White Witch
Encyclopedia
Jadis is the main antagonist of The Magician's Nephew
and of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
in C.S. Lewis' series, The Chronicles of Narnia
. She is commonly referred to as the White Witch in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the first book in the series, as she is the Witch who froze Narnia in the Hundred Years Winter.
Some recent editions of the books include brief notes, added by later editors, that describe the cast of characters. As Lewis scholar Peter Schakel points out, the description there of Jadis and the Queen of Underland (the main antagonist of The Silver Chair
) "states incorrectly that the Queen of Underland is an embodiment of Jadis". Beyond characterising the two as "Northern Witches", Lewis's text does not connect them. (See Lady of the Green Kirtle
for further discussion.)
, Jadis is revealed to be a native of Charn
, a different world entirely from Narnia. She is descended from a long line of king
s and queen
s. This line began well, with honorable, decent-hearted people, but grew evil and malevolent over many generations. Charn's final queen, Jadis, a powerful sorceress, fought against her sister in a bloody war which almost ended in her own defeat. Rather than submit to her sister, Jadis spoke the Deplorable Word
and left Charn devoid of life. She placed herself in an enchanted sleep, to be awakened when a bell was rung in the same chamber. She passes through the Wood between the Worlds
, an endless forest filled with pools of water that act as portals to other worlds, including the worlds of Earth
and Narnia. Charn is destroyed so utterly that when Jadis leaves its pool in the Wood, the pool dries to nothing. While in the Wood, she appears to lose health, strength and magical ability. Through the reckless actions of Digory Kirke
, and after briefly visiting Earth, Jadis is transported to the world of Narnia at its creation, and she immediately starts scheming to become its mistress. She eats the Fruit of Everlasting Life, acquiring immortality and her white-colored skin; she then travels to the North to develop her magic anew, becoming the first of the "Northern Witches".
, set 1,000 Narnian years after the events of The Magician's Nephew, Jadis has usurped power over Narnia
, having magically forced the land into an "endless winter
" during her reign, which as the book opens had lasted for 100 years. Though it is always winter, she prevents Christmas
from ever coming. The White Witch's Narnian minions include wolves
, black dwarves, giants
, werewolves
, evil Tree Spirits, ghoul
s, boggles
, ogre
s, minotaur
s, cruels, hag
s, spectres, People of the Toadstools, incubi
, wraiths, horrors, efreets
, orknies, sprites
, wooses, ettins, poisonous plant spirits, evil ape
s, giant bat
s, vulture
s, and creatures that according to C.S. Lewis are 'so horrible that if I told you, your parents probably wouldn't let you read this book.'
During her reign, the White Witch is styled "Her Imperial Majesty Jadis, Queen of Narnia, Chatelaine
of Cair Paravel
, Empress of the Lone Islands". She claims that she is a human from Earth (a "daughter of Eve"), for Aslan had given "sons of Adam
and daughters of Eve
" dominion over all the beasts and magical creatures of Narnia. (Narnian dwarfs are not considered to be human, even though they can and do reproduce with humans; they are called "Sons of Earth".)
Although the White Witch appears human (despite her irregular skin color and abnormal height), Narnian rumor holds that she descends from Adam's first wife, Lilith
, and was half-Jinn
and half-giantess
, and thus not even partially human. The Magician's Nephew, by contrast with this slander, recounts her origin on Charn; but whether the people of Charn are human is never addressed.
She is first mentioned in the story by Mr Tumnus
the faun
, who befriends Lucy Pevensie
and admits that he is in the pay of the witch, who has ordered him and indeed all other Narnians that if they ever see a human
in Narnia they must hand it over to her. Mr. Tumnus, who had never met a human before and hadn't known what they were like, soon realised that he couldn't find it in himself to hand Lucy over to the witch, and guided her back to the Lamp Post at Lantern Waste
as she returned to her own world through the wardrobe.
Mr. Tumnus had told Lucy that the White Witch could turn people to stone, fearing that she would do the same to him if she found out he had met a human and not handed them over to her.
Shortly afterwards, Edmund goes into the wardrobe (following Lucy during a game of hide and seek) and encounters the Witch on her sleigh. She introduces herself as the Queen of Narnia and seduces him with a hot drink and Turkish Delight
as well as the promise that she will make him a Prince to become King of Narnia when she dies — if he brings his siblings to visit her. When Lucy finds Edmund and recounts her visit with Tumnus, Edmund realizes that the Queen and the Witch are one and the same, but for the chance of becoming King (and also for the promise of more Turkish Delight), he is still determined to bring his siblings to her regardless. He keeps his meeting with the Witch a secret.
When the four Pevensie children arrive in Narnia, they find that the Witch has had Tumnus arrested for high treason
—she had found out about him disobeying her orders. The Pevensie children are taken under protection of Mr. and Mrs Beaver
, who tell them more about the witch and how her reign is certain to be nearing its end now that Aslan is on the move. They also tell the children that the Witch's castle is full of statues of Narnians that she has turned into stone for betraying her, and that few Narnians taken in there have ever come out again.
Edmund creeps out of their house to go and see the witch, who is furious that he has come alone, and even angrier when he tells her that Aslan
is in Narnia. She sends Maugrim
the wolf, chief of her secret police, to catch the children and the beavers at their house, but when Maugrim and another wolf get there they have already left the house and started their journey to the Stone Table - Mr. Beaver had quickly established that Edmund had gone to the White Witch as he "had the look" of someone who had eaten her food and been told where she lives.
She makes Edmund come with her on their journey to the Stone Table
, but after many miles of travelling her sleigh eventually becomes immovable the following morning as the snow melts and it becomes apparent that Aslan has destroyed her magical winter.
After walking a long distance, they stop in a valley and the Witch decides to kill Edmund; but he is saved just in time by Aslan's creatures, who return him to his siblings at the Stone Table. Edmund is repentant and grateful, having come to regret joining the Witch's cause; by the time she had turned a group of animals into stone for telling her that Father Christmas
had come to Narnia, he had realised just how evil she was.
Since the White Witch was the first to rebel in Narnia, by the workings of the Deep Magic she is given ownership of all traitors and the right to kill them. The White Witch favors the Stone Table
for her executions, and had intended to execute Edmund there until Aslan's presence made it impossible.
