Book Anatomy · The Princess and the Goblin
The Princess and the Goblin: Viewpoint and narration
14 lenses on viewpoint and narration for The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald. Count lenses are exact for our text. AI lenses are our reading and cite only quotes that passed a word for word check.
Jump to: E1 E2 E3 E4 E5 E6 E7 E8 E9 E10 E11 E12 E13 E14
E1. Person and tense: first or third, past or present. Count
Mixed, past tense. In the narration, past forms come 2,188 times and present forms 342 times.
E2. Whose viewpoint is each chapter? Both
E3. Share of the book told by each viewpoint character. Both
Irene dominates chapters 2 to 5, 10 to 11, 14 to 17, 20 to 24, 28, 30. Curdie dominates chapters 6 to 9, 12, 18 to 19, 23, 25, 27, 29 to 31. The narrator is omniscient in chapters 1, 13, 26, 32. Roughly 40% Irene, 45% Curdie, 15% omniscient.
Chapters: Ch 2, Ch 6, Ch 9, Ch 14, Ch 20, Ch 27
E4. Narrative distance: close inside a head, or far off? AI
Narrative distance is close and intimate, especially in Irene's chapters where her feelings and thoughts are fully rendered. Curdie's chapters show his reasoning and fear. The omniscient chapters (1, 13, 26, 32) pull back to explain world mechanics and goblin plans.
Chapters: Ch 2, Ch 3, Ch 6, Ch 7, Ch 18, Ch 20
Her face was fair and pretty, with eyes like two bits of night sky, each with a star dissolved in the blue. (Ch 1, para 3)
She threw herself on the floor, and burst into a wailing cry broken by sobs. (Ch 2, para 6)
It was very narrow, and so steep that she went on like a four-legged creature on her hands and feet. (Ch 2, para 7)
E5. Strict viewpoint or head hopping? AI
The book maintains strict viewpoint within chapters. Chapters 2 to 5 stay with Irene; chapters 6 to 9 stay with Curdie. Chapters 13, 26, 32 break to omniscient narrator. No head hopping within a single scene; viewpoint changes happen between chapters or at clear breaks.
Chapters: Ch 2, Ch 6, Ch 13, Ch 26, Ch 32
E6. Is the narrator reliable? Where are the cracks? AI
The narrator is reliable but selective. It withholds the goblin king's full plan until chapter 9, and hides Irene's grandmother from Curdie until chapter 22. The narrator knows more than any character and reveals information strategically to build suspense.
Chapters: Ch 9, Ch 22, Ch 26
He was at the entrance of a magnificent cavern, of an oval shape, once probably a huge natural reservoir of water, now the great palace hall of the goblins. (Ch 9, para 6)
E7. Frames and tales within tales. AI
No formal frames or tales within tales. The grandmother's story of Irene's mother is mentioned but not told. The book is a single linear narrative with no embedded stories or letters.
E8. Narrator asides and addresses to the reader. Both
9 paragraphs where the narrator seems to speak to the reader or about the telling. (rough estimate from word lists)
Ch 4, para 39: 'You will let me take you to see my dear old great big grandmother, won't you?' said the princess, as she laid her down again.
Ch 6, para 80: 'Well, Irene,' said Curdie, with a glance at the nurse which showed he enjoyed teasing her; 'it is very kind of you to let me call you anything. …
Ch 11, para 62: 'Oh! please, don't let me forget.'
Ch 13, para 3: But before two nights were over he had one to side with him, for he, too, had seen something strange, only quite different from that reported by the …
Ch 21, para 33: 'Stand quite clear of it, then,' said Curdie, 'and let me know when you are ready.'
Ch 25, para 14: 'Let me go away, then, if you please,' said Curdie.
The narrator addresses the reader directly in chapter 1 with 'as we shall see by and by'. Chapter 3 asks 'What do you think she saw?' Chapter 13 uses 'I have not attempted to describe'. These asides are sparse but create intimacy with the reader.
Chapters: Ch 1, Ch 3, Ch 13
They were much too afraid of the goblins to let her out of the house then, even in company with ever so many attendants; and they had good reason, as we shall see by and by. (Ch 1, para 5)
What do you think she saw? A very old lady who sat spinning. (Ch 3, para 2)
Guess what she was spinning. (Ch 3, para 89)
E9. Documents used: letters, diaries, reports, by type and sender. Both
How often each kind of document is named in the narration. (rough estimate from word lists)
| Document | Mentions |
|---|---|
| will | 129 |
| report | 5 |
| note | 1 |
Not a feature of this book. No letters, diaries, reports, or documents are used. All information comes through narrative and dialogue.
E10. What the narrator hides, and where the reader knows more than the lead. AI
The reader knows the goblin threat is real before Irene fully believes it. The reader sees Curdie's investigation in chapters 7 to 9 while Irene remains ignorant. The reader learns the grandmother is real in chapter 3 while others doubt until chapter 17.
Chapters: Ch 3, Ch 7, Ch 9, Ch 17
They were much too afraid of the goblins to let her out of the house then, even in company with ever so many attendants; and they had good reason, as we shall see by and by. (Ch 1, para 5)
He was at the entrance of a magnificent cavern, of an oval shape, once probably a huge natural reservoir of water, now the great palace hall of the goblins. (Ch 9, para 6)
E11. Free indirect style: where the narrator slips into a character's voice. AI
Free indirect style appears when the narrator slips into character voice. Chapter 2 uses Irene's curiosity: 'she had once before been up six steps, and that was sufficient reason'. Chapter 19 captures Curdie's defiance through his rhyming songs. The effect is subtle rather than marked.
Chapters: Ch 2, Ch 19, Ch 20
She had once before been up six steps, and that was sufficient reason, in such a day, for trying to find out what was at the top of it. (Ch 2, para 4)
If you do, It will disclose A horrid set Of sprouting toes. (Ch 19, para 38)
E12. How thought is shown: tagged, italic or blended. Count
Thought is mostly shown with tags like thought, said to herself, wondered.
| Tag | Times |
|---|---|
| thought | 82 |
| said to herself | 5 |
| wondered | 4 |
| said to himself | 1 |
| reflected | 0 |
| asked himself | 0 |
| asked herself | 0 |
| told himself | 0 |
E13. What triggers each change of viewpoint? AI
Viewpoint changes at chapter breaks. Chapter 1 is omniscient setup. Chapters 2 to 5 shift to Irene. Chapter 6 shifts to Curdie's perspective during the goblin encounter. Changes are triggered by the need to show action the previous viewpoint character cannot witness.
Chapters: Ch 1, Ch 2, Ch 6, Ch 13, Ch 26
E14. Hindsight: where an older narrator comments on events. AI
The narrator rarely uses hindsight commentary. Chapter 32 reflects briefly on the goblins' transformation into brownies. The final line promises a sequel, suggesting the narrator is not looking back from a distant future but narrating events as they unfold.
Chapters: Ch 32
But most of them soon left that part of the country, and most of those who remained grew milder in character, and indeed became very much like the Scotch brownies. (Ch 32, para 5)
The rest of the history of The Princess and Curdie must be kept for another volume. (Ch 32, para 6)
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