Fortunately for all of us, our daily routines do not consist of encounters with screeching, sharp-toothed sea life, massive rat creatures or machines that suck years of our life away (cell phones not included).
But it's all relative. We each have our personal challenges that require us to step up to the plate and face our various fears or inhibitions head-on. That might mean speaking in public, or going on an audition, or attempting to pet your Aunt Maisy's cat, Brutus. You're liable to lose an eye with that one, so be careful.
Because courage comes in all shapes and sizes, the brave and daring acts demonstrated by the characters in The Princess Bride are still totally relevant to our lives, as exotic as the particulars may seem. You never know when you're going to have to scale a cliff-face without a harness, literally or figuratively.
But probably figuratively.
Questions about Courage
- When Buttercup believes Westley has failed to come for her, she decides to kill herself. Does this resolution take courage, or has she chosen to take the coward's way out?
- After Rugen wounds Inigo, the Spaniard somehow finds new strength and manages to battle back. Is it courage he finds, or something else?
- Some people, like Westley, have an incredible amount of confidence and seem to come by courage quite easily. Are some just born with more courage than others? Can you become a more courageous person if you try?
- Humperdinck decides not to fight Westley near the end of the movie. Is he demonstrating a lack of courage, or just good sense?
Chew on This
Running into the fire swamp wasn't courageous, it was cowardly. If they really wanted to be brave, they would have stayed and stood their ground against Humperdinck.
Emotional courage, like that displayed by Buttercup when she's faced with a life without her true love, is more difficult to summon than physical courage.