When the Pevensie children arrive in Narnia via Digory's magical wardrobe, it is explained to them by Mr. Beaver that, according to an ancient prophecy
, when two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve fill the four thrones at Cair Paravel
as Kings and Queens of Narnia, the reign of the White Witch and the endless winter would end. Jadis is aware of the prophecy, and employs spies to tell her of any human that comes to Narnia. She has turned many Narnians to stone for failing to follow her orders. While there are other humans in the world of Narnia at the time of the first book — humans descended from the original King Frank
and Queen Helen populate Archenland
, Calormen
, and the island kingdoms — humans are completely unknown in occupied Narnia, to the extent that the Narnians think them mythological.
The White Witch's most notorious deed, aside from uttering the Deplorable Word that destroys Charn, is killing Aslan on the Stone Table (as a surrogate for Edmund
), her right by the Deep Magic. Aslan returns to life by Deeper Magic, which states that death will be reversed if a willing victim who has committed no sin is slain on the table. In the subsequent battle, Aslan kills the witch, ending her reign of terror.
, 1,300 years later, Nikabrik (a dwarf), a hag, and a wer-wolf (to use Lewis's spelling) plan to bring the Witch back using black sorcery in their bid to defeat King Miraz. Caspian X
and Trumpkin
protest against this, stating "Wasn't she a tyrant ten times worse than Miraz?" Their plan backfires and they are killed in a fight by Caspian and his allies.
's island by three of the Seven Great Lords of Narnia
. Disagreeing on what course to take, one of them takes up the knife to use against the other two, whereupon all three fall into an enchanted sleep. The knife may be intended as an analogy to the Spear of Destiny that was used to stab Jesus.
, 1,356 years after her death, Jadis is called one of the "Northern Witches", along with the Lady of the Green Kirtle
. Glimfeather the Owl speculates that the Green Lady may be "of the same crew" as the White Witch. This had led to speculation by some readers that Jadis and the Lady of the Green Kirtle may be the same person. Lewis's text does not support this (See Lady of the Green Kirtle
for further discussion).
, Jadis is formidable; but she finds her magic largely useless in other worlds. She eventually strengthens her powers and usurps the throne of Narnia, using her magic to cast the land into perpetual winter. Her most feared weapon is her wand, whose magic is capable of turning people into stone. The petrified remains of her enemies decorate the halls of her castle.
An extraordinarily beautiful, tall and imposing woman, Jadis enchants Digory Kirke
, Andrew Ketterley and Edmund Pevensie
on first encounters. She is also physically powerful and amazonian, capable of breaking iron with her bare hands and lifting human beings off their feet. She retains her superhuman strength in other worlds (except in the Wood between the Worlds
). She is seven feet tall, as were all members of the Royal Family of Charn, and once she has eaten the Fruit of Everlasting Life, her skin becomes as white as paper. A natural-born sorceress and a cunning strategist, Jadis is arrogant and cruel, considering herself above all rules and viewing others as tools to be used or obstacles to be demolished. Her callousness is most clearly demonstrated when she uses the Deplorable Word
in Charn to vanquish her sister, even though the Word would eradicate all life in that world but her own. She prefers to destroy that entire world than submit to her sister's authority, and shows afterward a remorseless pride in her actions. However, Jadis has shown loyalty (perhaps even love), when she states that she offered to spare her sister's life if she would end the war between them and yield Jadis the throne. Yet this may have been a simple ruse, given the ease Jadis felt when it came to eradicating all life in her world. Though her magic disappears when she leaves Charn, she manages to build it up again in Narnia's world, to become again a sorceress of formidable power.
: in a review of that novel Lewis simultaneously expresses his fascination with the story and his dislike of the character. Like Jadis, "She" is compellingly beautiful, is initiated in occult knowledge, seeks immortal life through unlawful means and claims absolute superiority to the demands of morality. Haggard's later book She and Allan
sometimes calls her "the white witch".
Another possible source is "The Snow Queen
", the malignant ruler of the frozen north in the fairy tale of Hans Christian Andersen
. The corruption of Edmund can be a parallel to Kay's perversion in that same tale. The first apparition of the two characters in which they seduce both the boys have a striking resemblance, both of them were traveling in a sledge in the snow and using fur coats.
For the name Jadis, Lewis may have taken the French
word jadis , which means "of old" or "once upon a time" — a customary opening in French fairy tales. The word would have been familiar to him, occurring in the title of Francois Villon's best known work "Ballade des Dames du Temps Jadis" - Lewis wrote a spoof of this poem entitled "Ballade of Dead Gentlemen".
It has also been suggested that the source may have been the Turkish
word cadı dʒaˈdɯ which means "witch". (Compare also Persian
جادو jâdu 'witchcraft', جادوگر jâdugar 'witch'.) Though not closely resembling "Jadis" in pronunciation, this word might be another of Lewis's Turkish imports, like aslan (lion) and tash (stone).
's radio drama versions of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
and The Magician's Nephew
(Later she made a cameo as a lamb in The Last Battle
).
In the BBC Radio productions of The Magician's Nephew
and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
, Jadis was played by Rosemary Martin.
In the 2005 Walt Disney Pictures
feature film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
, she was portrayed by British actress Tilda Swinton
. Swinton's performance won particular acclaim among fans and critics. BBC
film critic Stella Papamichael wrote:
Tilda Swinton was nominated for an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain for her performance as the White Witch in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, but lost to Hayden Christensen
for his performance as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader
in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
.
Swinton reprised her role as the White Witch in the 2008 Disney Movie sequel The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
. As in the novel, the hag, werewolf and dwarf plan to resurrect The White Witch; in the film they manage to conjure an apparition of her within a mystical wall of ice, although this never happened in the book. The White Witch says that she needs a drop of "Adam's blood" to live again. She tries to coax this first from Caspian and then from Peter, promising to lend her powers to their fight against King Miraz once she is made whole. However, Edmund shatters the ice before the Witch can obtain a drop of blood, and the apparition vanishes. In the book, the ritual is suggested, but never attempted.
