Introduction
Meg Wightman
English 220
Virginia Zimmerman
May 7, 2013
Uncovering Christianity in The Chronicles of Narnia
Many people who have heard of C. S. Lewis are familiar with his strong Christian beliefs that strongly influenced his literary career, but one of his largest audiences, children who read The Chronicles of Narnia, may not be aware of the Christian themes that are present in this Christian allegory. When Lewis began to pen the first book in the series, The Lion. The Witch and the Wardrobe, he did not intend for it to become an allegory, however as he describes, “Aslan (the Christ like figure in the series) came bounding into it”, and then the series became the Christian tale that we know it to be today (Brazier, 2007). The storyline in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe closely relates to the resurrection story in the Bible, as it depicts a story of deception, forgiveness, sacrifice, and rebirth. While Lewis may not have originally intended to create a Christian-centered story, elements of Christianity stemming from his strong beliefs, personal experiences, and vast knowledge influence the entirety of the series that brought him fame.
One aspect of the Christian tradition that is not often considered when studying the allegorical nature of The Chronicles of Narnia is the Seven Sacraments. In his article “Rites of Passage: The Chronicles of Narnia and the Seven Sacraments”, Jim Pietrusz looks at the Seven Sacraments in terms of their function as rite of passage in the Christian faith, and relates these to themes present throughout the series (2005). Pietrusz describes that through the progression of Edmund’s character in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Lewis is alluding to the sacrament of Penance, “the recognition that an individual has transgressed the way of growth and seeks to return” (2005). While initially the idea of the Seven Sacraments emended into the text may seem far-fetched, however upon a closer reading, it appears that Pietrusz’s argument is quite credible, supporting the idea that these works are more influenced by Christianity than Lewis may have purposefully intended. As Lewis is an apologetic, it makes sense that in his first work he may draw on the personal experience of seeking forgiveness, and put these experiences in the character of Edmund who is transformed throughout the course of the text.
When Edmund first enters the story, he is described as an immature child, quick to snigger at the professor’s strange appearance and often bad-tempered (Lewis, 4). This immediately sets Edmund apart from his other siblings, Peter and Susan who appear to be mature, even-tempered leaders, and Lucy who seems to be an innocent, however also immature, child. Later, when Lucy returns from the wardrobe and the other siblings do not yet know it exists, Edmund immediately states that she is “batty” in a rather sarcastic manner, while the older siblings respond to her in a more gentle, however still doubtful manner (Lewis, 24). Within the brief characterization of the siblings that takes place in the beginning of the text, Lewis clearly separates Edmund from the rest of the siblings making him unlikeable.
As Edmund encounters Narnia for the first time, he falls prey to the temptation of the White Witch, or Queen of Narnia, as he comes to know her. In this part of the text, Lewis seems to draw on elements from the fall of Adam and Eve in the Old Testament, where Eve is temped by a serpent and eats the forbidden fruit, therefore falling into sin. When Edmund encounters the Witch, he clearly recognizes that she is not the nicest creature, as he “does not like the arrangement” of joining the witch in her sledge (Lewis, 35). Despite his knowledge that the situation is negative, Edmund allows himself to be tempted by the Witch’s false kindness, which follows her initial negative greeting. Edmund then consumes the Turkish Delight, which Lewis describes as being enchanted in an addictive way, and with this action, he has consumed the “forbidden fruit” (38). After this action, Edmund commits his largest transgression of all, promising to betray his siblings and bring them to the Witch. In this section of text, Lewis clearly marks Edmund as a character that has committed an offense that will need to be forgiven in order to resolve the conflict in the plot.
When Edmund next encounters the White Witch, he begins to recognize his transgressions, something that Pietrusz credits to the sacrament of penance (2007). After Edmund returns to Narnia with all of his siblings, he is still heavily under the influence of the Turkish Delight and is unable to believe that the witch is evil, something that his siblings were quick to accept, and he quickly slips away to find her and seek more of the addictive delicacy. As Edmund travels with the witch to find his siblings, Lewis describes Edmund’s epiphany of his wrongdoings: “Oh how miserable he (Edmund) was…All the things he had said to make himself believe that she (the Witch) was good and kind and that her side was really the right side sounded silly to him now. He would have given anything to meet the others at this moment!” (114). At this moment, it is clear that Edmund is sorry for what he has done and wishes he is able to rectify his actions. As Edmund has begun to recognize his offenses, it becomes clear that he has begun the process of seeking penance, and as Pietrusz describes this shows that he is now beginning to mature.
