Gluck: The Typical Underdog

John Ruskin's "The King of the Golden River" is no exception to the generality that children's literature usually features an underdog. In this modern fairy tale, the protagonist Gluck perfectly fits the description of the typical underdog, the misfit who prevails against all odds. Like Cinderella before him, his home life is characterized by hardship: he has two loathsome older brothers, the "Black Brothers" Hans and Scwartz, who use Gluck for domestic chores and "educate" him with "dry blows." Gluck is not noted to have any parents, though "not above twelve years old," deepening the reader's impression of an impoverished youth. Despite this, Gluck is decidedly good, being "kind in temper to every living thing." He harbours a spirit of generosity, evidenced by his countless acts of self-sacrifice, including sheltering and sharing food with South West Wind, Esquire, despite that his "brothers would beat him to death" for it. His character is put to the test when he goes out to "try his fortune with the Golden River." His first obstacle is getting Holy Water. Unlike his brothers, Gluck passes this test by getting himself the water by the only means truly holy: honestly, from a good priest. He must next face the perilous glacier, which is "twenty times worse for him" than for his brothers who were big, strong, and experienced mountaineers, highlighting again Gluck's disadvantage as the underdog. However, the true test of his character is not the mountain, which would only test physical strength, but in the three figures he meets along the way: a feeble old man, a child crying out "piteously for water," and a dog "gasping for breath." These figures are derived from the three wise women of traditional fairy tales, who the protagonist meets along the way, and who act as judges of his or her virtue. The old man, the child and the dog - all guises of the King of the Golden River - test Gluck's kindness, and as he passes each test, the road gets easier, allowing him passage. The dying dog, Gluck's final test, is the hardest he faces. The river, five hundred yards away, is a tremendous temptation. In giving the dog his final drops of holy water, Gluck believes that he will not succeed in his quest; that he passes this test shows that he values life - even the life of a "beastie - above gold. Thus, like any underdog, Gluck ultimately triumphs because of that which sets him apart: his goodness.

SOURCE
Ruskin, John. "The King of the Golden River."Project Gutenberg. Web. 14 Apr 2010. <>