Swinton also reprised her role in the 20th Century Fox film adaptation of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
, Tilda Swinton appears again as the White Witch. But this time, the "White Witch" is actually a manifestation of Dark Island preying on Edmund's insecurities, thus a mental test that Edmund manages to overcome as he manages to kill the Dark Island's sea serpent
manifestation of his fear.
It is yet unknown whether Swinton will return to play the character in a film adaptation
of The Magician's Nephew
, though she has expressed interest.
The Magician's Nephew
The Magician's Nephew is a fantasy novel for children written by C. S. Lewis. It was the sixth book published in his The Chronicles of Narnia series, but is the first in the chronology of the Narnia novels' fictional universe. Thus it is an early example of a prequel.The novel is initially set in...
and of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a fantasy novel for children by C. S. Lewis. Published in 1950 and set circa 1940, it is the first-published book of The Chronicles of Narnia and is the best known book of the series. Although it was written and published first, it is second in the series'...
in C.S. Lewis' series, The Chronicles of Narnia
The Chronicles of Narnia
The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of seven fantasy novels for children by C. S. Lewis. It is considered a classic of children's literature and is the author's best-known work, having sold over 100 million copies in 47 languages...
. She is commonly referred to as the White Witch in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the first book in the series, as she is the Witch who froze Narnia in the Hundred Years Winter.
Some recent editions of the books include brief notes, added by later editors, that describe the cast of characters. As Lewis scholar Peter Schakel points out, the description there of Jadis and the Queen of Underland (the main antagonist of The Silver Chair
The Silver Chair
The Silver Chair is part of The Chronicles of Narnia, a series of seven fantasy novels written by C. S. Lewis. It was the fourth book published and is the sixth book chronologically. It is the first book published in the series in which the Pevensie children do not appear. The main characters are...
) "states incorrectly that the Queen of Underland is an embodiment of Jadis". Beyond characterising the two as "Northern Witches", Lewis's text does not connect them. (See Lady of the Green Kirtle
Lady of the Green Kirtle
The Lady of the Green Kirtle, also called Queen of Underland and Queen of the Deep Realm, is the main villain in The Silver Chair by C. S. Lewis. She is sometimes called briefly the Green Lady , and she is known also as the Emerald Witch; neither name, however, appears in Lewis's text...
for further discussion.)
Character history
The White Witch was born before the creation of Narnia and died in battle in Narnian year 1000.The Magician's Nephew
In The Magician's NephewThe Magician's Nephew
The Magician's Nephew is a fantasy novel for children written by C. S. Lewis. It was the sixth book published in his The Chronicles of Narnia series, but is the first in the chronology of the Narnia novels' fictional universe. Thus it is an early example of a prequel.The novel is initially set in...
, Jadis is revealed to be a native of Charn
Charn
Charn is a fictional city appearing in the 1955 book The Magician's Nephew, book six in C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia, written as a prequel to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In the book, Charn is described as a very large and completely deserted city that is in a semi-ruined state....
, a different world entirely from Narnia. She is descended from a long line of king
King
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...
s and queen
Queen regnant
A queen regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right, in contrast to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reigning king. An empress regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right over an empire....
s. This line began well, with honorable, decent-hearted people, but grew evil and malevolent over many generations. Charn's final queen, Jadis, a powerful sorceress, fought against her sister in a bloody war which almost ended in her own defeat. Rather than submit to her sister, Jadis spoke the Deplorable Word
Deplorable Word
The Deplorable Word, as used in The Magician's Nephew, by author C. S. Lewis, is a magical curse which ends all life in the fictional world of Charn except that of the one who speaks it. Lewis does not explicitly link the Deplorable Word to nuclear weapons, but he certainly makes allusions to the...
and left Charn devoid of life. She placed herself in an enchanted sleep, to be awakened when a bell was rung in the same chamber. She passes through the Wood between the Worlds
Wood between the Worlds
The Wood between the Worlds is a linking room location in The Magician's Nephew, part of The Chronicles of Narnia series by C. S. Lewis.-The Magician's Nephew:...
, an endless forest filled with pools of water that act as portals to other worlds, including the worlds of Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
and Narnia. Charn is destroyed so utterly that when Jadis leaves its pool in the Wood, the pool dries to nothing. While in the Wood, she appears to lose health, strength and magical ability. Through the reckless actions of Digory Kirke
Digory Kirke
Digory Kirke is a fictional character from C. S. Lewis' fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia. He is in three of the seven books: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Magician's Nephew, and The Last Battle, and is mentioned in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.In the 2005 film The Chronicles...
, and after briefly visiting Earth, Jadis is transported to the world of Narnia at its creation, and she immediately starts scheming to become its mistress. She eats the Fruit of Everlasting Life, acquiring immortality and her white-colored skin; she then travels to the North to develop her magic anew, becoming the first of the "Northern Witches".
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
By the time of The Lion, the Witch and the WardrobeThe Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a fantasy novel for children by C. S. Lewis. Published in 1950 and set circa 1940, it is the first-published book of The Chronicles of Narnia and is the best known book of the series. Although it was written and published first, it is second in the series'...
, set 1,000 Narnian years after the events of The Magician's Nephew, Jadis has usurped power over Narnia
Narnia (world)
Narnia is a fantasy world created by C. S. Lewis as the primary location for his series of seven fantasy novels for children, The Chronicles of Narnia. The world is so called after the country of Narnia, in which much of the action of the Chronicles takes place.In Narnia, some animals can talk,...
, having magically forced the land into an "endless winter
Hundred-Year Winter
The Hundred-Year Winter takes place from 900–1000 Narnia time. The White Witch Jadis cast a spell to make it remain winter all year round, which also prevents the appearance of Father Christmas...
" during her reign, which as the book opens had lasted for 100 years. Though it is always winter, she prevents Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
from ever coming. The White Witch's Narnian minions include wolves
Gray Wolf
The gray wolf , also known as the wolf, is the largest extant wild member of the Canidae family...
, black dwarves, giants
Giant (mythology)
The mythology and legends of many different cultures include monsters of human appearance but prodigious size and strength. "Giant" is the English word commonly used for such beings, derived from one of the most famed examples: the gigantes of Greek mythology.In various Indo-European mythologies,...
