Dealing with Dragons

“‘Then you’ll tell your father you don’t want to marry me?’

‘I couldn’t do that!’ Therandil said, shocked. ‘It wouldn’t be right.’

‘Why not?’ Cimorene demanded crossly.

‘Because—because—well, because princes just don’t do that!’”

Like Cimorene, Prince Therandil often feels confined by expectations for people of his status, but rather than embracing an attitude of defiance, he unquestioningly accepts these limitations, even when doing so would seriously derail his own desires and ambitions in life. Unlike Cimorene, he doesn’t attempt to challenge gender roles or the status quo, believing that such defiance “isn’t right.” This exchanges demonstrates that Cimorene is unique among her peers.

“‘Kazul has not enchanted me, and I do not want to be rescued by anybody,’ Cimorene said, alarmed by the knight’s sudden enthusiasm. ‘This place suits me very well. I like polishing swords and cooking cherries jubilee and reading Latin scrolls. If you don’t believe me, ask anyone in Linderwall. They’ve been complaining about my un-princesslike behavior for years.”

This quotation demonstrates Cimorene’s ongoing determination to decide the attributes that will constitute her own identity. Although her world is full of fairy tale tropes and archetypes, Cimorene refuses to be defined by them. In this case, she contends with the assumption that princesses are usually kidnapped by a dragon and held in a tower until a knight comes to rescue and marry them. Cimorene wants to choose her own path in life rather than waiting for someone to rescue her.

“Cimorene decided that she didn’t like him. He reminded her of one of her father’s courtiers, a humorless, sneaky little man who had paid her compliments only when he was after something and who couldn’t resist giving advice even when nobody wanted it.”

This quotation introduces one of the novel’s antagonists, the head of the Council of Wizards, Zemenar. Cimorene often follows logic and listens to her own informed instincts when making decisions, and this tendency demonstrates her use of Cleverness and Wit as Forms of Power. Though her dislike of Zemenar is immediate and instinctual, it is also based on past knowledge and past experience, and she follows her gut instincts rather than trying to explain away her unease in order to conform to the stereotypes of polite behavior.

“‘Of course, but Moranz doesn’t see it that way. He’s been trying to catch someone else’s princess in a similar foolishness for years, and he’s quite sure he’s finally done so. He’s undoubtedly spreading the story of your escape far and wide at this very minute.’

‘Oh, dear,’ said Cimorene.

Kazul smiled again, and her teeth glittered silver in the lamplight. ‘He’ll look extremely foolish when it becomes obvious that you’re still here. Which is one reason I’ve asked a few of my friends to dinner tonight.’”

This quotation characterizes Kazul as an individualist even as her actions illustrate the nuances of dragon society. While there are egalitarian aspects to dragon society, its dynamics can also be as petty and corrupt as the court in which Cimorene was raised. Like Cimorene, Kazul uses Cleverness and Wit as Forms of Power. Rather than relying upon force to achieve her goals, she would prefer to get revenge on someone like Moranz by outsmarting him publicly.

“To be precise, the King of the Dragons has an agreement with the head of the Society of Wizards: the wizards stay out of our portions of the Mountains of Morning, and we allow them partial access to the Caves of Fire and Night. At least, that’s the way it’s supposed to work. King Tokoz is getting old and forgetful, and lately wizards have been turning up in all sorts of places they aren’t supposed to be.”

This passage introduces the central conflict and driving force of the narrative. The Caves of Fire and Knight are an important location, both in the progression of the plot and as a symbol for the dragon’s magical power and culture. Different magical species engage in diplomacy to manage their relationships and restrict access to vital locations like this one. Kazul’s words also foreshadow the fact that the wizards are trying to exceed the boundaries of their treaties in order to seize additional magic and power.

“By the time they finished dusting and straightening the last bookcases, the two girls were fast friends, and Alianora was comfortable enough to ask Cimorene straight out how it was that she had come to volunteer for a dragon.”

Cimorene and Alianora meet by circumstance, since they are both dragon’s princesses, but their nature as outcasts and as humble people allows them to become friends easily. This quotation also engages with the novel’s thematic focus on The Positive Impact of Friendship and Loyalty. Instead of assuming that she knows Cimorene’s motivations, Alianora asks her to explain her perspective.