When Edmund’s siblings next encounter him, he has been saved from the White Witch, and is in the process of discussing his transgressions with Aslan. In terms of the Sacrament of Penance, Aslan is very important, as he is the Christ-like figure in Lewis’s series, and the sacrament involves seeking forgiveness from God, as well as earthly repentance for one’s actions. With the creation of Aslan, the lion, as the Christ figure, Lewis truly makes the theme of penance possible, because Aslan is both a strong and powerful character to be feared, yet also a gentle and loving creature with the power to forgive. Aslan is clearly gentle and friendly, as Lewis depicts in the scene where Susan and Lucy “climb onto his warm golden back” and experience the “most wonderful thing that happened to them in Narnia”, riding on the back of a lion (164). Lions are often associated with being threatening to humans, so allowing two young girls to ride on his back clearly marks Aslan as gentle and safe. On the other hand, we see Aslan’s terrible power as he defeats the White Witch: “With a roar that shook all Narnia…the great beast (Aslan) flung himself upon the White Witch…her face lifted toward him for one second with an expression of terror and amazement” (Lewis, 177). Since it is obvious that Aslan is both powerful and gentle, it is evident that he has the ability to both command repentance and to lovingly forgive.
Aslan forgives Edmund’s transgressions in a moment in the text that Lewis makes very powerful and memorable by telling of the event through a third person omniscient point of view, and not that of Edmund. Lewis writes: “They [the siblings] saw Aslan and Edmund walking together…apart from the rest of the court. There is no need to tell you (and no one ever heard) what Aslan was saying, but it was a conversation which Edmund never forgot.” (139). Lewis informs the reader of the nature of this conversation, when Aslan says, “Here is your brother, and there is no need to talk to him about what is past.” followed by Edmund’s personal apology to his siblings (139). By making the conversation so meaningful, yet secret, Lewis conveys the importance of the bond created between Edmund and Aslan, rooted in Edmund’s ability to repent and Aslan’s ability to forgive. The secretive nature of the conversation also implies the secretive nature of the Catholic sacrament of penance, in which the priest acts as a confident for the person seeking forgiveness and does not share the information expressed during the sacrament with anyone else.
Although at this point in the text Edmund has repented and Aslan has forgiven him, both characters perform selfless acts that further the repentance and forgiveness that had been expressed previously. After the Witch comes to Aslan’s camp and demands “You know that every traitor (implying Edmund) belongs to me as my lawful prey and that for every treachery I have a right to kill…his blood is my property” Aslan makes an arrangement to trade his life for Edmund’s (Lewis, 142). When describing Aslan’s sacrifice as an act that represents God’s love for humanity Brazier writes: “As Lewis asserted, it is not necessarily only those who know him (in the manner of cognitive knowledge) who can be saved by him.” (2007). By saving Edmund’s life, Aslan creates an opportunity for the Witch to be eliminated in a just way, therefore saving all of Narnia. Through this action, he also expresses love for Edmund, showing that he wholly forgives Edmund for his transgressions.
Later, during the battle, Edmund also performs a selfless act that places his life in great danger while sparing the life of countless others. As described by Peter, “It (winning the battle) was all Edmund’s doing…Nothing would stop him…he fought his way (to the Witch) and when he reached her he had the sense to bring his sword smashing down on her wand” (Lewis, 178). Here Lewis demonstrates that Edmund has indeed repented for his actions. While previously he was driven entirely by selfishness, here he clearly possesses a love for those around him that allows him to risk his life to save theirs. By crediting this selfless act to Edmund, Lewis places him into a new position in the narrative that is quite different from the unlikeable role he played from the start of the text.
