White Witch
|
|
- This article is about Jadis, the White Witch. For other uses of the term, see White witch.
The White Witch is the chief villain of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the first published book in the Chronicles of Narnia. (The sixth published book was a prequel and is often called the "first" book of the series in modern editions.) The White Witch, whose real name is Jadis, is the tyrant who has usurped power over the land of Narnia. She magically forced Narnia into a never-ending winter during her reign, which at the beginning of the book had lasted for 100 years (indeed, an alternate title for the book was The Hundred Year Winter). Even though it had been winter for 100 years, there had never been a Christmas in those 100 years. A common lament of the Narnians in that time was that it was "Always winter, but never Christmas!".
| Contents |
Characteristics
The White Witch was very magically powerful in her own world, but found her magic largely useless in other worlds. In Narnia she got her magic power mostly from a wand. With her wand, she could turn anyone to stone. Her Castle, the seat of her rule over Narnia, was littered throughout with stone statues frozen in horrified poses, which on closer inspection were people and animals that she had turned to stone.
The White Witch's minions were composed of a large variety of evil magic creatures, but predominant among them were the wolves (which, like many animals in Narnia, can talk) and the black-bearded dwarves.
Physically, the White Witch's most striking feature is her white skin, from which her name was derived. It is not merely very pale, but actually white; as white as chalk, or paper, or snow. In the book The Magician's Nephew it is explained that her skin was made that way by partaking of an apple from the Emperor's Garden in the Land of Narnia at the beginning of that world. The apple was forbidden to all those except those who were explicitly instructed to fetch it, and even then those people had to bear it for others, and not partake of it themselves. The fruit gave her immortality and made her skin white. She is also exceedingly tall, which was a natural feature of her race.
Right to rule
The White Witch made two false claims which, if true, would have given her authority to rule over Narnia. The first was that she is a human. At the beginning of Narnia Aslan gave "sons of Adam and daughters of Eve" dominion over all the beasts (dumb or talking) and magical creatures of Narnia. No human had been in Narnia for centuries at the beginning of the book. (Narnian dwarves aren't considered human, but are referred to as "sons of earth".) Although the White Witch looks human (despite her unnatural skin color and above average height), she is not a human as defined by Aslan but is actually half-Jinn, and half-giantess (resulting in her above average stature). The Jinn, or descendants of Lillith, inhabited Charn, another world in Lewis's fictional universe.
Her second claim was that she was a servant of the Emperor-Over-Sea and ruled by his and Aslan's blessing. Because she was the first to rebel in Narnia, by the workings of the Deep Magic, she was given ownership and the right to kill all traitors and all those who willingly would follow her. She was in essence the Emperor's hangman and carried out her executions on the stone table. In this way she could represent Lucifer, or Satan.
Plot
At the beginning of the book, it was explained to the Pevensies that an ancient prophecy had been made concerning the overthrow of the White Witch, stating that when two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve filled the four thrones at Cair Paravel as Kings and Queens of Narnia, the reign of the White Witch and the endless winter she caused would end. The White Witch was aware of the prophecy, and employed spies to tell her of any human that came to Narnia.
Origin
In The Magician's Nephew, a prequel to The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe, it is explained that the White Witch's real name is Jadis. She was the Empress and last inhabitant of an another world, known as Charn, which contained a great and ancient city inhabited by the Jinn. Jadis spoke "the Deplorable Word", which, when spoken properly, destroys every living thing (people, animals, plants etc.), to defeat her sister in her desire to rule Charn. Jadis came to Narnia via the Wood between Worlds, which is an endless forest filled with pools of water that are portals to other worlds, Earth's and Narnia's worlds included. Charn was destroyed after Jadis left.
Fate
The White Witch's worst deed was when she killed Aslan on the stone table, instead of Edmund. However, just before she killed Aslan, the Witch revealed that she would go back on her deal with Aslan and kill Edmund too, leaving the path free for her to rule Narnia forever. Aslan came back to life due to deep magic, and while the Witch was fighting in battle, Aslan jumped on her, killing her instantly and ending her days of terror on Narnia.
| The Chronicles of Narnia C. S. Lewis | ||
| Peter | Susan | Edmund | Lucy | Eustace | Jill | Digory Kirke | Caspian Aslan | Reepicheep | Tash | Tisroc | Mr. Tumnus | White Witch | Puddleglum | ||
| Books | Characters | Places |