Synopsis

The King was making his rounds around his kingdom. The King visits Lisa’s cottage. Lisa’s parents began to praise Lisa and claim that she can bake the best pies in the world. In order to make himself appear more important, Lisa’s father lies to the king that his daughter could spin straw into gold. The King knows that his kingdom is poor, thus, the king called for the girl, shut her in a tower room with straw and a spinning wheel, and demanded that she spin the straw into gold by morning or be executed. She had given up all hope, when a strange little man appeared in the room and spun straw into gold for her in return for her necklace; then again the following night for her ring. But on the third night, with nothing left, the strange creature spun straw into gold for a promise that the girl’s first-born child would become his.

The greedy king was so impressed that he married Lisa, but when their first child was born, the strange little man returned to claim his payment. The queen was frightened and offered him all the wealth she had if she could keep the child. The strange little man refused but finally agreed to give up his claim to the child if the queen could guess his name in three days. At first she failed. Later, Lisa’s parents follow the little man and see him dance around a small fire and they hear him say out loud, “Tricks and riddles are my game, Rumpelstiltskin is my name.”

 Plot

(Introduction)

Exposition
This is first stage of a fictional or dramatic plot, in which necessary background information is provided. It introduces characters, scene, time, and situation

 The King visits a cottage. The cottage belongs to Lisa’s parents. The King was lured by the smell of freshly baked apple pie. Lisa’s parents praised Lisa in an attempt to make the King marry their daughter. They tell the King that she bakes the best pies in the world. To impress the King further, they also tell the King that Lisa can spin straw into gold. The King brings her to his palace and asks her to turn straw into gold. If she fails she will be beheaded.
(Action Starts)

Rising Action
This is a set of conflicts and crises that constitute the part of a story’s plot leading up to the climax.

 Lisa sits and cries in the high tower. Then she hears scratching noise. A strange little man appears and promises to spin the straw into gold in exchange of her necklace. The King was impressed and takes her to another bigger room filled with straw. The King asks her to turn the straw into gold. If she fails she will be beheaded. That night the strange little man appeared again and promises to spin the straw into gold in exchange for her ring. The King was impressed and takes her to another bigger room filled with straw. This time he promises to marry her. Lisa has nothing else to offer to the little man. Her parents advised her to give whatever he asks for. That night, when the strange little man appeared, she promises her first born child.
Climax
This is the turning point of the action in the plot of a story. The climax represents the point of greatest tension in the work.		  

A year passed. Lisa is the queen and she has a baby boy. The strange little man suddenly appears and reminds her of her promise. Lisa pleaded to the little man not to take her baby away as she is willing to give him all her money. The little man refuses but finally agrees to give her three days to guess his name. She fails to guess his name on the first and second day. Lisa’s parents follow the little man and find out his name.
Falling Action
In the plot of a story, the action following the climax of the work that moves it towards its denouement or resolution.		  

On the third day, the little man comes to the nursery. Lisa guesses his name as “Rumpelstiltskin”.

The strange little man gets angry and stamps his feet hard on the floor and disappears in a puff of smoke.
Resolution
The ending of the story, the final stage or unraveling of the plot; usually very brief. Here the tension is over, and unanswered questions may be explained. The resolution is reached following a major crisis and climax.		  

Lisa’s baby boy is now safe. Lisa’s parents promises that they will never boast again.

 Setting

 Place:            

  • Cottage where Lisa lives with her parents.
  • Castle where the King lives
  •  Nursery where Queen Lisa looked after the baby and where the strange little man appeared.
  • Woods where the strange little man lives.

     Time:

  • Medieval Times
  • The story is set at a time when people talked about magical creatures.

 Characters:

 Lisa: She is a young, sweet girl. She lives with her parents in a cottage. She loves to do household chores such as baking. She is very obedient as she listens to her parents.

 Rumpelstiltskin: A strange little man. He has magical powers. He is able to help Lisa by spinning the straw into gold. He likes riddles. Rumpelstiltskin is a fairy tale character, not a real person. 

The King: He is an opportunist. He uses Lisa to get him gold. He is rather cruel as he keep Lisa alone in a tower and he threatens to kill her if she cannot spin the straw into gold. However he is very gullible as he believes that straw can be turned into gold.

Lisa’s Father : He is rather foolish as he goes to far to boast about his daughter. He is also greedy as he is willing to sacrifice Lisa’s life in order to get wealth. He was remorseful when he promised Lisa that he will not make the same mistake. Nevertheless, he is a loving father as he tries to solve the riddle for Lisa.

 Lisa’s Mother: She is very proud of her daughter. She is kind hearted as she invites the King into her house and offers food. She is rather silly as she agrees with her husband that Lisa can spin straw into gold. She is also remorseful and promised never to boast again. It cannot be denied that she is a loving mother as she helps Lisa to solve the riddle.

 Themes

 Telling lies

When people lie they are often trapped by their own deceit. In this story, claiming to be able to weave gold from straw got Lisa the attention of the king but also got her locked in a dungeon with a haystack and a spinning wheel.  

 Using one’s survival skills

Persistence pays off in the long run and to never give up. Lisa tried her best to find the answer to the strange man’s riddle. She did not give up.

 Moral Values

 We must be more careful of what we say, and think of the consequences.

  • Lisa’s father lied to the king, just to impress him.
  • Lisa lost her head and promised something without realising the implications of her promise, just to save herself.
  • Rumpelstiltskin is so confident that the queen will not guess his name that he makes the terrible mistake of saying it out loud.

Honesty and Integrity

We must always keep our promises. It is when we are able to keep our promises that people will respect us. Although the King was greedy, he kept his promise to marry Lisa once she was able to spin the straw into gold.  Even the strange little man kept his promise to Lisa when she was able to guess his name. He did not try to cheat her.

Point of view

Since this is a drama, the author uses the third person point of view. He is omniscient- this means that he knows everything in the story.  However, the characters do think aloud when they are thinking. Thus, the readers are able to understand what the characters are doing.

 Language and Style

 The style of writing is very simple, uncomplicated and straightforward. The language is simple reflecting the lifestyle of the village people. 

Literary Devices

Repetition Spin straw into gold  

These words are repeated constantly throughout the story.

The writer wants to highlight the idea of spinning straw into gold
Cut off your head These words are also used with “spin straw into gold’. The King reminds Lisa that if she cannot spin straw into gold, he will cut off her head.
Rhyme Page 81-

the rhyme scheme

 is aa,bb

 Sit and cuddle your darling son,

For tomorrow you’ll have none.

Riddles and tricks are my game.

You won’t ever guess my name.
  Page 83-

the rhyme scheme

is also aa,bb

 Wife and family I have none.

But tomorrow I’ll have the King’s own son.

Tricks and riddles are my game,

Rumpelstiltskin is my name.

 Tone and Mood

There are two contrasting tones. Firstly, there is an ordinary tone when the writer shows the ordinary lifestyle of Lisa’s family. The second tone is the extraordinary tone. It is used when describing the events related to the King.  It shows things that are magical. It shows the readers that straw can be spun into gold. It shows a mood of fantasy. The drama ends with a positive note that is all’s well that ends well.

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