Characters in Rumpelstiltskin

Characters in Rumpelstiltskin

Characters

1. Narrator– The story teller who narrates the story to

the audience.

2. LISA

Characteristics Textual Evidence

•A young girl

•Brilliant and skillful, has excellent baking skills.

•“You’re really brilliant. Twenty currant buns, twelve jam tarts, one apple pie. All fit for a King to eat.” (page 60)•“I hope he visits us so I can show him all the wonderful things you’ve made.” (page 62)•“My daughter, Lisa made it and she’s the cleverest girl there ever was.” (page 63)•“She can bake the best pies in the world and she can weave the most beautiful and spin the finest thread” (page 63)•“None of them can be as clever as Lisa. She’s so clever she can do anything.” (page 63)

•Obedient and dutiful as she obeys her parents and the King

•“Lisa goes to the windows and looks out” (page 60)•“Quick, Lisa, see if that’s the King coming.” (page 60)

LISA


•Practical and sensible she tries to stop her parents from boasting about her to the King •Anxious when the parents boast to the King that she can spin straw into gold

•Willing to part her possessions to save her life.•“Oh please, Your Majesty, please don’t take any notice of Father. Of course I can’t spin straw into gold” (page 64)•“But no one can spin straw into gold, Your Majesty.” (page 65)

•Simple-minded • “But what if I can’t keep the promise?”• “I hope you’re right. I don’t want to get into more

trouble.” (page 73)• “Lisa remembers her father’s words – ‘promise him

whatever he asks’.” (page 75)

•Desperate when she agrees to Rumpelstiltskin’s bargains

•“The little man nods and Lisa unfastens the necklace and hands it to him” (page 67)•“The little man nods and Lisa takes off her ring and hands it to him” (page 69)

LISA


•Reluctant to give her baby to Rumpelstiltskin as promised •Loves her child

•“You can have as much as gold as you want but leave me my baby” (page 77)•“ Lisa picks up the baby and holds him tightly.” (page 78)

•Grateful • “And now my baby’s safe. Oh, Mother, Father, how ever I thank you?” (page 87)

•Desperate / At a loss •“Oh Mother! How can we possibly find out his name? There are thousands to choose from,” (page 79)•“What can I do? How can I stop him?” (page 81)

Rumpelstiltskin3. RUMPELSTILTSKIN


•Helpful in return for something

•“That’s nothing to cry about. I’ll help you if you give me something in exchange.” (page 67)•“What about that pretty necklace you’re wearing?” (page 67)•“What about that pretty ring you’re wearing? (page 69)•“Now that’s a pity. I don’t work for nothing.” (page 74)•“When you’re the Queen, you must give me your firstborn child” (page 75)

•Passionate/ comforting

• “That’s right. Now you go to sleep. By the time you wake up all your trouble will be over.” (page 67)

• It’ll do. It’ll do. Now go to sleep and in the morning there’ll be heaps of gold instead of heaps of straw.” (page 71)

• “Dry your tears, Lisa. I will help you, but this will be the last time.” (page 74)

RUMPELSTILTSKIN


•A small man has magical powers, mysterious

•“A strange little man with a long pointed nose climbs through the window.” (page 66)•“More straw to spin? My favourite task.” (page 69)

•Has a temper•Furious when Lisa succeeds in solving the riddle to his name.

•“The little man gives a great cry of rage and stamps his feet.” (page 85)

4. Father and Mother • Lisa’s parents • Proud of Lisa • Boastful of Lisa’s abilities • Hopeful for the King to take Lisa as the Queen • Worried for Lisa after boasting that she can spin

straw into gold. • Helpful as they secretly follow Rumpelstiltskin to

find out his name

5. The King • Loves apple pies • Impressed by Lisa’s delicious apple pies • Irrational as he accepts the claim by Lisa’s parents

that Lisa can spin straw into gold • Cruel because he threatens to behead Lisa if she fails

to spin straw into gold • Greedy when he orders Lisa to spin more straw into

gold • Trustworthy as he keeps his promise to marry Lisa

Rumpelstiltskin • A noisy and mischievous goblin • Enjoys playing tricks and solving riddles • Can spin straw into gold • Opportunistic as he demands payments from Lisa in

exchange for his service • Unscrupulous as he tricks Lisa into promising him her first-

born child • Furious when Lisa succeeds in solving the riddle to his

name.

Theme1. Power

1. Father wants to impress the King so as to appear more important and more powerful in the King’s eyes. He, therefore, lies to the King that his daughter could spin straw into gold. Father cares more about power than his only daughter.

