Prince Caspian
- This page refers to the novel. For the upcoming film, see The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. For the literary character, see Caspian X. "Prince Caspian" is also the name of the tenth track of Phish's album Billy Breathes.
| Author | C. S. Lewis |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Pauline Baynes |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Chronicles of Narnia |
| Genre | Fantasy novel |
| Publisher | Geoffrey Bles |
Publication date | 1951 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover & Paperback) |
| ISBN | NA Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character |
| Preceded by | The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe |
| Followed by | The Voyage of the Dawn Treader |
Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia is a novel for children by C. S. Lewis, first published in 1951. It is the second book in the Chronicles of Narnia series, though in the overall chronological sequence it comes fourth.
Plot summary
Template:Spoiler The year is 1941. The four Pevensie children, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy, are waiting for connecting trains at a railway station in the course of their journey back to their respective boarding schools when they hear a horn and are drawn into Narnia and find that more than a thousand years have passed since they reigned there as kings and queens (in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe).
They arrive at the ruins of Cair Paravel on a small island at the shores of the Eastern Sea. They go exploring in the treasury and discover the gifts they received from Father Christmas. Edmund did not get a gift so he takes a sword, and they cannot find Susan's horn, which she lost on their last day in Narnia. They soon afterwards rescue a dwarf called Trumpkin from summary execution (it was to have been pretended that he had fallen victim to "ghosts"). He explains that much of the old magic has been lost and the land has been "civilized" under the domain of a race of men from Telmar, and that the Telmarines fear and shun the lands around Cair Paravel. The old inhabitants of the kingdom, talking animals and dwarfs and other fantastic creatures, have been driven into the wild and unfriendly parts of the land to live in hiding,while the nymphs and spirits are in deep sleep within the trees and rivers.
Trumpkin goes on to say that a Prince named Caspian is the rightful heir to the throne (at that time was held by the prince's evil uncle, King Miraz, who killed Caspian's father). He recapitulates the events of the recent past, thus:
Prince Caspian's nurse is dismissed for telling him tales about old Narnia. The Prince then gets a new teacher, Dr. Cornelius. One night the old man wakes Caspian, ostensibly to show him a rare planetary conjunction on the top of a deserted tower; but in fact to tell him that he is half dwarf half human and that old Narnia really exists. Caspian is thrilled but Cornelius urges him to caution, and further such lessons are sporadic and conducted with the utmost secrecy.
Later, Dr. Cornelius awakens Caspian with the urgent news that Queen Prunaprisma has produced an heir and that Miraz (formerly childless, and at least tolerant to the notion of passing the throne to his nephew) would now kill him to assure his own son's succession. Cornelius gives Caspian the magical horn Susan had lost ages before. Caspian flees the castle, but while riding through a forest during a storm, he hits his head on a tree branch and falls off.
A talking badger and two dwarfs (one of them Trumpkin; the other named Nikabrik), who have gone into hiding, find him and take care of him. They show him to the "old Narnians," who invite him to a council of war at the Dancing Lawn. Dr. Cornelius comes to the Lawn and says that the King has been apprised of Caspian's flight and is coming in search of him. The Old Narnians are soon drawn into the struggle against the usurping Telmarine, Miraz, as Caspian vows to be their loyal King. A guerilla war ensues but goes badly. Caspian and the Old Narnians flee to Aslan's How where they set camp. Miraz's army surround the mound of earth that now covers the Stone Table where Aslan died for Edmund, and although this will be a redoubtable stronghold, long-term defeat appears inevitable. With the promise that it will bring magical aid, Prince Caspian blows the horn of Queen Susan, which (unknown to him) brings the Pevensies to Narnia. Trumpkin says that he'll go to Cair Paravel and see if the four came. En route he is captured, accounting for his arrival at the island after the Pevensies arrive.
The four children and dwarf travel to Aslan's How. On their way they meet Aslan, the great Lion. Acting on his direction, Peter, Edmund, and Trumpkin go to the aid of Caspian and fight a hag, a werewolf, and a dwarf (Nikabrik - his patience with Caspian exhausted) that were thinking of calling upon the evil White Witch, Jadis, for support in the battle. Susan and Lucy aid Aslan as he restores the Dryads, Naiads, Hamadryads, and Silvans and frees them from their bonds so they will have more people for the battle.
Miraz is killed during a duel with Peter, and battle ensues between the two armies. But Aslan has awakened the tree-spirits, river-spirits and the Telmarines, after an initially fierce struggle, are routed. Aslan crowns Caspian as King of Narnia. A mouse chieftain called Reepicheep is brought to Aslan, grievously wounded, and Lucy uses her still-viable healing cordial to save his life. But the mouse has lost his tail and he pleads for it; and his plea is backed by all his people who are willing to sacrifice their own tails rather than see their leader deprived of his dignity. Aslan restores his tail, moved by their loyalty and mindful of the kindness that his kind showed him at the Stone Table. The children return to their own world through a door made out of three sticks by Aslan (many of the Telmarines also go through this door to their own world). Aslan tells Peter and Susan that they can never visit Narnia again because they are too old.
Caspian reappears (as King Caspian) in the two following books in the series: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and The Silver Chair.
Commentary
There are several prevalent themes in this book. One is apostasy, as Narnia has come under the rule of sovereign who has no legitimate claim to the throne, and when Caspian is crowned king, he receives authority from the High King Peter. Another is faith, particularly evident in the scene where Aslan appears to the children, and only Lucy can see him at first; gradually, however, each of the other children trusts her and begins to see for himself or herself. The book also deals with the controversial subject of war, though Lewis handles this touchy subject with a great deal of thoughtfulness. War is not glorified, but ever-present as a part of the reality of the situation; chivalry (in Reepicheep especially) honour and courage are all glorified, while treachery is condemned. The end of the book takes a sharp turn away from the seriousness of the battle by introducing the renewal of Narnian festivity and joviality.
Film, TV, theatrical or musical adaptations
The BBC adapted Prince Caspian in its 1989 miniseries (see The Chronicles of Narnia (TV miniseries). The second in the series of films from Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media, titled The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, is planned for a theatrical release of May 16, 2008.
The Book was the inspiration for a song of the same name on the Phish album Billy Breathes.
See also
Template:The Fiction of C. S. Lewis
External links
- Prince Caspian title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database