, werewolves
Werewolf
A werewolf, also known as a lycanthrope , is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely or after being placed under a curse...
, evil Tree Spirits, ghoul
Ghoul
A ghoul is a folkloric monster associated with graveyards and consuming human flesh, often classified as undead. The oldest surviving literature that mention ghouls is likely One Thousand and One Nights...
s, boggles
Boggart
In Englishfolklore, a boggart is a household fairy which causes things to disappear, milk to sour, and dogs to go lame. Always malevolent, the boggart will follow its family wherever they flee...
, ogre
Ogre
An ogre is a large, cruel, monstrous, and hideous humanoid monster, featured in mythology, folklore, and fiction. Ogres are often depicted in fairy tales and folklore as feeding on human beings, and have appeared in many classic works of literature...
s, minotaur
Minotaur
In Greek mythology, the Minotaur , as the Greeks imagined him, was a creature with the head of a bull on the body of a man or, as described by Roman poet Ovid, "part man and part bull"...
s, cruels, hag
Hag
A hag is a wizened old woman, or a kind of fairy or goddess having the appearance of such a woman, often found in folklore and children's tales such as Hansel and Gretel. Hags are often seen as malevolent, but may also be one of the chosen forms of shapeshifting deities, such as the Morrígan or...
s, spectres, People of the Toadstools, incubi
Incubus
An incubus is a male demon that has sexual intercourse with sleeping women.Incubus may also refer to:- Film :* Incubus , a film in Esperanto starring William Shatner* Incubus , a horror film starring Tara Reid...
, wraiths, horrors, efreets
Ifrit
Ifrit—also spelled, efreet, ifreet, afreet, and afrit —are supernatural creatures in Arabic and Islamic cultures...
, orknies, sprites
Sprite (creature)
The term sprite is a broad term referring to a number of preternatural legendary creatures. The term is generally used in reference to elf-like creatures, including fairies, and similar beings , but can also signify various spiritual beings, including ghosts. In Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl books,...
, wooses, ettins, poisonous plant spirits, evil ape
Ape
Apes are Old World anthropoid mammals, more specifically a clade of tailless catarrhine primates, belonging to the biological superfamily Hominoidea. The apes are native to Africa and South-east Asia, although in relatively recent times humans have spread all over the world...
s, giant bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
s, vulture
Vulture
Vulture is the name given to two groups of convergently evolved scavenging birds, the New World Vultures including the well-known Californian and Andean Condors, and the Old World Vultures including the birds which are seen scavenging on carcasses of dead animals on African plains...
s, and creatures that according to C.S. Lewis are 'so horrible that if I told you, your parents probably wouldn't let you read this book.'
During her reign, the White Witch is styled "Her Imperial Majesty Jadis, Queen of Narnia, Chatelaine
Châtelain
Châtelain was originally merely the French equivalent of the English castellan, i.e. the commander of a castle....
of Cair Paravel
Cair Paravel
Cair Paravel is the fictional castle where the Kings and Queens of Narnia rule in The Chronicles of Narnia. It is the location of the four thrones of High King Peter the Magnificent, Queen Susan the Gentle, King Edmund the Just, and Queen Lucy The Valiant....
, Empress of the Lone Islands". She claims that she is a human from Earth (a "daughter of Eve"), for Aslan had given "sons of Adam
Adam and Eve
Adam and Eve were, according to the Genesis creation narratives, the first human couple to inhabit Earth, created by YHWH, the God of the ancient Hebrews...
and daughters of Eve
Adam and Eve
Adam and Eve were, according to the Genesis creation narratives, the first human couple to inhabit Earth, created by YHWH, the God of the ancient Hebrews...
" dominion over all the beasts and magical creatures of Narnia. (Narnian dwarfs are not considered to be human, even though they can and do reproduce with humans; they are called "Sons of Earth".)
Although the White Witch appears human (despite her irregular skin color and abnormal height), Narnian rumor holds that she descends from Adam's first wife, Lilith
Lilith
Lilith is a character in Jewish mythology, found earliest in the Babylonian Talmud, who is generally thought to be related to a class of female demons Līlīṯu in Mesopotamian texts. However, Lowell K. Handy notes, "Very little information has been found relating to the Akkadian and Babylonian view...
, and was half-Jinn
Genie
Jinn or genies are supernatural creatures in Arab folklore and Islamic teachings that occupy a parallel world to that of mankind. Together, jinn, humans and angels make up the three sentient creations of Allah. Religious sources say barely anything about them; however, the Qur'an mentions that...
and half-giantess
Giant (mythology)
The mythology and legends of many different cultures include monsters of human appearance but prodigious size and strength. "Giant" is the English word commonly used for such beings, derived from one of the most famed examples: the gigantes of Greek mythology.In various Indo-European mythologies,...
, and thus not even partially human. The Magician's Nephew, by contrast with this slander, recounts her origin on Charn; but whether the people of Charn are human is never addressed.
She is first mentioned in the story by Mr Tumnus
Mr Tumnus
Tumnus is a fictional character in C. S. Lewis' series The Chronicles of Narnia. He is featured prominently in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and also appears in The Horse and His Boy and The Last Battle. He is close friends with Lucy Pevensie and is the first person she meets in Narnia, as...
the faun
Faun
The faun is a rustic forest god or place-spirit of Roman mythology often associated with Greek satyrs and the Greek god Pan.-Origins:...
, who befriends Lucy Pevensie
Lucy Pevensie
Lucy Pevensie is a fictional character in C. S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia. She is the youngest of the four Pevensie children, and the first to find the Wardrobe entrance to Narnia in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Of all the Pevensie children, Lucy is the closest to Aslan...
and admits that he is in the pay of the witch, who has ordered him and indeed all other Narnians that if they ever see a human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
in Narnia they must hand it over to her. Mr. Tumnus, who had never met a human before and hadn't known what they were like, soon realised that he couldn't find it in himself to hand Lucy over to the witch, and guided her back to the Lamp Post at Lantern Waste
Lantern Waste
Lantern Waste is a fictional place in The Chronicles of Narnia series by C. S. Lewis. It is a wood and is notable as the place where Lucy Pevensie and Mr. Tumnus meet, which is the first scene of Narnia described in the books. The lamppost in the wood is an iconic image of Narnia, and the question...
as she returned to her own world through the wardrobe.
