Excerpt

Excerpt from The Princess and the Goblin, by George MacDonald

The Hall of the Goblin Palace

A sound of many soft feet followed, but soon ceased. Then Curdie flew
at the hole like a tiger, and tore and pulled. The sides gave way, and
it was soon large enough for him to crawl through. He would not betray
himself by rekindling his lamp, but the torches of the retreating
company, which he found departing in a straight line up a long avenue
from the door of their cave, threw back light enough to afford him a
glance round the deserted home of the goblins. To his surprise, he
could discover nothing to distinguish it from an ordinary natural cave
in the rock, upon many of which he had come with the rest of the miners
in the progress of their excavations. The goblins had talked of coming
back for the rest of their household gear: he saw nothing that would
have made him suspect a family had taken shelter there for a single
night. The floor was rough and stony; the walls full of projecting
corners; the roof in one place twenty feet high, in another endangering
his forehead; while on one side a stream, no thicker than a needle, it
is true, but still sufficient to spread a wide dampness over the wall,
flowed down the face of the rock. But the troop in front of him was
toiling under heavy burdens. He could distinguish Helfer now and then,
in the flickering light and shade, with his heavy chest on his bending
shoulders; while the second brother was almost buried in what looked
like a great feather bed. 'Where do they get the feathers?' thought
Curdie; but in a moment the troop disappeared at a turn of the way, and
it was now both safe and necessary for Curdie to follow them, lest they
should be round the next turning before he saw them again, for so he
might lose them altogether. He darted after them like a greyhound.
When he reached the corner and looked cautiously round, he saw them
again at some distance down another long passage. None of the
galleries he saw that night bore signs of the work of man--or of goblin
either. Stalactites, far older than the mines, hung from their roofs;
and their floors were rough with boulders and large round stones,
showing that there water must have once run. He waited again at this
corner till they had disappeared round the next, and so followed them a
long way through one passage after another. The passages grew more and
more lofty, and were more and more covered in the roof with shining
stalactites.

It was a strange enough procession which he followed. But the
strangest part of it was the household animals which crowded amongst
the feet of the goblins. It was true they had no wild animals down
there--at least they did not know of any; but they had a wonderful
number of tame ones. I must, however, reserve any contributions
towards the natural history of these for a later position in my story.

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Explanation

Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald

Context of the Source

The Princess and the Goblin (1872) is a fantasy novel by Scottish author George MacDonald, a key figure in 19th-century children’s literature and a major influence on later fantasy writers like C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. The story follows Princess Irene and Curdie, a young miner, as they confront a race of goblins living beneath a mountain kingdom. The novel explores themes of faith, courage, perception, and the battle between good and evil, often using allegory and fairy-tale symbolism to convey deeper moral and spiritual truths.

This excerpt takes place after Curdie, having discovered a goblin plot, pursues them through their underground tunnels to uncover their secrets. The passage is rich in atmospheric description, suspense, and subtle world-building, characteristic of MacDonald’s ability to blend realism with the fantastical.

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Themes in the Excerpt

1. The Uncanny and the Familiar

   • The goblin cave is described as indistinguishable from a natural cave, subverting expectations of a monstrous lair. This creates an eerie effect—the goblins, though evil, leave no obvious trace of their presence, suggesting that evil can lurk in plain sight.
   • The absence of man-made (or goblin-made) structures reinforces the idea that the goblins are parasitic, living in the cracks of the natural world rather than shaping it.

2. Perception vs. Reality

   • Curdie expects a sinister, decorated goblin palace, but finds only a bare, damp cave. This mirrors the novel’s broader theme: true danger is not always visible.
   • The feather bed carried by the goblins is an odd detail—feathers are associated with comfort and domesticity, yet they are being hauled by grotesque creatures in a dark underworld. This juxtaposition forces the reader to question what is truly out of place.

3. The Underground as a Moral and Physical Labyrinth

   • The twisting passages, stalactites, and boulders create a maze-like environment, symbolizing the moral confusion of the goblins’ world.
   • The stream "no thicker than a needle" suggests decay and stagnation—water, a symbol of life, is reduced to a trickle, hinting at the goblins’ corrupted existence.

4. The Grotesque and the Domestic

   • The household animals among the goblins introduce a darkly comic element. Goblins, though monstrous, engage in mundane activities (moving furniture, keeping pets), blurring the line between human and inhuman.
   • The heavy burdens they carry (chests, feather beds) suggest they are hoarders, clinging to material comforts despite their wickedness.