“‘When I was sixteen, Aunt Ermintrude sent me a gold spinning wheel for my birthday, and I sat down and spun. I didn’t prick my finger or anything.’

Cimorene was beginning to see what Alianora was getting at. ‘Well, if you didn’t have a christening curse…’

‘So Aunt Ermintrude told Mama to put me and a spinning wheel in a room full of straw and have me spin it into gold,’ Alianora went on. ‘And I tried! But all I could manage was linen thread, and whoever heard of a princess who can spin straw into linen thread?’”

Alianora, like Cimorene, engages in Challenging the Status Quo, but she does so accidentally rather than deliberately. Alianora initially wants her identity to be dictated by the society’s expectations and is disappointed when she keeps subverting these expectations unintentionally. She feels different from their peers who are “proper” princesses, while Cimorene actively rejects such stereotypes. In this sense, Alianora and Cimorene act as foils although they have many similarities.

“She had promised Kazul that she would try to find out what Zemenar was after if he showed up, and here he was. Maybe if she convinced him that she was as silly as her sisters, he would be careless enough to let something slip.”

Knowing Zemenar has a limited view of princesses’ ability and intelligence, Cimorene exploits his expectations in order to trick him and uses her own cleverness to pretend that her identity accords with the status quo for princesses. In this way, the entire scene allows Wrede to criticize the dominant narrative that habitually places princesses in a passive role and portrays them as vacuous characters who can only defer to the male leads in any given scenario.

“‘Queen of Dragons is a totally different job from King, and it’s not one I’m particularly interested in. Most people aren’t. I think the position’s been vacant since Oraun tore his wing and had to retire.’

‘But King Tokoz is a male dragon!’ Cimorene said, then frowned. ‘Isn’t he?’

‘Yes, yes, but that has nothing to do with it,’ Kazul said a little testily. ‘“King” is the name of the job. It doesn’t matter who holds it.’”

This quotation establishes the egalitarian nature of dragon society, which has done away with the typical gender roles that define human society, thereby Challenging the Status Quo. In human society, the terms “king” and “queen” denote binary, gendered concepts, but as Kazul’s explanation demonstrates, dragons do not tie gender to their definitions of these words, instead solely relying on a dragon’s individual qualifications to choose a leader.

“‘By night and flame and shining rock

Open thou thy hidden lock.

Alberolingarn!’

As the sound of Kazul’s voice died away, the iron gate swung silently open. ‘That’s a very unusual opening spell,’ Cimorene commented, impressed.

‘It wasn’t always that complicated,’ Kazul said. She sounded almost apologetic. ‘I believe the first version was very simple, just “Open sesame,” but word got around and we had to change it.’”

This quotation demonstrates the novel’s humorous tone, particularly regarding the author’s determination to subvert typical fairy tale tropes and topics. “Open sesame” is a magical phrase introduced in early translations of the iconic tale One Thousand and One Nights. The phrase has since become a generic term to indicate an opening spell, and it is also used colloquially in casual conversation. Kazul’s words satirize the popularity of this phrase, portraying it as an ineffective “key” because everyone is now familiar with it.

“As soon as she stepped inside the cave, Cimorene understood the reason for Kazul’s request for silence. The walls, the ceiling, and the floor were made of dark, shiny stone that multiplied and threw back echoes of even the smallest sound.”

This quote describes the King’s Cave, a vital location that furthers the core of the plot and the overall conflict. The multiplication of light and sound occurs because the King’s Cave contains a special property; any effect cast on one rock from the cave is replicated in other rocks. Eventually, this is how the wizards sabotage Colin’s Stone and the dragon’s kingship ritual.

“She rose and went out. Through the doorway Cimorene could see a room full of tall, dark-stained shelves.

Cimorene blinked. ‘Isn’t that the door you came in through?’ she asked Kazul.

Kazul nodded. ‘Of course,’

‘I thought it led out into Morwen’s yard.’

‘It leads wherever Morwen wants it to lead,’ Kazul said.”

This description of Morwen’s house contributes to the novel’s world-building. Although Morwen seems to have one main room in her house, the back door magically leads to other locations depending on Morwen’s needs. While this quirk expands the novel’s illustration of how magic and the fantasy genre operate, it also portrays Morwen as a uniquely independent woman who does not need to submit to the dictates of physical reality in order to accomplish her goals.