Mr. Tumnus had told Lucy that the White Witch could turn people to stone, fearing that she would do the same to him if she found out he had met a human and not handed them over to her.
Shortly afterwards, Edmund goes into the wardrobe (following Lucy during a game of hide and seek) and encounters the Witch on her sleigh. She introduces herself as the Queen of Narnia and seduces him with a hot drink and Turkish Delight
Turkish Delight
Turkish delight or lokum is a family of confections based on a gel of starch and sugar. Premium varieties consist largely of chopped dates, pistachios and hazelnuts or walnuts bound by the gel; the cheapest are mostly gel, generally flavored with rosewater, mastic, or lemon...
as well as the promise that she will make him a Prince to become King of Narnia when she dies — if he brings his siblings to visit her. When Lucy finds Edmund and recounts her visit with Tumnus, Edmund realizes that the Queen and the Witch are one and the same, but for the chance of becoming King (and also for the promise of more Turkish Delight), he is still determined to bring his siblings to her regardless. He keeps his meeting with the Witch a secret.
When the four Pevensie children arrive in Narnia, they find that the Witch has had Tumnus arrested for high treason
High treason
High treason is criminal disloyalty to one's government. Participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplomats, or its secret services for a hostile and foreign power, or attempting to kill its head of state are perhaps...
—she had found out about him disobeying her orders. The Pevensie children are taken under protection of Mr. and Mrs Beaver
Beaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
, who tell them more about the witch and how her reign is certain to be nearing its end now that Aslan is on the move. They also tell the children that the Witch's castle is full of statues of Narnians that she has turned into stone for betraying her, and that few Narnians taken in there have ever come out again.
Edmund creeps out of their house to go and see the witch, who is furious that he has come alone, and even angrier when he tells her that Aslan
Aslan
Aslan, the "Great Lion," is the central character in The Chronicles of Narnia, a series of seven fantasy novels for children written by C. S. Lewis. He is the eponymous lion of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and his role in Narnia is developed throughout the remaining books...
is in Narnia. She sends Maugrim
Maugrim
Maugrim is a fictional wolf, a servant of White Witch in the book The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis. He is captain of the witch's Secret Police...
the wolf, chief of her secret police, to catch the children and the beavers at their house, but when Maugrim and another wolf get there they have already left the house and started their journey to the Stone Table - Mr. Beaver had quickly established that Edmund had gone to the White Witch as he "had the look" of someone who had eaten her food and been told where she lives.
She makes Edmund come with her on their journey to the Stone Table
Stone Table
In C. S. Lewis's fantasy novel series the Chronicles of Narnia, Aslan's How is a construction located south of the Great River in Narnia next to the Great Woods. It was built over the Hill of the Stone Table. It is a tell....
, but after many miles of travelling her sleigh eventually becomes immovable the following morning as the snow melts and it becomes apparent that Aslan has destroyed her magical winter.
After walking a long distance, they stop in a valley and the Witch decides to kill Edmund; but he is saved just in time by Aslan's creatures, who return him to his siblings at the Stone Table. Edmund is repentant and grateful, having come to regret joining the Witch's cause; by the time she had turned a group of animals into stone for telling her that Father Christmas
Father Christmas
Father Christmas is the name used in many English-speaking countries for a figure associated with Christmas. A similar figure with the same name exists in several other countries, including France , Spain , Brazil , Portugal , Italy , Armenia , India...
had come to Narnia, he had realised just how evil she was.
Since the White Witch was the first to rebel in Narnia, by the workings of the Deep Magic she is given ownership of all traitors and the right to kill them. The White Witch favors the Stone Table
Stone Table
In C. S. Lewis's fantasy novel series the Chronicles of Narnia, Aslan's How is a construction located south of the Great River in Narnia next to the Great Woods. It was built over the Hill of the Stone Table. It is a tell....
for her executions, and had intended to execute Edmund there until Aslan's presence made it impossible.
When the Pevensie children arrive in Narnia via Digory's magical wardrobe, it is explained to them by Mr. Beaver that, according to an ancient prophecy
Prophecy
Prophecy is a process in which one or more messages that have been communicated to a prophet are then communicated to others. Such messages typically involve divine inspiration, interpretation, or revelation of conditioned events to come as well as testimonies or repeated revelations that the...
, when two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve fill the four thrones at Cair Paravel
Cair Paravel
Cair Paravel is the fictional castle where the Kings and Queens of Narnia rule in The Chronicles of Narnia. It is the location of the four thrones of High King Peter the Magnificent, Queen Susan the Gentle, King Edmund the Just, and Queen Lucy The Valiant....
as Kings and Queens of Narnia, the reign of the White Witch and the endless winter would end. Jadis is aware of the prophecy, and employs spies to tell her of any human that comes to Narnia. She has turned many Narnians to stone for failing to follow her orders. While there are other humans in the world of Narnia at the time of the first book — humans descended from the original King Frank
King Frank
King Frank and Queen Helen also known as the "Cabby" and "Nellie" were the first rulers of Narnia in the Chronicles of Narnia. The Chronicles say little of their history, except that Frank and Helen were both country folk, and lived in London only from economic necessity...
and Queen Helen populate Archenland
Archenland
In C. S. Lewis's fantasy novels the Chronicles of Narnia, Archenland is a nation to the south of Narnia, and to the north of both nations' occasional enemy, Calormen. Its borders are formed by mountains to the north and by the River Winding Arrow to the south...
, Calormen
Calormen
In C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia series of novels, Calormen is a large country to the southeast of Narnia. Lewis derived its name from the Latin calor, meaning "heat". When used as an adjective Lewis spelled the name with an 'e' at the end . Narnia and Calormen are separated by a large desert...
, and the island kingdoms — humans are completely unknown in occupied Narnia, to the extent that the Narnians think them mythological.
The White Witch's most notorious deed, aside from uttering the Deplorable Word that destroys Charn, is killing Aslan on the Stone Table (as a surrogate for Edmund
Edmund Pevensie
Edmund "Ed" Pevensie is a major fictional character in C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia. He is a principal character in three of the seven books , and a lesser character in two others .In the live-action films, The...