As described by Pietrusz, the use of the sacraments in The Chronicles of Narnia is to serve as a rite of passage for the characters that lead to growing up. Through Edmund’s journey in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, it is evident that he has completed the process that Pietrusz has credited to the sacrament of penance, “returning to the way of growth after a transgression”, and he has certainly matured through this process (2005). After the battle Lucy describes Edmund as “looking better than she had seen him look for ages. He had become his real old self again and could look you in the face” (180). Lucy’s description proves that Edmund has returned to “the way of growth”. Later, as a King of Narnia, Edmund is described as “graver and quieter than Peter, and great in council and judgment…called King Edmund the Just” (Lewis, 184). With this title, it is clear that Edmund has truly matured from experiencing the sacrament of penance.
Although Lewis may not have intentionally alluded to the seven sacraments in The Chronicles of Narnia, Edmund’s journey in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe clearly shows that because of Lewis’s great faith, religion is present in his allegory in more than just the references to events in the Bible. As Lewis’s faith stemmed from an advanced study of mythology and literature it is no surprise that when creating a mythological series for children, his beliefs influenced this work (Bosky, 2002). Even though the large majority of readers of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe may not notice the rich symbolism, its overall message of the power of repentance and forgiveness is sure to leave a lasting impression.
Works Cited
Bosky, Bernadette Lynn. "C(live) S(taples) Lewis." British Fantasy and Science-Fiction Writers, 1918-1960. Ed. Darren Harris-Fain. Detroit: Gale Group, 2002.
Dictionary of Literary Biography Vol. 255. Literature Resource Center. Web. 1 May 2013.
Brazier, P H. "C. S. Lewis & Christological Prefigurement." The Heythrop Journal. 48.5 (2007): 742-775. Print.
Lewis, C S. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. New York: Scholastic, 1995. Print.
Pietrusz, Jim. "Rites of Passage: The Chronicles of Narnia and the Seven Sacraments." Mythlore 14.4 (Summer 1988): 61-63. Rpt. inChildren's Literature Review.
Ed. Tom Burns. Vol. 109. Detroit: Gale, 2005. Literature Resource Center. Web. 3 May 2013.
English 220
Virginia Zimmerman
May 7, 2013
Uncovering Christianity in The Chronicles of Narnia
Many people who have heard of C. S. Lewis are familiar with his strong Christian beliefs that strongly influenced his literary career, but one of his largest audiences, children who read The Chronicles of Narnia, may not be aware of the Christian themes that are present in this Christian allegory. When Lewis began to pen the first book in the series, The Lion. The Witch and the Wardrobe, he did not intend for it to become an allegory, however as he describes, “Aslan (the Christ like figure in the series) came bounding into it”, and then the series became the Christian tale that we know it to be today (Brazier, 2007). The storyline in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe closely relates to the resurrection story in the Bible, as it depicts a story of deception, forgiveness, sacrifice, and rebirth. While Lewis may not have originally intended to create a Christian-centered story, elements of Christianity stemming from his strong beliefs, personal experiences, and vast knowledge influence the entirety of the series that brought him fame.
One aspect of the Christian tradition that is not often considered when studying the allegorical nature of The Chronicles of Narnia is the Seven Sacraments. In his article “Rites of Passage: The Chronicles of Narnia and the Seven Sacraments”, Jim Pietrusz looks at the Seven Sacraments in terms of their function as rite of passage in the Christian faith, and relates these to themes present throughout the series (2005). Pietrusz describes that through the progression of Edmund’s character in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Lewis is alluding to the sacrament of Penance, “the recognition that an individual has transgressed the way of growth and seeks to return” (2005). While initially the idea of the Seven Sacraments emended into the text may seem far-fetched, however upon a closer reading, it appears that Pietrusz’s argument is quite credible, supporting the idea that these works are more influenced by Christianity than Lewis may have purposefully intended. As Lewis is an apologetic, it makes sense that in his first work he may draw on the personal experience of seeking forgiveness, and put these experiences in the character of Edmund who is transformed throughout the course of the text.