“‘Any questions?’

‘Can I take anyone else with me?’ Cimorene asked, thinking that if the bird was so determined to give her the feathers, she might as well cooperate with it.

The bird looked at her with respect. ‘Will wonders never cease. For once a human with sense is getting the forfeit.’”

This exchange between Cimorene and a bird who was trying to catch her and feed her to its nestlings contributes to the theme of Cleverness and Wit as Forms of Power. When Cimorene receives magical items like the bird’s feathers, she is careful to ask about any qualifications and limitations that the item-giver might have left unsaid. This cleverness surprises characters like the bird, who have stereotypical expectations of humans.

“‘And my wish is to defeat a dragon and win his princess’s hand in marriage!’

The jinn waved a dark hand over Therandil’s head. ‘There! When next thou dost fight a dragon, thou shalt surely defeat him. And thou?’ he said, turning to Cimorene.

‘I could use some powdered hens’ teeth,’ Cimorene said.

The jinn blinked in surprise, but he waved his hand again, his face a mask of concentration.”

In this quotation, both Therandil and Cimorene get one wish from a jinn, and although the prince’s choice makes it clear that he will continue to uphold societal stereotypes, Cimorene takes a far more pragmatic approach. Her wish for a missing spell ingredient is more quotidian and less glamorous Than Therandil’s wish to kill a dragon—so much so that it surprises the jinn, who has heard many grandiose wishes before. This juxtaposition of ostentation and practicality adds a wealth of information to the characterization.

“‘I suppose I ought to have sent him to rescue you, but…’

‘That’s quite all right,’ Alianora said hastily. ‘Getting rid of Keredwel will help a lot. And after everything you’ve told me about Therandil, I don’t think I’d want to have him rescue me.’”

In this scene, Cimorene and Alianora demonstrate The Positive Impact of Friendship and Loyalty. Though Alianora is not a willing captive like Cimorene is, Cimorene understands her friend’s values well enough not to send Therandil to rescue her. This quotation also shows Alianora’s growth, for with Cimorene’s help, she understands that there are more important things than fulfilling fairy-tale tropes.

“‘Don’t look at me like that. I’m not going to stand in front of Kazul and have her breath fire at me. I’ll just stick out a finger, the way we did with the candle.’

This was not enough to convince Alianora, but Cimorene was determined. ‘The whole point of trying this spell was to make ourselves immune to dragon fire,’ she said. ‘If it doesn’t work, I don’t want to find out when one of Kazul’s guests gets mad and breathes fire at me because he doesn’t like the way I cooked his cherries jubilee.’”

This quotation demonstrates Cimorene’s fearlessness. She will do anything she needs to achieve her goal, even if other people think that her actions are dangerous. By keeping her broader goals in mind, Cimorene gains the courage to take risky actions in the present in order to reap the benefits of sound planning at a later date.

“‘Here,’ she said, showing them to Alianora. ‘This is feverfew. The younger plants are the best, the ones that haven’t blossomed yet.’

Alianora studied the leaves and flowers with care. ‘I think I’ll recognize it now.’

They cut some of the plants, leaving those that were blooming.

‘You find the next patch,’ Cimorene said as they started off again.”

This quotation demonstrates the true nature of friendship and loyalty, for rather than collecting feverfew and giving it to Alianora, Cimorene takes the time to show her how to identify the plant for herself, thereby empowering her friend. By teaching Alianora a useful skill and making her more self-sufficient, Cimorene once again defies the societal expectation that princesses must wait for others to accomplish goals for them.

“Alianora curtsied, murmuring something polite and inaudible. Antorell, who had stiffened in surprise when he realized that Cimorene was not alone, relaxed visibly. ‘Woraug’s princess? That’s all right, then. Though he really shouldn’t have sent you.’

‘But Woraug didn’t—ow!’ said Alianora. The ‘ow’ was because Cimorene had hastily kicked her ankle to keep her from telling Antorell too much.”