), her right by the Deep Magic. Aslan returns to life by Deeper Magic, which states that death will be reversed if a willing victim who has committed no sin is slain on the table. In the subsequent battle, Aslan kills the witch, ending her reign of terror.
Prince Caspian
In Prince CaspianPrince Caspian
Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia is a novel for children by C. S. Lewis, written in late 1949 and first published in 1951. It is the second-published book in the Chronicles of Narnia series, although in the overall chronological sequence it comes fourth.-Plot summary:While standing on a...
, 1,300 years later, Nikabrik (a dwarf), a hag, and a wer-wolf (to use Lewis's spelling) plan to bring the Witch back using black sorcery in their bid to defeat King Miraz. Caspian X
Caspian X
Caspian X, King of Narnia, Lord of Cair Paravel and Emperor of The Lone Islands, also called Caspian the Seafarer and Caspian the Navigator, is a fictional character in The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis. He is featured in three books in the series: Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn...
and Trumpkin
Trumpkin
Trumpkin is a fictional character in C.S. Lewis' fantasy novel series The Chronicles of Narnia. Trumpkin is a loyal, but skeptical, dwarf who lives during the reigns of King Miraz and King Caspian X...
protest against this, stating "Wasn't she a tyrant ten times worse than Miraz?" Their plan backfires and they are killed in a fight by Caspian and his allies.
Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Witch does not appear in Voyage of the Dawn Treader, though the stone knife she used to kill Aslan at the Stone Table is found on RamanduRamandu
Ramandu is a fictional character in C. S. Lewis's The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, part of the series The Chronicles of Narnia.- About :...
's island by three of the Seven Great Lords of Narnia
Seven Great Lords of Narnia
The Seven Great Lords of Narnia are fictional characters in The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis. They are briefly mentioned in Prince Caspian and are central to the plot in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the second and third published books, respectively, in the series.In the book Prince...
. Disagreeing on what course to take, one of them takes up the knife to use against the other two, whereupon all three fall into an enchanted sleep. The knife may be intended as an analogy to the Spear of Destiny that was used to stab Jesus.
The Silver Chair
In The Silver ChairThe Silver Chair
The Silver Chair is part of The Chronicles of Narnia, a series of seven fantasy novels written by C. S. Lewis. It was the fourth book published and is the sixth book chronologically. It is the first book published in the series in which the Pevensie children do not appear. The main characters are...
, 1,356 years after her death, Jadis is called one of the "Northern Witches", along with the Lady of the Green Kirtle
Lady of the Green Kirtle
The Lady of the Green Kirtle, also called Queen of Underland and Queen of the Deep Realm, is the main villain in The Silver Chair by C. S. Lewis. She is sometimes called briefly the Green Lady , and she is known also as the Emerald Witch; neither name, however, appears in Lewis's text...
. Glimfeather the Owl speculates that the Green Lady may be "of the same crew" as the White Witch. This had led to speculation by some readers that Jadis and the Lady of the Green Kirtle may be the same person. Lewis's text does not support this (See Lady of the Green Kirtle
Lady of the Green Kirtle
The Lady of the Green Kirtle, also called Queen of Underland and Queen of the Deep Realm, is the main villain in The Silver Chair by C. S. Lewis. She is sometimes called briefly the Green Lady , and she is known also as the Emerald Witch; neither name, however, appears in Lewis's text...
for further discussion).
Characteristics
In her own dominion, CharnCharn
Charn is a fictional city appearing in the 1955 book The Magician's Nephew, book six in C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia, written as a prequel to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In the book, Charn is described as a very large and completely deserted city that is in a semi-ruined state....
, Jadis is formidable; but she finds her magic largely useless in other worlds. She eventually strengthens her powers and usurps the throne of Narnia, using her magic to cast the land into perpetual winter. Her most feared weapon is her wand, whose magic is capable of turning people into stone. The petrified remains of her enemies decorate the halls of her castle.
An extraordinarily beautiful, tall and imposing woman, Jadis enchants Digory Kirke
Digory Kirke
Digory Kirke is a fictional character from C. S. Lewis' fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia. He is in three of the seven books: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Magician's Nephew, and The Last Battle, and is mentioned in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.In the 2005 film The Chronicles...
, Andrew Ketterley and Edmund Pevensie
Edmund Pevensie
Edmund "Ed" Pevensie is a major fictional character in C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia. He is a principal character in three of the seven books , and a lesser character in two others .In the live-action films, The...
on first encounters. She is also physically powerful and amazonian, capable of breaking iron with her bare hands and lifting human beings off their feet. She retains her superhuman strength in other worlds (except in the Wood between the Worlds
Wood between the Worlds
The Wood between the Worlds is a linking room location in The Magician's Nephew, part of The Chronicles of Narnia series by C. S. Lewis.-The Magician's Nephew:...
). She is seven feet tall, as were all members of the Royal Family of Charn, and once she has eaten the Fruit of Everlasting Life, her skin becomes as white as paper. A natural-born sorceress and a cunning strategist, Jadis is arrogant and cruel, considering herself above all rules and viewing others as tools to be used or obstacles to be demolished. Her callousness is most clearly demonstrated when she uses the Deplorable Word
Deplorable Word
The Deplorable Word, as used in The Magician's Nephew, by author C. S. Lewis, is a magical curse which ends all life in the fictional world of Charn except that of the one who speaks it. Lewis does not explicitly link the Deplorable Word to nuclear weapons, but he certainly makes allusions to the...
in Charn to vanquish her sister, even though the Word would eradicate all life in that world but her own. She prefers to destroy that entire world than submit to her sister's authority, and shows afterward a remorseless pride in her actions. However, Jadis has shown loyalty (perhaps even love), when she states that she offered to spare her sister's life if she would end the war between them and yield Jadis the throne. Yet this may have been a simple ruse, given the ease Jadis felt when it came to eradicating all life in her world. Though her magic disappears when she leaves Charn, she manages to build it up again in Narnia's world, to become again a sorceress of formidable power.
