THE NARNIA CHRONICLES

Author: C. S. Lewis
Year: 2013 (1950-1956)
Publisher: Bonnier Carlsen
Language: Swedish (translator Birgitta Hammar)

Clive Staples Lewis’s ”Berättelsen om Narnia” (”The Narnia Chronicles”) undoubtedly ranks among the undisputed classics in children literature in general and high fantasy in particular.  Its innovative world-building and wide catalogue of characters have enthused generations of young boys and girls through all kinds of media forms, such as television, radio, the silver screen, and the stage, to say nothing of the books themselves. My own first encounter with Narnia in my childhood was the 1979 animated tv-adaptation by CBS and I was flabbergasted. The mere thought of a child becoming a hero and a king was new to me.

The series consists of seven books published between 1950 and 1956. It tells the story of a world, Narnia, that is in every way superior to ours. Here, the colours are brighter, flavours stronger, fruit juicier, and air fresher. It is populated by talking animals and mythological creatures such as minotaurs, giants, and fauns. Most of the seven books begin with the main human protagonists teleporting from our own world to Narnia, be it by the help of magic rings, a gateway inside a wardrobe, or by being summoned by a higher will. Usually, they arrive at a time of crisis and are destined to help the denizens of Narnia restore order, peace, and prosperity. All the time, they are supervised by the almighty lion Aslan; the creator of worlds.

Although the protagonists change over time, they have some traits in common: they are all children, they are more or less loosely connected to one another in our world by kinship or acquaintance, and they have no super powers. Furthermore, they all improve to become better versions of themselves as a result of their experiences in Narnia.

Lewis did not write the books in the chronological order of events and still today there is a dispute among scholars and fans alike, in what order to read them. Lewis’s own communication during his lifetime gives little guidance and it has turned out that whatever order you place the books, there will be inconsistencies and logical gaps. Lewis, in a letter, confesses that the series was by no means planned and that each novel came to him on its own merits. Consequently, the order in which the books were written does not correspond to the order in which they were published, which in turn does not correspond to the order in which the events in Narnia unfold. My edition is based on the HarperCollins enumeration which orders the entries in the chronological order the events play out.

1.      The Magician’s Nephew; the penultimate book to be written tells the story of how Narnia came to be, and why there is a street light in the middle of the Narnian forest.

2.      The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; the first book to be written and published and introduces the main characters, the children Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy who will become the most legendary kings and queens in the history of Narnia.

3.      The Horse and His Boy; the first entry where humans native to Narnia appear and where the children from our world play a secondary role.

4.      Prince Caspian; 1300 years have passed in Narnia since the rule of Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy although only one year has elapsed in Britain. The children are summoned to restore order in their former kingdom and protect the rightful ruler and heir to their throne.  

5.      The Voyage of the ‘Dawn Treader’; Prince Caspian, Edmund, and Lucy along with their unbearable cousin Eustace embark on an epic journey on the high seas far beyond the known waters of Narnia to find the legendary lands of the Lion.

6.      The Silver Chair; Eustace and his friend Jill are saved from some bullies at their school by being whisked away to Narnia and tasked with rescuing a prince who has been taken captive by an evil witch.

7.      The Last Battle; the final demise of Narnia and the end of time in that world and, in a sense, ours.  

Lewis was already an established writer by the time he penned The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and it is therefore surprising how poorly written the books actually are. Particularly The Magician’s Nephew is a disappointment. Whilst it must be conceded that the merit of these tomes as a monumental piece of children fiction is beyond dispute, the same cannot be said of the internal consistency and coherence of the narrative. One example of inconsistent world-building is the depiction of magic and its limitations in Narnia. In some books, magic is portrayed as a powerful force with few limits, capable of achieving almost anything the user desires. In others, however, magic is portrayed as having more limitations and requiring specific knowledge or tools to work. This inconsistency can be jarring and can lead to confusion about the nature and limits of magic in the Narnia universe.

Furthermore, there are inconsistencies in the depiction of the geography and culture of Narnia. In some books, Narnia is portrayed as a small, isolated kingdom, while in others it is depicted as a sprawling empire with a rich and diverse culture. Similarly, the cultures and religions of Narnia are sometimes portrayed in a respectful and nuanced way, while at other times they are reduced to stereotypical caricatures. These inconsistencies can be distracting and can undermine the reader's immersion in the world of Narnia. In fact, Lewis found himself forced to write an entire prequel, The Magician’s Nephew, just to explain why there was a street light in the middle of the Narnian forest in the first place as in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, after this question had been raised by one of his friends.

The writer’s Christian beliefs also shine through even though he himself denied any intentional allegorical similarities between Narnia and Christianity. Nevertheless, it would require a particular quality of blindness not to see the affinity between Aslan the Lion, the creator and redeemer of Narnia and Christ, or for that matter between King Peter the Magnificent and Saint Peter, or indeed Eustace and Edmund and every self-absorbed sinner reborn by the grace of our Saviour. The Christian social fabric is also reproduced by the fixed social classes where kings are kings and servants are servants by a divine decision and cannot be changed. This feudal class system is neither questioned nor challenged in Narnia and even the creatures on the lowest steps of the social ladder are depicted as happy with their fate.

The characters, though charming and endearing in their own right, also suffer from a lack of depth and complexity. Instead of developing his protagonists, it seems Lewis simply exchanged them for new ones from time to time for variation. Their actions are often dictated by plot convenience rather than organic development, leaving the reader with a sense of superficiality and predictability. A particularly distracting example is Susan’s rejection of Narnia, mentioned only in passing in the last book, in favour or fancy clothes, make-up, and boys, which is completely out of character for the sensitive, caring, and soft-spoken girl she had been until then, known to the Narnians as Queen Susan the Gentle, of whom it is not easy to believe possible a transformation to such shallow ignorance and egotism. My guess is that Lewis, watching his niece grow up, wanted to send her the message to remain more like the character Lucy and not fall for materialism and teenage vanity.

For Lewis’s niece, when all is said and done, is the key to “Berättelsen om Narnia”. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was dedicated to her and if there is one unmistakeable element that characterises the entire series it is Lewis’s love for this girl. He sometimes addresses her directly, sometimes through allegory, but always with a moving tenderness and devotion, and it is apparent that the character Lucy, the most Narnian of all the children from our world and Lewis’s niece’s namesake, is modelled on her.

Despite these remarkable weaknesses, I found “Berättelsen om Narnia” increasingly enjoyable as I progressed through the series and toward the end of it, I could barely wait to get into the next adventure. Although, nowadays there is a sea of children’s literature out there that is both more up-to-date and more relevant to a modern audience, I cannot help but wishing the kids of today the same experience I had when I first became acquainted with Aslan, Lucy, Mr Tumnus and the White Witch. Not to mention the sublime flavours of high-quality Turkish delight.