This quotation foreshadows Woraug’s involvement in the wizards’ plot. It also introduces a large plot twist into the novel. Cimorene knows that the dragons and wizards are enemies who have only a tentative truce, so Woraug’s potential involvement with the wizards means that he is betraying dragonkind. This quotation also contributes to the theme of Cleverness and Wit as a Form of Power, as Cimorene’s careful listening and quick thinking allow her to pick up on the implications of Antorell’s words.

“It’s been three years since I graduated, and everyone’s still waiting for me to do something spectacular,’ the stone prince said, lengthening his stride. ‘The rest of my classmates are already making names for themselves. George started killing dragons right away, and Art went straight home and pulled some sort of magic sword out of a rock. Even the ones nobody expected to amount to much have done something. All Jack wanted to do was go back to his mother’s farm and raise beans, and he ended up stealing a magic harp and killing a giant and all sorts of things. I’m the only one who hasn’t succeeded.”

The stone prince’s story shows that he too struggles with the expectations of what is “proper” for someone of his station. This quotation also contains many allusions to medieval legends and fairy tales. “George” and “Art” refer to the medieval legends of St. George and the Dragon and King Arthur, while “Jack” refers to the English fairy tale of “Jack and the Beanstalk.”

“We knew Tokoz would never give it to us, but Woraug will, as soon as he’s King of the Dragons. He’ll have to, or we’ll tell everyone how we were the ones who made sure he was the new king. Of course, we can’t afford to have anybody around who might make…awkward revelations. I doubt that dragons will listen to a couple of hysterical princesses, but he,’—Antorell pointed at the stone prince—‘will have to go.’”

The antagonist, Antorell, fulfills the stereotypical trope in which the evil character gloats to the hero about their plans, not believing that the hero can escape. Antorell also demonstrates his preconceived notions because he does not believe that princesses like Alianora and Cimorene can effectively challenge the status quo and defeat him, like a prince might be able to. However, Cimorene and Alianora soon prove Antorell wrong when they defeat him before the stone prince can help.

“‘I’ve had enough of your wizards,’ the olive-green dragon said. ‘You’re a confounded nuisance, and you ought not to be pushing your way in here where you’re not wanted. Go away!’

‘Cimorene, what are we going to do?’ Alianora said as the olive-green dragon turned around and stalked determinedly away.

‘At hero’s school we were always taught that if you couldn’t persuade anyone to help you with something, it meant that you were supposed to do it by yourself,’ the stone prince said diffidently. ‘And we are prepared.’ He lifted one of his buckets slightly.”

Though Cimorene has only known the stone prince for a short time, he shows himself to be a staunch ally, and this dynamic further contributes to the theme of The Positive Impact of Friendship and Loyalty. His words also emphasize the importance of Challenging the Status Quo. Though Cimorene and Alianora are princesses, the stone prince believes that they have just as much potential to be heroic as he does.

“In the center of the brown area was a black stone the size of Cimorene’s fist. A web of yellow-green light flickered across its smooth surface.

‘Sloppy,’ Morwen said. ‘Very sloppy. Though I’m not surprised. Wizards always seem to depend on brute force when a little subtlety would be far more effective.’ She fingered Cimorene’s pebble for a moment, then reached out and dropped it on top of the wizards’ stone.

There was a noise like a great deal of popcorn all popping at once, and the light that flickered all over the black stone spat yellow-green sparks in all directions.”

The brown area below the wizards shows that they suck magic out of everything around them, to the detriment of the landscape itself, proving themselves to be a parasitic force at best. Morwen’s contemptuous tone and words emphasize the theme of Cleverness and Wit as a Form of Power when she says that the “brute force” of wizards isn’t as effective as something more subtle, like Cimorene’s cleverness. This quotation also demonstrates the magical properties of stones from the King’s Cave, including Colin’s Stone, which is a central motif.

“‘Yes, it’s Woraug,’ Kazul said. She sounded almost sad. ‘That’s what happens when a dragon stops acting like a dragon.’

The toad turned his glare in Kazul’s direction, then hopped off and disappeared among the stones along the riverbank.”

This quotation shows that species other than humans are bound by expectations of what is “proper” among their kind. Dragons don’t have gendered expectations about “proper” social roles, as humans do; instead, their expectations rely on a code of conduct that emphasizes universal loyalty and honor. Because Woraug betrayed dragonkind and allied himself with wizards, he now loses his dragon form.