The Princess and the Goblin Flashcards
Princess
Princess Irene
Miner boy
Curdie
Irene’s caretaker
Lootie
Irene’s father
The King
Theme: Losing the Way
The Princess and the Goblin is primarily a reflection on the problem of losing one’s way and how to get back on the right path. George MacDonald employs the magic thread to flesh out this theme. Its presence in Princess Irene’s life helps to keep her from losing her way just as she is tempted to doubt it. Similarly, the mines are a constant challenge not to lose the way. During his excursions into goblin territory, Curdie uses a non-magical string to stay on the right path. However, his string proves unreliable and leads to his imprisonment.
The princess gets lost in the corridors at least twice as she travels to the old lady’s tower. Both times she must persist through despair to return to the right way. In a sense Princess Irene must lose herself in order to find the old lady. This paradox of finding something valuable by first getting lost is central to MacDonald’s message to his readers. A paradox is a saying that seems contradictory but contains a deeper truth.
Theme: Friendship
The central story of The Princess and the Goblin revolves around the growing friendship between Princess Irene and Curdie. They inhabit two different worlds but are brought together to work toward a common goal. Each must learn about the other. Curdie takes the role of protector from their first meeting on, but he must learn to accept Irene’s protection when she rescues him from the goblins. The princess’s inclination is to be obeyed but she must learn to follow Curdie’s lead and accept his instruction.
Irene and Curdie’s friendship is opposed by her nurse Lootie. She thinks that since Curdie is a commoner he is being impertinent by acting in such a familiar fashion toward the princess. The king sees past Curdie’s status and trusts and promotes him based on his bravery and common sense.
Theme: Belief
The magical elements that the old lady introduces into the story are a stumbling block for Curdie. Because he can’t see or understand them he can only conclude that Princess Irene is making fun of him. Initially he is hurt by this but Curdie’s mother intervenes and reminds him that he is facing the very meaning of “belief.” He has no other explanation for how Irene could have rescued him. He has no reason to believe she is lying and so the only logical thing to conclude is that she is telling the truth.
Irene’s belief is tested too. After she first meets the old lady, so much time passes before seeing her again that she is tempted to conclude that it was all a dream. And when the magical thread leads her into the depths of the mountain and to a dead end, her belief in both the old lady and her gift is tested.
George MacDonald’s emphasis on belief in things unseen is part of his reaction against the materialism of his time. Materialism is the school of thought that says all reality is dependent on or reducible to physical processes.
Symbol: The Magic Thread
The old lady spins a magic thread made from spider webs using her spinning wheel. She gives it to Princess Irene in the form of a “shimmering ball … about the size of a pigeon’s egg.” This thread symbolizes the presence of intangible realities. The thread requires Princess Irene’s total trust and leads her to unknown places and to apparently dead ends. In these moments Irene learns to trust what she knows and not only what she sees or hears. The thread plays the same role for Curdie. He must learn to believe in those intangible realities by believing his friend’s belief in them.
Author and date
The Princess and the Goblin is a children’s fantasy novel by George MacDonald. It was published in 1872
