The Lion, the Witch, and the wardrobe is a beloved novel in the Chronicles of Narnia series by British author, C.S. Lewis. It was the first novel of the series to be published eventhough chronologically,it is the second book in the series. When the novel was originally published in 1950, Lewis did not intend to write a series of Narnia books. However, when he wrote Prince Caspian as a sequel to The Lion, the Witch and the wardrobe the Narnia series had begun. Following Prince Caspian, Lewis wrote "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader", "The Silver Chair", "The Horse and his Boy", "The Magicians Nephew", and "The Last Battle". In chronological order "The Magicians Nephew" would be first since it is the prequel to "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe". The Narnia books have been highly successful best sellers from the time the first book was published in 1950 onward. The release of the successful Disney film "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" has created a renewed interest in the series, particularly among young readers who may feel that they can relate to the children in the story. For those who are unfamiliar with the story, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe follows the story of four children who are sent away from their home due to the air raids in London during the second world war. They are sent to the house of an elderly professor who lives in the country in a large, mysterious house. While exploring the old house one day, the youngest of the children, Lucy, discovers a mysterious wardrobe in an empty room. When she climbs inside the wardrobe she discovers that the wardrobe leads to a hidden snow-covered country called Narnia. The first creature she meets in Narnia is a faun named Tumnus who tells her about the country and convinces her to stay for tea. After returning to the professor's house Lucy discovers that although she has been gone for hours hardly any time has past. Lucy is excited to tell her brothers and sister about the land she discovered. However, they don't believe her. They even look into the wardrobe but they discover that there is nothing there. Several days later, while playing a game of hide and seek, Lucy's brother, Edmund enters the wardrobe and discovers that the land of Narnia is real.The first person Edmund meets in the Land of Narnia is the evil White Witch, who has cast a spell on Narnia so that it is "always winter and never Christmas."After eating a box of enchanted Turkish Delight the Witch gave him, Edmund agrees to bring his brother and sister to the Witch when he returns to Narnia, since the Witch tells him that she will make him a Prince of Narnia if he does this. When Edmund returns to the professor's house he denies the existence of Narnia, eventhough Lucy met him there on her way back from the faun's house.
Eventually all the children end up in Narnia together one day, while hiding in the wardrobe from a party of sightseers who visit the professor's house. While in Narnia, the children learn about the evil White Witch who has taken control of Narnia. Two friendly beavers tell the children about a prophecy that tells of four thrones in the castle, Cair Paravel. When "two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve sit in those thrones, it will be the end of the White Witch's reign and her life. They also tell the children of Aslan, the rightful king of Narnia, who hasn't been seen in Narnia for a very long time but will return very soon. However, Edmund still refuses to believe the Witch is evil, being under the spell of the enchanted Turkish Delight and eventually betrays his siblings by informing the White Witch of their wheareabouts. After Edmund's betrayal, The other children search for Aslan since the beavers tell them that only Aslan can help them. Aslan helps the children rescue Edmund, who has been taken prisoner by the Witch, and even sacrifices his own life to save Edmund from being killed by the Witch as a traitor. Soon after his death, Aslan is resurrected from the dead due to the ancient Deep Magic that the Witch did not know about. Aslan and the children later take part in a battle against the Witch and her minions in which they emerge victorious. Edmund in particular plays a crucial role in defeating the Witch as he is the one who destroys her wand, thus taking her power away and leaving her vulnerable. After the battle Aslan crowns the siblings as Kings and Queens of Narnia and they stay there for many years until one day they follow a White Stag into the forest where they discover the wardrobe and once again return to their own world in the professor's house.
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*Website created for Religious Studies 2812, Memorial University of Newfoundland. © 2006 Sandra Hoskins.