The Chronicles of Narnia Portal

The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of seven fantasy novels for children written 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 41 languages. Written by Lewis between 1949 and 1954 and illustrated by Pauline Baynes, The Chronicles of Narnia have been adapted several times, complete or in part, for radio, television, stage, and cinema.

The series contains many allusions to traditional Christian ideas, presented in a format designed to make them easily accessible to younger readers; however, the books can also be read purely for their adventure, colour, and richness of ideas, and as a result have become favourites of children and adults, Christians and non-Christians alike. In addition to employing Christian themes, Lewis also borrows characters and ideas from Greek and Roman mythology, as well as from traditional British and Irish fairy tales.

The Chronicles of Narnia present the adventures of children who play central roles in the unfolding history of the fictional realm of Narnia, a place where animals talk, magic is common, and good battles evil. Each of the books (with the exception of The Horse and His Boy) features as its protagonists children from our world who are magically transported to Narnia, where they are called upon to help the lion Aslan right some wrong.

Monthly selected article

Portal:Narnia/Selected article August 2008

Did you know...

• … that The Roar of Love is a 1978 album by Christian band 2nd Chapter of Acts that tells the story of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in the shape of a musical play.
• … that Many of the details of Calormene life are borrowed from E. Nesbit's portrayal of ancient Babylon in her time-travel story The Story of the Amulet.
• … that Puddleglum, the pessimistic Marsh-wiggle from The Silver Chair, was modeled after C. S. Lewis' gardener?
• … that the Narnia universe has a timeline, as mapped out by C. S. Lewis?
• … that Maugrim, the captain of the White Witch's secret police, had his named changed by the author to "Fenris Ulf," referring to the creature from Norse mythology, before it was ultimately decided to leave it as Maugrim?
• … that during the scene in which Professor Kirke talk with Peter and Susan in the 2005 film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, one can see the Professor retrieving tobacco from a silver apple container, a clear reference to events stemming from his own boyhood journey into Narnia in "The Magician's Nephew" when he was asked to retrieve a silver apple from Aslan's garden?
• … that, in the Turkish language, Aslan means "lion" and Jadis means "witch"?
• ... that, according to a new book by Michael Ward called 'Planet Narnia', C.S. Lewis secretly designed the Chronicles so that they expressed the qualities of the seven heavens?
• ...That the band Relient K has a song called "In Like a Lion" that was inspired by "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe"?
• ...That Rachael Henley, who played the older Lucy in Walt Disney and Walden Media's adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, is the older sister of Georgie Henley, the young girl who plays Lucy throughout most of the film?

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Quotable Quotes

• "Creatures, I give you yourselves," said the strong, happy voice of Aslan. "I give to you for ever this land of Narnia. I give you the woods, the fruits, the rivers. I give you the stars and I give you myself. The Dumb Beasts whom I have not chosen are yours also. Treat them gently and cherish them but do not go back to their ways lest you cease to be Talking Beasts. For out of them you were taken and into them you can return. Do not do so." (MN10)
• Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy. This story is about something that happened to them when they were sent away from London during the war because of the air-raids. (LWW1)
• "I was the lion who forced you to join with Aravis. I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead. I was the lion who drove the jackals from you while you slept. I was the lion who gave the Horses the new strength of fear for the last mile so that you should reach King Lune in time. And I was the lion you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that it came to shore where a man sat, wakeful at midnight, to receive you." - Aslan (HHB11)
• "You come from the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve", said Aslan. "And that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth; be content." (PC)
• There was once a boy named Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it. He didn't call his Father and Mother "Father" and "Mother", but Harold and Alberta. They were very up-to-date and advanced people. They were vegetarians, non-smokers and tee-totallers, and wore a special kind of underclothes. In their house there was very little furniture and very few clothes on beds and the windows were always open. (VDT1)
• "My own plans are made. While I can, I sail east in the Dawn Treader. When she fails me, I paddle east in my coracle. When she sinks, I shall swim east with my four paws. And when I can swim no longer, if I have not reached Aslan's country, or shot over the edge of the world in some vast cataract, I shall sink with my nose to the sunrise and Peepiceek shall be head of the talking mice in Narnia." -Reepicheep (VDT14)
• Courage! Courage, dear heart! -Aslan (VDT)
• Pudleglum's my name.But it doesn't matter if you forget it.I can always tell you again.(SC)
• All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before. (LB16)
• Lucy: Narnia! It's all in the wardrobe just like I told you! (LWW film)
• Professor Kirke: What were you all doing in the wardrobe?
  Peter: You wouldn't believe us if we told you, sir.
  Professor Kirke: [tosses cricket ball to Peter] Try me! (LWW film)
• Lucy: What are you doing?
  Tumnus: I'm kidnapping you. (LWW film)
• The White Witch: In that knowledge, despair and die! (LWW film)

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