The Princess Bride

Everybody is on a journey searching for love, whether it be young children or fully grown adults. Each person wants to find their significant other, that one special person who they will be with forever. In the film The Princess Bride, Buttercup and Westley are two lovers who fall madly in love with each other. Although, lovers cannot have their perfect happily ever after without some difficulty. Social status, marital problems, family, and other obstacles are ones they must overcome in order to be together. Part of a Shakespearean comedy includes many different elements in order to keep the audience on their feet. This film is a combination of different genres, incorporates conflicts which occur, and keeps the audience guessing what will happen
next. The film is a combination of many different genres including: romance, tragedy, and comedy, which are typically found in Shakespearean comedies. The romance between Buttercup and Westley displays their unbreakable bond and love for one another. When they are caught in the fire swamp, they both went to extremes in order to protect one another. Westley rescued Buttercup out of the quicksand, while Buttercup tried her best to fight off the large rodents attacking Westley. Both Buttercup, along with Westley have personalities in which they want to help out others and are willing to do what ever it takes (“The Princess”). The element of humour was used all throughout the film, although there are scenes in particular which are particularly amusing. A distinct scene which was humorous, was when everyone thought that Wesley was dead and they took him to the medicine man. The scene included Inigo Montoya, Fezzik, the medicine man, and his wife which were all entertaining characters arguing with one another. Very few characters die in the film, although the tragic element of the story is when the two lovers cannot be together. They end up together at the very end, but at the time they are fighting for love and doing what ever they can in order to be together. Within a Shakespearean comedy, there are several events that take place, which make it different from another type of play.
One of the considerable differences between Buttercup and Westley is that they come from two different social groups. Typically in that time period, people of the upper class would marry someone of the same class rather than a working class individual. There are multiple settings being used in the film including: a glamorous castle, forest, sea, mountain, then a fire swamp. The locations helps to convey the story, as Buttercup demonstrates her ability to adapt to different environments where she is faced with challenges including battling eels, and large rodents (“The Princess”). Once Inigo Montoya, Vizzini, Fezzik, and Buttercup make it up the mountain, Inigo encounters a man wearing a black mask, who is an excellent fighter. It is later revealed that the man under the mask was Westley, and was fighting for Buttercup. A Shakespearean comedy typically includes characters with mistaken identities or disguises. Another event which often occurs in a Shakespearean comedy is when the social structure that existed before diminishes, and the lovers live together happily (Immerwahr). Buttercup always knew she wanted to marry Westley, and was determined to do so, even if it meant going against the wishes of the Prince. She listened to her heart and initial instincts rather than conforming to what others told her. Her perseverance was worthwhile as she ended up
marrying her lover, and demonstrated that wealth, and social class are insignificant (“The Princess”). During the film there are many unexpected events which occur, leaving the audience with curiosity for what is yet to come. The major dilemma in the film is whether or not the two lovers will ever end up together. In Shakespearean Comedies, the audience is always at the edge of their seats, and are trying to figure out how the story will end. In the film, an event that causes the audience to question whether or not the lovers will end up together is when Westley is tortured by Prince Humperdinck, and he is perceived to be dead. After the incident, Fezzik, and Inigo Montoya take Westley to the medicine man where there is hope for Westley to come back alive, and stop the wedding. Shakespearean comedies always keeps the audience guessing what will happen next, and usually by the fourth act the plot is resolved (Immerwahr). The final scene before the lovers go off together is when Buttercup is on the verge of committing suicide. She places the dagger on her chest, however Wesley stops her at that instant. Buttercup was desperate at that point in time, as she was looking for an escape from her marriage withPrince Humperdnick. She concluded that without Wesley in her life there was no point in living. She realizes it would be better to be dead than be married to someone who she did not love. Shakespearean Comedies generally concludes with a fifth celebratory act, which has surprising conclusions (Immerwahr). At the end of the film Buttercup, Westley, Inigo Montoya, and Fezzik ride off on four white horses. Even though the ending is not as extraordinary as the final wedding scene in A Mid Summer Night’s Dream, it symbolizes the happily ever after moment (Immerwahr). The two lovers end up together, they are extremely happy, and ride away with high hopes for the future. Finding love may be difficult, but if two people are madly in love, they go to depths in order to be with that one special person.
This is evidently demonstrated by Buttercup and Westley, as they understand that being with the other person is their ultimate objective. With this comes many challenges which they must overcome including status, family, marriage and many more. Shakespearean comedy combines multiple genres to put together a masterpiece that keeps the audience wanting
more.