Swords

In many films, swords are used to symbolize power and manliness; The Princess Bride is no exception. As the men wield their swords, they are really trying to dominate one another and the world around them.

Inigo Montoya uses his skill with the sword to first try to fight off Westley and later to kill his father's murderer. Montoya uses his sword to show his power over others. Since his father's death, he has learned that only by being prepared to fight could he feel safe. Montoya wields his sword and shows that, at long last, he is more powerful than his father's murderer and gets the revenge he has wanted for so long.

Westley also uses a sword with great skill. Unlike Montoya, Westley does not use the sword for revenge but for love. Westley loves Buttercup with the truest of loves, and he seeks to protect...