Origins of conception
Lewis almost certainly based Jadis on H. Rider Haggard's SheShe (novel)
She, subtitled A History of Adventure, is a novel by Henry Rider Haggard, first serialized in The Graphic magazine from October 1886 to January 1887. She is one of the classics of imaginative literature, and with over 83 million copies sold in 44 different languages, one of the best-selling books...
: in a review of that novel Lewis simultaneously expresses his fascination with the story and his dislike of the character. Like Jadis, "She" is compellingly beautiful, is initiated in occult knowledge, seeks immortal life through unlawful means and claims absolute superiority to the demands of morality. Haggard's later book She and Allan
She and Allan
She and Allan is a novel by H. Rider Haggard, first published in 1921. It brought together his two most popular characters, Ayesha from She , and Allan Quatermain from King Solomon's Mines....
sometimes calls her "the white witch".
Another possible source is "The Snow Queen
The Snow Queen
The Snow Queen is a fairy tale by author Hans Christian Andersen . The tale was first published in 1845, and centers on the struggle between good and evil as experienced by a little boy and girl, Kai and Gerda....
", the malignant ruler of the frozen north in the fairy tale of Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author, fairy tale writer, and poet noted for his children's stories. These include "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," "The Snow Queen," "The Little Mermaid," "Thumbelina," "The Little Match Girl," and "The Ugly Duckling."...
. The corruption of Edmund can be a parallel to Kay's perversion in that same tale. The first apparition of the two characters in which they seduce both the boys have a striking resemblance, both of them were traveling in a sledge in the snow and using fur coats.
For the name Jadis, Lewis may have taken the French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
word jadis , which means "of old" or "once upon a time" — a customary opening in French fairy tales. The word would have been familiar to him, occurring in the title of Francois Villon's best known work "Ballade des Dames du Temps Jadis" - Lewis wrote a spoof of this poem entitled "Ballade of Dead Gentlemen".
It has also been suggested that the source may have been the Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
word cadı dʒaˈdɯ which means "witch". (Compare also Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
جادو jâdu 'witchcraft', جادوگر jâdugar 'witch'.) Though not closely resembling "Jadis" in pronunciation, this word might be another of Lewis's Turkish imports, like aslan (lion) and tash (stone).
Radio
The voice of Jadis was provided by Elizabeth Counsell in Focus on the FamilyFocus on the Family
Focus on the Family is an American evangelical Christian tax-exempt non-profit organization founded in 1977 by psychologist James Dobson, and is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Focus on the Family is one of a number of evangelical parachurch organizations that rose to prominence in the 1980s...
's radio drama versions of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a fantasy novel for children by C. S. Lewis. Published in 1950 and set circa 1940, it is the first-published book of The Chronicles of Narnia and is the best known book of the series. Although it was written and published first, it is second in the series'...
and The Magician's Nephew
The Magician's Nephew
The Magician's Nephew is a fantasy novel for children written by C. S. Lewis. It was the sixth book published in his The Chronicles of Narnia series, but is the first in the chronology of the Narnia novels' fictional universe. Thus it is an early example of a prequel.The novel is initially set in...
(Later she made a cameo as a lamb in The Last Battle
The Last Battle
The Last Battle is the seventh and final novel in The Chronicles of Narnia series by C. S. Lewis. It won the prestigious Carnegie Medal in Literature in 1956.-Plot summary:In The Last Battle, Lewis brings The Chronicles of Narnia to an end...
).
In the BBC Radio productions of The Magician's Nephew
The Magician's Nephew
The Magician's Nephew is a fantasy novel for children written by C. S. Lewis. It was the sixth book published in his The Chronicles of Narnia series, but is the first in the chronology of the Narnia novels' fictional universe. Thus it is an early example of a prequel.The novel is initially set in...
and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a fantasy novel for children by C. S. Lewis. Published in 1950 and set circa 1940, it is the first-published book of The Chronicles of Narnia and is the best known book of the series. Although it was written and published first, it is second in the series'...
, Jadis was played by Rosemary Martin.
Television
- The White Witch was played by Elizabeth WallaceElizabeth Wallace (actor)Elizabeth Wallace is an actress. She played the White Witch in the 1967 television adaptation of The Lion the Witch & the Wardrobe.Wallace started acting in the early 1950s. Her last piece of acting was in 1983 in an episode of Number 10, in which she played Lady Jersey.Wallace is in height....
in the TV series The Lion the Witch & the WardrobeThe Lion The Witch & The Wardrobe (TV series)The Lion The Witch & The Wardrobe is a ten-part serial adaptation of C. S. Lewis's fantasy novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, that aired on ITV in 1967.-Background:...
. - American actress Beth PorterBeth PorterBeth Jane Porter, is an American stage, film and television actress and writer, who has worked in Britain for most of her career.-Early life:...
provided the voice of the White Witch for the 1979 animated television adaptation of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (for the British release, Sheila HancockSheila HancockSheila Cameron Hancock, CBE is an English actress and author.-Early life:Sheila Hancock was born in Blackgang on the Isle of Wight, the daughter of Ivy Louise and Enrico Cameron Hancock, who was a publican. Her sister Billie is seven years older...
's voice was dubbed in). In that version, Aslan lunges towards the White Witch and she disappears in a cloud of smoke - In the 1988 BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
miniseriesMiniseriesA miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
The Chronicles of NarniaThe Chronicles of Narnia (TV miniseries)The Chronicles of Narnia is a BBC-produced television serial that was aired from 13 November 1988 to 23 December 1990 and is based on four books of C. S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia series...
, the White Witch was played by Barbara KellermanBarbara KellermanBarbara R. Kellerman is an English actress, noted for her film and television roles. She trained at Rose Bruford College. Kellerman's Jewish parents had fled Nazi Germany and settled in Leeds, briefly living in Manchester before returning to Leeds by 1952...
. In a later episode, Kellerman was cast in the role as the Lady of the Green KirtleLady of the Green KirtleThe Lady of the Green Kirtle, also called Queen of Underland and Queen of the Deep Realm, is the main villain in The Silver Chair by C. S. Lewis. She is sometimes called briefly the Green Lady , and she is known also as the Emerald Witch; neither name, however, appears in Lewis's text...
