#THE PRISONER OF ZENDA CHARACTERS SERIES#

Technically he's a Duke rather than a prince, but he fits the spirit of the trope. The Evil Prince: Michael is King Rudolf's half-brother, and schemes to take the throne.This angers Rupert and causes him to momentarily lose his affable mask. Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas: During one of their bantering conversations, Rudolf, who like others knows about Rupert's womanizing and immoral behavior causing his mother grief, comments 'Thank God' when Rupert replies in the affirmative that his mother is dead.Later becomes more serious once the King's abduction is discovered. Emergency Impersonation: Rudolf first impersonates the King at the coronation when Prince Michael drugs the king (hoping to discredit the King by making it look like he missed his coronation due to a horrendous hangover).Did Not Get the Girl: Rudolf doesn't get Flavia.Rupert doesn't wait for her to aim properly. Somewhat subverted in that after she misses the first shot, she pauses and visibly forces herself to calm down. Bittersweet Ending: King Rudolf is rescued and Michael is dead, but Rupert has escaped and Rudolf and Flavia can't be together.Becoming the Mask: Rudolf becomes more like a king the longer he pretends to be the king.Both the king and Rudolf are bearded to begin with, but the beard removal is a convenient justification for why something about the king seems off. Rudolf shaves his beard when he begins to impersonate the king. Beardness Protection Program: Double subverted.Attempted Rape: Rupert tries to rape Antoinette, and sets off a chain of events leading to Michael's death and King Rudolf's rescue.Played straight by Rupert, who's a Count, and the most villainous character in the book.Both books have a prequel, The Heart of Princess Osra, published in 1896, which is even more obscure and has never been adapted. It has an oft-forgotten sequel, Rupert of Hentzau, published in 1898, which has also (though more rarely) been adapted.

#THE PRISONER OF ZENDA CHARACTERS SERIES#

Likewise, it has been remade into several films, books and episodes of series since. The book is responsible for many tropes on this site that are listed below. who suddenly finds herself more attracted to the ruler than ever before. He also becomes acquainted with Flavia, the King's beautiful young cousin. When Rudolf is forced to keep up the pretense for longer than a simple coronation, he finds himself having to deal with Duke Black Michael: the King's brother, kidnapper, and attempted usurper of the throne. The king of the fictional country of Ruritania is abducted on the eve of his coronation, and the hero, an English gentleman on holiday who fortuitously resembles the monarch due to being his distant cousin, is persuaded to act as his political decoy in an attempt to save the situation. The Prisoner of Zenda is an adventure novel by Anthony Hope, published in 1894.

The prisoner of zenda characters