Castle in the Air

Flower-in-the-Night is Abdullah’s love interest. Her character offers a variation on the classic archetype of the fairytale princess. She is seen through Abdullah’s eyes and is crucial to the plot, motivating his entire quest, though she herself does not actually feature much—only at the start and end. 

Traditionally, this role is often a flat character, but Wynne Jones challenges this trope. Flower-in-the-Night is not quite like Abdullah’s daydream, highlighting that she is a real person, not an ideal. Her crumpled clothes at the end signify that she no longer represents the stereotypical portrayal of a perfect princess, and they indicate that she takes action. She takes charge of plotting the escape rather than Abdullah swooping in to save her. She is presented as very clever and determined, learning fast despite her sheltered upbringing.

She supports Abdullah’s character growth as he puts her on pedestal, but learns she is a real person that is not always like his ideal. He can’t believe Dalzel finds her difficult, or that she used to have tantrums as a child. However, he respects her force of personality, which alters his opinion about the role of women. He still idealizes her, but he changes his ideal to fit who she really is.

The soldier becomes a companion to Abdullah in the quest, acting as his sidekick. However, he is not just there to support Abdullah—he has own motivations. His character retains an air of mystery, as he remains nameless and his real identity is only revealed at the end. He is brave but also sneaky and has his own code of honor: He takes on those who try to rob him, and he helps Abdullah but also manipulates him. His journey mirrors Abdullah’s: He too wants to choose his fate, but he must learn from experience. He is eventually revealed to be Prince Justin and ends the novel married to Princess Beatrice.

Midnight the cat is another companion to Abdullah on his quest, and her identity is obscured at first: She is really Sophie, the protagonist of Howl’s Moving Castle, the first book in the trilogy (See: Background). Like the soldier, she has her own motivations. Her main aim is to protect her kitten or baby, but she also wants to return to her human form and find Howl. She has a strong personality and is capable of standing up for herself in either form: She becomes a huge panther to assert herself as a cat, and speaks frankly and forcefully as a human. She uses her magic powers and determination to advance her aims and also to help Abdullah and the princesses.

Whippersnapper is Sophie’s baby, called Morgan as a human. He is a flat character who motivates Sophie to follow the soldier with Abdullah and who offers a comedic comment on the theme of choosing one’s fate. He is grumpy when he is turned into a human, as he misses the freedom of movement he had as a kitten.

Hasruel is the primary antagonist. He is an enormous djinn, creating the classic obstacle of stacking the odds against the protagonist as he is so much more powerful. Although he is working for his weaker and more evil brother, he actually learns he enjoys causing mischief, so he has to seek a new path at the end. He is revealed to be the driving force behind all the adventures: He pointedly brings Abdullah’s daydreams to life, mocking his escapism and forcing him to take real action.

The genie in the bottle is a companion on Abdullah’s quest, whose powers both help him and hinder him. He turns out to be Howl, Sophie’s love interest in Howl’s Moving Castle and now her husband. Through him, Wynne Jones re-examines the trope of the magical object that aids the protagonist. In many fictional versions of genies, they have their own will, but the reveal that this genie is actually a familiar character in the trilogy takes this a step further, fully imbuing this familiar figure with personhood. This confronts the story of keeping a spirit trapped to do a human’s bidding.

Howl is grumpy about being trapped, so he twists the rules to assert own will, teaching Abdullah that he is not just a tool. He is used to getting his own way as he is so powerful, but he sees the figure of Dalzel as a warning not to let this power make him too selfish. He is presented as easily frightened but ultimately brave: He is scared of heights but faces up to Hasruel.

The carpet plays a similar role to that of the genie: It is apparently a magical object supporting Abdullah on his quest, but it is actually revealed to be a familiar character from Howl’s Moving Castle, Calcifer. The carpet is also not just a tool, but a being in its own right, with its own desires and personality. As the carpet, Calcifer appreciates when Abdullah speaks to him respectfully and politely. Like Howl, he gets scared but shows bravery, taking Abdullah and Sophie up to the castle and past the angels despite his fear. He has powerful magic, but this cannot compete with the djinn.

Jamal is the only real friend of Abdullah’s from the beginning, and he is from his homeland. As neighbors, they support each other at the market, and each risks his own safety offering to help the other, showing that they are loyal and considerate. 

Jamal’s down-to-earth nature is comically juxtaposed against the heightened and fantastical events. When other characters want to marry a princess as their reward, Jamal just wants a good job as a cook if he helps save the princesses from the djinn. His dog is also a source of comedy: It is loyal to Abdullah and Jamal but aggressive to anyone it distrusts, and it insists on licking Abdullah’s face despite smelling of squid, in thanks for Abdullah sharing his food. Jamal and his dog save the day twice as a direct consequence of Abdullah’s consideration of them, showing that kindness pays off. They both get their happy ending as Jamal becomes a royal cook.

Dalzel is the secondary antagonist. Although he is weaker than Hasruel and only appears in the denouement scene, it is revealed that he is actually behind everything, as he has been coercing his more powerful brother. He is presented as childish and self-centered, like a toddler who does not understand that other people also have agency: He throws a tantrum and says he should be entitled to get married, but doesn’t’ recognize that the women he wants to marry should get a say too. However, Wynne Jones engineers an unambiguously happy ending by ensuring that even he gets his wish, as it just so happens that the two nieces are eager to marry him.

The 30 princesses are all kidnapped by Hasruel to marry Dalzel. Wynne Jones offers a humorous take on the archetype of the damsel in distress, as instead of one, there are 30. Instead of waiting passively for rescue, they all stand up to the djinns and are instrumental in their own escape, with individuals like Beatrice and even the four-year-old Valeria playing an active role.

These characters only appear briefly but are important in the plot development. They create a bridge between Castle in the Air and Howl’s Moving Castle: When Abdullah meets them, these two worlds are tied together. Their magical skill and their status in Ingary are vital for the climactic transition of Chapter 16. Sophie’s identity is revealed because Lettie is her sister, Valeria is kidnapped, and the soldier absconds with Morgan and the genie, leaving Sophie and Abdullah to finally make their way to the castle.

These characters are presented as flat characters who are archetypal villains. They are vicious, self-interested outlaws. However, they are actually Hasruel and his angels deliberately manifesting Abdullah’s daydreams, with Wynne Jones poking fun at the stereotypical two-dimensional archetype. Their fate ties into Wynne Jones’s fairytale world in which no one really suffers—even the two bandits that get hanged are actually angels, happy to return to their immortal forms.

The Sultan is a secondary villain who threatens Abdullah in the first part of book, but cannot compete with the larger forces at play. He is a powerful and rich ruler, who doesn’t believe women are entitled to freedom. He seeks to use Flower-in-the-Night for his own political aims, in contrast to Abdullah, who believes she should have her own say and sees that she is naturally suited to leadership.