. Due to this, some readers believe that the White Witch and Green Lady are the same person, especially due to a lack of back story given to the Green Lady. However, this was never explicitly supported in Lewis's writings. After her wand was broken, she ran up the ravine only for Aslan to arrive and roar enough for the ground to shake and the White Witch to lose her balance and fall.
Theatrical film series
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
feature film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a 2005 epic fantasy adventure film directed by Andrew Adamson and based on The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the first published and second chronological novel in C. S. Lewis's children's epic fantasy series, The Chronicles of...
, she was portrayed by British actress Tilda Swinton
Tilda Swinton
Katherine Mathilda "Tilda" Swinton is a British actress known for both arthouse and mainstream films. She has appeared in a number of films including The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Burn After Reading, The Beach, We Need to Talk About Kevin and was nominated for a Golden Globe for her...
. Swinton's performance won particular acclaim among fans and critics. BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
film critic Stella Papamichael wrote:
Tilda Swinton was nominated for an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain for her performance as the White Witch in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, but lost to Hayden Christensen
Hayden Christensen
Hayden Christensen is a Canadian actor. He appeared in Canadian television programs when he was young, then diversified into American television in the late 1990s. He moved on to minor acting roles before being praised for his role of Sam in Life as a House, for which he was nominated for a Golden...
for his performance as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader
Darth Vader
Darth Vader is a central character in the Star Wars saga, appearing as one of the main antagonists in the original trilogy and as the main protagonist in the prequel trilogy....
in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is a 2005 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the sixth and final film released in the Star Wars saga and the third in terms of the series' internal chronology....
.
Swinton reprised her role as the White Witch in the 2008 Disney Movie sequel The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is a 2008 epic fantasy film based on Prince Caspian, the second published, fourth chronological novel in C. S. Lewis's epic fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia. It is the second in The Chronicles of Narnia film series from Walden Media, following The...
. As in the novel, the hag, werewolf and dwarf plan to resurrect The White Witch; in the film they manage to conjure an apparition of her within a mystical wall of ice, although this never happened in the book. The White Witch says that she needs a drop of "Adam's blood" to live again. She tries to coax this first from Caspian and then from Peter, promising to lend her powers to their fight against King Miraz once she is made whole. However, Edmund shatters the ice before the Witch can obtain a drop of blood, and the apparition vanishes. In the book, the ritual is suggested, but never attempted.
Swinton also reprised her role in the 20th Century Fox film adaptation of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a 2010 3D fantasy-adventure film based on The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the third novel in C. S. Lewis's epic fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia . It is the third installment in The Chronicles of Narnia film series from Walden Media...
, Tilda Swinton appears again as the White Witch. But this time, the "White Witch" is actually a manifestation of Dark Island preying on Edmund's insecurities, thus a mental test that Edmund manages to overcome as he manages to kill the Dark Island's sea serpent
Sea serpent
A sea serpent or sea dragon is a type of sea monster either wholly or partly serpentine.Sightings of sea serpents have been reported for hundreds of years, and continue to be claimed today. Cryptozoologist Bruce Champagne identified more than 1,200 purported sea serpent sightings...
manifestation of his fear.
It is yet unknown whether Swinton will return to play the character in a film adaptation
The Chronicles of Narnia (film series)
The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of English fantasy films from Walden Media that are based on The Chronicles of Narnia, a series of novels written by C. S. Lewis...
of The Magician's Nephew
The Magician's Nephew
The Magician's Nephew is a fantasy novel for children written by C. S. Lewis. It was the sixth book published in his The Chronicles of Narnia series, but is the first in the chronology of the Narnia novels' fictional universe. Thus it is an early example of a prequel.The novel is initially set in...
, though she has expressed interest.
Parodies
- In the episode "Flood" in the first series of the British sit-com The Young OnesThe Young Ones (TV series)The Young Ones is a British sitcom, first broadcast in 1982, which ran for two series on BBC2. Its anarchic, offbeat humour helped bring alternative comedy to television in the 1980s and made household names of its writers and performers...
, the violent punk Vyvyan (Adrian EdmondsonAdrian EdmondsonAdrian Charles "Ade" Edmondson is an English comedian. He is probably best known for his comedic roles in the television series The Young Ones and Bottom , for which he also wrote together with his long-time collaboration partner Rik Mayall.-Early life:Edmondson, the second of four children, was...
) hides in a wardrobe and finds himself in an obvious parody of Lewis's Narnia. Here he meets a White Witch who offers him some Turkish Delight, which he refuses in favour of a kebab. He then tries to pick a fight with her dwarf. - Based on the 2005 Disney version, the land of Narnia and the White Witch are depicted in Season 3 of the Robot ChickenRobot ChickenRobot Chicken is an American stop motion animated television series created and executive produced by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich along with co-head writers Douglas Goldstein and Tom Root. Green provides many voices for the show...
series on Adult SwimAdult SwimAdult Swim is an adult-oriented Cable network that shares channel space with Cartoon Network from 9:00 pm until 6:00 am ET/PT in the United States, and broadcasts in countries such as Australia and New Zealand...
. ("Robot Chicken's Half-Assed Christmas Special") includes a sketch entitled, "The Lion, the Witch and the Locker," in which a nerdNerdNerd is a derogatory slang term for an intelligent but socially awkward and obsessive person who spends time on unpopular or obscure pursuits, to the exclusion of more mainstream activities. Nerds are considered to be awkward, shy, and unattractive...
creates havoc after he falls into Narnia through the back of his locker. - In the movie Epic MovieEpic MovieEpic Movie is a 2007 American parody film directed and written by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer and produced by Paul Schiff. It was made in a similar style to Date Movie, Friedberg and Seltzer's previous film. The film mostly references The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the...
, the evil character "White Bitch of Gnarnia", played by Jennifer CoolidgeJennifer CoolidgeJennifer Coolidge is an American actress best known for playing "Stifler's mom," the older woman in the film American Pie ; Hilary Duff's stepmother in A Cinderella Story ; Paulette, the manicurist in Legally Blonde and its sequel; the voice of Aunt Fanny in the animated feature Robots ; for her...
, is based on the White Witch.