2. The King has every power to force his people to do anything he wishes so. Therefore, he takes Lisa to the castle by force. The King demonstrates ultimate power over Lisa when he threatens to behead her if she fails to spin all straw into gold..

• On the third night, the King uses his power again to force Lisa to spin all straw in the tower into gold. If she succeeds, he will marry her. Again the King demonstrates power over Lisa for she has to accept the order

3. The strange little man (Rumpelstiltskin) asserts power over Lisa for he knows that Lisa has no choice but to comply with his requests or she will be executed by the King. He uses his power to demand things for the task done.

2. Greed

• 1. The King – The theme ‘greed’ is portrayed very well by

the King. The mere mention of ‘spinning straw into gold’ perks up the King and he thinks that he could do with some more gold as his kingdom is not very rich.

• “Taking hold of Lisa’s arm, the King walks out of the cottage.” So, the King keeps Lisa in the castle for three nights under threat of execution. This clearly shows that the King cares more about acquiring gold to satisfy his greed than the life of the little girl (Lisa).

2. Rumpelstiltskin is greedy himself. He takes no pity on Lisa and her plight. Instead, he asks what she will give if he helps her each time.

3. Wisdom and Honesty

• Lisa’s father does not display wisdom when he lies to the King about Lisa’s ability in spinning straw into gold. He is not wise enough to think of the consequence of such a claim to the King.

4. Parental Love

• Lisa’s father and mother are very proud of their daughter. They are always telling people how clever she is and all the wonderful things she can do.

5. A mistake made is an experience gained.

• Lisa’s father and mother have made a mistake, that is, to lie to the King about Lisa’s ability. They realize their mistake when the King threatens to cut off Lisa’s head if she cannot turn straw into gold.

6. There is a price for everything

• Apparently, there is a price for everything we ask for. Lisa’s parents want her to marry the King and have a better life. For that, they brag about her. The King will only marry Lisa if he finds that he has something to gain.

• He only marries Lisa when she has turned straw into gold. The strange little man, Rumpelstiltskin, will only help Lisa to spin straw into gold in exchange for her necklace and ring. And finally he demands her firstborn child.

7. THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK

• It is important to think before you speak. Lisa’s parents speak without thinking as they want the king to take notice of their daughter. They boast that Lisa can spin straw into gold although it goes against logic.

• This causes problems for Lisa as she is kept in a high room in a tower all by herself. She is told that she will be beheaded if she does not spin the straw into gold by morning.

• Lisa replies without thinking deeply when Rumpelstiltskin asks her if she is willing to give her first-born in exchange for spinning the straw into gold. She promises to do so without thinking rationally.

8. IMPORTANCE OF SPEAKING THE TRUTH

• Another theme of this drama is the importance of speaking the truth. Lisa’s parents do not speak the truth when they boast about her.

• They cross the limit by exaggerating, which is also a form of telling lies. Her father says that Lisa is so clever that she can do anything.

• He tells the king to ask Lisa to spin straw into gold. Lisa’s mother tells Lisa that she could probably spin straw into gold if she tried. Due to their mistake, they risk losing Lisa.

• Lisa also does not speak the truth when she promises to give Rumpelstiltskin her first-born child. Lisa listens to her worried father who tells her to promise Rumpelstiltskin whatever he wants.

• Her father tells Lisa that she could forget her promise later as she would be miles away from Rumpelstiltskin. This is dishonesty. She does not tell the truth to the king either. Due to her insincere promise in desperation, Lisa gets into another serious problem. Rumpelstiltskin comes back after a year to take her baby son.

MORAL VALUES

1. Be humble and do not boast– We must be humble. Lisa’s father realises his

mistake at the end of the drama and says that he and her mother will never boast again. Everyone in the family is affected due to her father’s boasting. Lisa is taken away and left in a tower of the palace all alone.

• Boasting can have negative consequences. For example, the king tells her that he would cut off her head if she is unable to spin straw into gold.

2. Keep to your promises

• We must honour our promises. Lisa makes a promise which she knows she will not be able to keep as no mother can part with her child.

3. Do not be greedy

• We must not be greedy like the king. The king becomes cruel because of his greed for gold. He shuts Lisa up in a tower alone for three days.

• Each day he threatens to cut off her head if she is unable to spin the straw into gold. He also shows greed as he tells his people to search for the last wisp of straw in the countryside to be spun into gold.

4. Be rational • We must think, speak and behave rationally at

all times. Lisa’s parents speak irrationally when boasting about their daughter whom they are proud of. Lisa becomes irrational when she is desperate to save herself. She makes a promise knowing well that she will be unable to keep to it.

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Characters in Rumpelstiltskin