5. Light and Darkness

   • The flickering torchlight creates a shifting, unreliable visual landscape, reinforcing the uncertainty of Curdie’s mission.
   • The absence of Curdie’s lamp (he refuses to relight it) shows his caution and resourcefulness, but also leaves him partially blind, symbolizing the limits of human perception.

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Literary Devices & Stylistic Choices

1. Sensory Imagery & Atmosphere

   • Tactile: "rough and stony floor," "projecting corners," "endangering his forehead" → The cave is unwelcoming, almost hostile.
   • Visual: "stalactites, far older than the mines," "shining stalactites" → The cave is ancient, untouched by time, contrasting with the transient, chaotic goblins.
   • Auditory: "sound of many soft feet" → The goblins move stealthily, like insects, enhancing the creepy, swarming effect.

2. Simile & Metaphor

   • "Curdie flew at the hole like a tiger" → His aggression and speed are animalistic, showing his instinctive bravery.
   • "the troop disappeared at a turn of the way, and it was now both safe and necessary for Curdie to follow them, lest they should be round the next turning before he saw them again, for so he might lose them altogether" → The labyrinthine chase is compared to a hunt, with Curdie as both predator and potential prey.

3. Juxtaposition & Irony

   • The feather bed (a symbol of comfort) being carried by goblins (creatures of discomfort) is darkly ironic.
   • The natural beauty of the stalactites contrasts with the ugly, burdensome goblins, highlighting the dissonance between the earth’s purity and the goblins’ corruption.

4. Foreshadowing & Suspense

   • The mysterious household animals hint at deeper lore (later revealed to be deformed creatures, twisted by the goblins).
   • The disappearing torchlight creates tension—will Curdie lose the goblins? Will he be trapped in the dark?

5. Narrative Intrusion

   • "I must, however, reserve any contributions towards the natural history of these for a later position in my story." → MacDonald breaks the fourth wall, teasing future revelations and engaging the reader directly.

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Significance of the Passage

1. World-Building & Fantasy Realism

   • MacDonald grounds the fantastical in detailed, tangible descriptions, making the goblin tunnels feel real and immersive.
   • The lack of obvious goblin architecture suggests that evil does not create, only corrupts—a theme later echoed in Tolkien’s Moria or Lewis’s underworlds.

2. Characterization of Curdie

   • His quick thinking (enlarging the hole, following silently) shows his resourcefulness.
   • His curiosity ("Where do they get the feathers?") humanizes him—he is not just a hero, but a boy trying to make sense of the strange.

3. Moral & Spiritual Allegory

   • The goblins’ migration mirrors sin’s hidden nature—they carry burdens (literal and metaphorical) but leave no lasting mark.
   • The underground as a moral test—Curdie must navigate darkness (both literal and spiritual) to uncover truth.

4. Influence on Later Fantasy

   • The clandestine chase through tunnels prefigures scenes in Tolkien’s The Hobbit (Bilbo following the goblins) and Rowling’s Harry Potter (the Chamber of Secrets).
   • The blending of the mundane and monstrous (goblins with feather beds) is a hallmark of dark fantasy and weird fiction.

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Close Reading of Key Lines

1. "The sides gave way, and it was soon large enough for him to crawl through."

   • The physical struggle mirrors Curdie’s moral determination—he forces open the path to truth.

2. "He would not betray himself by rekindling his lamp..."

   • His restraint shows wisdom—light would expose him, just as pride or recklessness could expose his mission.

3. "The goblins had talked of coming back for the rest of their household gear: he saw nothing..."

   • The absence of evidence is more unsettling than if the cave were obviously sinister—it suggests the goblins operate in secrecy.

4. "None of the galleries he saw that night bore signs of the work of man—or of goblin either."

   • The lack of craftsmanship implies the goblins are not builders but destroyers, living in the ruins of nature.

5. "It was a strange enough procession which he followed."

   • The understatement ("strange enough") makes the scene more eerie—the narrator (and Curdie) are unsettled but not yet terrified.

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Conclusion: Why This Passage Matters

This excerpt is a masterclass in fantasy writing because it:

• Builds suspense through physical and psychological tension.
• Blurs boundaries between the ordinary and the uncanny.
• Develops themes of perception, corruption, and hidden evil without heavy-handed moralizing.
• Immerses the reader in a tactile, vivid world that feels both real and dreamlike.

MacDonald’s genius lies in making the fantastical feel tangible—the goblins are not just monsters, but a twisted reflection of humanity, carrying feather beds and chests like miserly hoarders. The passage challenges the reader to look closer—not just at the goblins, but at the hidden darkness in familiar places.

Would you like any further analysis on specific symbols (e.g., the feather bed, the stream) or connections to other works?