When Edmund first enters the story, he is described as an immature child, quick to snigger at the professor’s strange appearance and often bad-tempered (Lewis, 4). This immediately sets Edmund apart from his other siblings, Peter and Susan who appear to be mature, even-tempered leaders, and Lucy who seems to be an innocent, however also immature, child. Later, when Lucy returns from the wardrobe and the other siblings do not yet know it exists, Edmund immediately states that she is “batty” in a rather sarcastic manner, while the older siblings respond to her in a more gentle, however still doubtful manner (Lewis, 24). Within the brief characterization of the siblings that takes place in the beginning of the text, Lewis clearly separates Edmund from the rest of the siblings making him unlikeable.
As Edmund encounters Narnia for the first time, he falls prey to the temptation of the White Witch, or Queen of Narnia, as he comes to know her. In this part of the text, Lewis seems to draw on elements from the fall of Adam and Eve in the Old Testament, where Eve is temped by a serpent and eats the forbidden fruit, therefore falling into sin. When Edmund encounters the Witch, he clearly recognizes that she is not the nicest creature, as he “does not like the arrangement” of joining the witch in her sledge (Lewis, 35). Despite his knowledge that the situation is negative, Edmund allows himself to be tempted by the Witch’s false kindness, which follows her initial negative greeting. Edmund then consumes the Turkish Delight, which Lewis describes as being enchanted in an addictive way, and with this action, he has consumed the “forbidden fruit” (38). After this action, Edmund commits his largest transgression of all, promising to betray his siblings and bring them to the Witch. In this section of text, Lewis clearly marks Edmund as a character that has committed an offense that will need to be forgiven in order to resolve the conflict in the plot.
When Edmund next encounters the White Witch, he begins to recognize his transgressions, something that Pietrusz credits to the sacrament of penance (2007). After Edmund returns to Narnia with all of his siblings, he is still heavily under the influence of the Turkish Delight and is unable to believe that the witch is evil, something that his siblings were quick to accept, and he quickly slips away to find her and seek more of the addictive delicacy. As Edmund travels with the witch to find his siblings, Lewis describes Edmund’s epiphany of his wrongdoings: “Oh how miserable he (Edmund) was…All the things he had said to make himself believe that she (the Witch) was good and kind and that her side was really the right side sounded silly to him now. He would have given anything to meet the others at this moment!” (114). At this moment, it is clear that Edmund is sorry for what he has done and wishes he is able to rectify his actions. As Edmund has begun to recognize his offenses, it becomes clear that he has begun the process of seeking penance, and as Pietrusz describes this shows that he is now beginning to mature.
When Edmund’s siblings next encounter him, he has been saved from the White Witch, and is in the process of discussing his transgressions with Aslan. In terms of the Sacrament of Penance, Aslan is very important, as he is the Christ-like figure in Lewis’s series, and the sacrament involves seeking forgiveness from God, as well as earthly repentance for one’s actions. With the creation of Aslan, the lion, as the Christ figure, Lewis truly makes the theme of penance possible, because Aslan is both a strong and powerful character to be feared, yet also a gentle and loving creature with the power to forgive. Aslan is clearly gentle and friendly, as Lewis depicts in the scene where Susan and Lucy “climb onto his warm golden back” and experience the “most wonderful thing that happened to them in Narnia”, riding on the back of a lion (164). Lions are often associated with being threatening to humans, so allowing two young girls to ride on his back clearly marks Aslan as gentle and safe. On the other hand, we see Aslan’s terrible power as he defeats the White Witch: “With a roar that shook all Narnia…the great beast (Aslan) flung himself upon the White Witch…her face lifted toward him for one second with an expression of terror and amazement” (Lewis, 177). Since it is obvious that Aslan is both powerful and gentle, it is evident that he has the ability to both command repentance and to lovingly forgive.
