The Princess and the Goblin

• Genre: Fiction; middle grade fantasy/folklore
• Originally Published: 1872
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 1030L; grades 4-8
• Structure/Length: 32 chapters; approx. 241 pages; approx. 4 hours, 55 minutes on audio
• Protagonist and Central Conflict: Eight-year-old Princess Irene confronts the nearby mountain goblins near her castle home with the help of friend Curdie and the magical protections of a mysterious woman in this classic children’s tale.

George MacDonald, Author

• Bio: 1824-1905; Scottish minister-turned-writer in the Victorian Age; studied chemistry and physics at Aberdeen University; attended a London theological seminary to prepare for the ministry; put God’s love and forgiveness foremost in his personal theology, a view not accepted by traditionalists in the church; became a prolific writer of fiction and poetry; novels and stories influenced by his religious beliefs; works experienced new popularity in the latter half of the 20th century
• Other Works: The Princess and Curdie (1883); At the Back of the North Wind (1868); Lilith (1895)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Unit:

• Faith in the Mystical
• The Dual Nature of Humanity
• What It Means to Be a Princess

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Unit, students will:

• Gain an understanding of social class during the Victorian era and how it influences the novel’s depiction of What It Means to Be a Princess.