fencing master who trained Inigo.
Willy
Willy is Goldman's grandson. He's named after Goldman, which helps Goldman feel even closer to his son Jason, who's Willy's dad. Goldman takes being a grandfather very seriously and showers Willy with gifts and attention. He's also thrilled that Willy loves The Princess Bride.
Carl Reiner
A director and Rob Reiner's father; he does not feature in the original novel. Goldman mentions that he passes on a copy of his abridgement of The Princess Bride onto his son in the 25th anniversary introduction.
The Old Woman
A woman who appears in Buttercup's dreams in The Princess Bride and boos her for choosing to marry Prince Humperdinck instead of Westley.
Mandrake Shog
Kermit Shog's son. Goldman explains in the introduction to Buttercup's Baby that he takes over for his father in suing Goldman and Goldman's publishing house about Goldman's abridgement.
The Madman
A man who kidnaps the infant Waverly and throws her off a cliff in the first chapter of Buttercup's Baby; he does not feature in the original novel.
Professor Bongiorno
The leading scholar in Florinese history and literature at Columbia University; Goldman consults with him for parts of The Princess Bride.
Cary Elwes
The actor who plays Westley in the film adaptation of The Princess Bride; he does not feature in the original novel. He attends a script reading that Goldman details in the introduction to the 25th anniversary edition.
Robin Wright
The actress who plays Buttercup in the film adaptation of The Princess Bride; she does not feature in the original novel. She attends a script reading that Goldman details in the introduction to the 25th anniversary edition.
The Archdean
The very old Archdean of Florin in The Princess Bride. He marries Prince Humperdinck and Buttercup.
Rob Reiner
The director of the film adaptation of The Princess Bride; he does not feature in the original novel. He attends a script reading that Goldman details in the introduction to the 25th anniversary edition.
Charley
Goldman's lawyer; he appears in the introductions to The Princess Bride and Buttercup's Baby.
Peggy
Jason's wife. Goldman mentions that Jason and Peggy get married in his introduction to Buttercup's Baby, though she also appears in the introduction to the 30th anniversary edition of the novel.
Evarts Ziegler
Goldman's movie agent; Goldman mentions him in the introduction to The Princess Bride.
The Count
Guilietta's father in Buttercup's Baby.
Pierre
In Buttercup's Baby, Pierre is a doctor on the pirate ship Revenge.
