Plot Summary
"The Princess Bride" is a fantasy novel written by William Goldman, which is presented as an abridged version of a fictional book written by S. Morgenstern, with Goldman providing commentary throughout.
Set in a world reminiscent of the Renaissance, the tale begins with Buttercup, known as “one of the twenty most beautiful girls in the world," and Westley, a young farmhand who works for her father. Buttercup spends her days setting tasks for Westley, to which his answer is always, “As you wish.” She later realizes that it was his way of saying I love you. Soon enough, they both express their love for each other, and Westley leaves to seek his fortune so that he may come back and seek her hand in marriage.
A few years pass, and Buttercup hears news of Westley’s death at the hands of the feared Dread Pirate Roberts. Heartbroken, she agrees to marry Prince Humperdinck, heir to the throne of Florin.
Meanwhile, Westley is not dead but has become the Dread Pirate Roberts. He returns, in the guise of the Man in Black, to rescue Buttercup when she is kidnapped by three criminals—the Sicilian Vizzini, the Turkish wrestler Fezzik, and the Hispanic swordsman Inigo Montoya. The trio plans to start a war between Florin and the neighboring country of Guilder by killing Buttercup and framing Guilder for the murder.
Westly uses his skills to fight off Inigo and Fezzik, but he doesn’t kill them out of respect for their skills. Vizzini attempts to outwit Westley but is tricked into drinking a goblet of poisoned wine, thus killing himself. Westley then reveals himself to Buttercup, and they escape.
Pursued by Prince Humperdinck, they navigate the treacherous Fire Swamp. There they encounter various dangers, like quicksand and Rodents of Unusual Size (ROUS), but emerge unscathed. However, Humperdinck catches up with them, and Westley agrees to surrender to save Buttercup.
Back at the castle, Humperdinck plans to marry Buttercup against her will and intends to kill her on their wedding night, so that he can blame Guilder for her murder and incite a war. Westley is handed over to Count Rugen, Humperdinck's right-hand man, who takes him to the “Zoo of Death,” where he tortures Westley relentlessly with his life-sucking machine.
Inigo and Fezzik, meanwhile, having lost their leader, Vizzini, are looking for Westley because they believe he has the skills and the brains to help them avenge Inigo’s father's death. Inigo’s father, a master sword craftsman, was murdered by Count Rugen. They discover Westley’s whereabouts when they hear his death scream. They take Westley’s body to a magician called Miracle Max, who brings Westley back to life, and the group infiltrates the castle to rescue Buttercup and confront Humperdinck and Rugen.
Inigo finds Rugen, and after a fierce duel, he avenges his father's death. Westley confronts Humperdinck, who proposes a duel but is revealed to be a coward. He begs Westley to spare his life and is left tied to a chair by Inigo and Fezzik. True love triumphs, and Westley, Buttercup, Inigo, and Fezzik ride off into the sunset.
The story concludes with a reunion between Goldman, his father, and his son. Throughout the book, there are interruptions by Goldman, who claims to have edited Morgenstern's original text to create the abridged version. Goldman provides commentary on the story, his childhood, and his relationship with his own family, adding a layer of meta-narrative to the fantasy tale.
The Princess Bride is a classic tale of love and adventure, featuring memorable characters and a blend of romance, humor, and swashbuckling action.