Aslan forgives Edmund’s transgressions in a moment in the text that Lewis makes very powerful and memorable by telling of the event through a third person omniscient point of view, and not that of Edmund. Lewis writes: “They [the siblings] saw Aslan and Edmund walking together…apart from the rest of the court. There is no need to tell you (and no one ever heard) what Aslan was saying, but it was a conversation which Edmund never forgot.” (139). Lewis informs the reader of the nature of this conversation, when Aslan says, “Here is your brother, and there is no need to talk to him about what is past.” followed by Edmund’s personal apology to his siblings (139). By making the conversation so meaningful, yet secret, Lewis conveys the importance of the bond created between Edmund and Aslan, rooted in Edmund’s ability to repent and Aslan’s ability to forgive. The secretive nature of the conversation also implies the secretive nature of the Catholic sacrament of penance, in which the priest acts as a confident for the person seeking forgiveness and does not share the information expressed during the sacrament with anyone else.
Although at this point in the text Edmund has repented and Aslan has forgiven him, both characters perform selfless acts that further the repentance and forgiveness that had been expressed previously. After the Witch comes to Aslan’s camp and demands “You know that every traitor (implying Edmund) belongs to me as my lawful prey and that for every treachery I have a right to kill…his blood is my property” Aslan makes an arrangement to trade his life for Edmund’s (Lewis, 142). When describing Aslan’s sacrifice as an act that represents God’s love for humanity Brazier writes: “As Lewis asserted, it is not necessarily only those who know him (in the manner of cognitive knowledge) who can be saved by him.” (2007). By saving Edmund’s life, Aslan creates an opportunity for the Witch to be eliminated in a just way, therefore saving all of Narnia. Through this action, he also expresses love for Edmund, showing that he wholly forgives Edmund for his transgressions.
Later, during the battle, Edmund also performs a selfless act that places his life in great danger while sparing the life of countless others. As described by Peter, “It (winning the battle) was all Edmund’s doing…Nothing would stop him…he fought his way (to the Witch) and when he reached her he had the sense to bring his sword smashing down on her wand” (Lewis, 178). Here Lewis demonstrates that Edmund has indeed repented for his actions. While previously he was driven entirely by selfishness, here he clearly possesses a love for those around him that allows him to risk his life to save theirs. By crediting this selfless act to Edmund, Lewis places him into a new position in the narrative that is quite different from the unlikeable role he played from the start of the text.
As described by Pietrusz, the use of the sacraments in The Chronicles of Narnia is to serve as a rite of passage for the characters that lead to growing up. Through Edmund’s journey in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, it is evident that he has completed the process that Pietrusz has credited to the sacrament of penance, “returning to the way of growth after a transgression”, and he has certainly matured through this process (2005). After the battle Lucy describes Edmund as “looking better than she had seen him look for ages. He had become his real old self again and could look you in the face” (180). Lucy’s description proves that Edmund has returned to “the way of growth”. Later, as a King of Narnia, Edmund is described as “graver and quieter than Peter, and great in council and judgment…called King Edmund the Just” (Lewis, 184). With this title, it is clear that Edmund has truly matured from experiencing the sacrament of penance.
Although Lewis may not have intentionally alluded to the seven sacraments in The Chronicles of Narnia, Edmund’s journey in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe clearly shows that because of Lewis’s great faith, religion is present in his allegory in more than just the references to events in the Bible. As Lewis’s faith stemmed from an advanced study of mythology and literature it is no surprise that when creating a mythological series for children, his beliefs influenced this work (Bosky, 2002). Even though the large majority of readers of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe may not notice the rich symbolism, its overall message of the power of repentance and forgiveness is sure to leave a lasting impression.
Works Cited
Bosky, Bernadette Lynn. "C(live) S(taples) Lewis." British Fantasy and Science-Fiction Writers, 1918-1960. Ed. Darren Harris-Fain. Detroit: Gale Group, 2002.
Dictionary of Literary Biography Vol. 255. Literature Resource Center. Web. 1 May 2013.
Brazier, P H. "C. S. Lewis & Christological Prefigurement." The Heythrop Journal. 48.5 (2007): 742-775. Print.
Lewis, C S. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. New York: Scholastic, 1995. Print.
Pietrusz, Jim. "Rites of Passage: The Chronicles of Narnia and the Seven Sacraments." Mythlore 14.4 (Summer 1988): 61-63. Rpt. inChildren's Literature Review.
Ed. Tom Burns. Vol. 109. Detroit: Gale, 2005. Literature Resource Center. Web. 3 May 2013.