Aslan
From NarniaWeb
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<blockquote>''Who's Aslan? Why, don't you know? He's the King—the King of the whole wood, and the Son of the great Emperor-beyond-the-Sea. He's wild, you know. If there's anyone who can appear before him without their knees knocking, they're either braver than most or else just silly. He isn't safe... But he is good. He'll often drop in, only you musn't press him to stay. He's not like a tame lion. Yes, Aslan is a lion—the Lion, the great Lion.''<br />— The Chronicles of Narnia</blockquote> | <blockquote>''Who's Aslan? Why, don't you know? He's the King—the King of the whole wood, and the Son of the great Emperor-beyond-the-Sea. He's wild, you know. If there's anyone who can appear before him without their knees knocking, they're either braver than most or else just silly. He isn't safe... But he is good. He'll often drop in, only you musn't press him to stay. He's not like a tame lion. Yes, Aslan is a lion—the Lion, the great Lion.''<br />— The Chronicles of Narnia</blockquote> | ||
| - | Aslan is the creator of Narnia and the only character to appear in all seven of the Chronicles of Narnia. In some of the books, He only has a few brief appearances, but He is referenced in almost every chapter and is always a significant player in the story. His very name causes people to experience intense emotions. In ''The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'', the sound of Aslan's name gives the traitor [[Edmund Pevensie|Edmund]] a sensation of mysterious horror. [[Peter Pevensie|Peter]] feels suddenly brave and adventurous. [[Susan Pevensie|Susan]] feels as if some delicious smell or some delightful strain of music had just floated by her. Lucy gets the feeling you have when you wake up in the morning and realize that it is the beginning of the holidays or the beginning of summer. After her winter is destroyed, the [[White Witch]] threatens to kill the next person who mentions the name of Aslan. Before he becomes a dragon, [[Eustace Clarence Scrubb|Eustace]] hates the name. When [[Jill Pole|Jill]] first hears it, she says, "What a curious name!" But [[Eustace Clarence Scrubb|Eustace]] replies, "Not half so curious as Himself." | + | Aslan is the creator of Narnia and the only character to appear in all seven of the Chronicles of Narnia. In some of the books, He only has a few brief appearances, but He is referenced in almost every chapter and is always a significant player in the story. His very name causes people to experience intense emotions. In ''The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'', the sound of Aslan's name gives the traitor [[Edmund Pevensie|Edmund]] a sensation of mysterious horror. [[Peter Pevensie|Peter]] feels suddenly brave and adventurous. [[Susan Pevensie|Susan]] feels as if some delicious smell or some delightful strain of music had just floated by her. [[Lucy Pevensie|Lucy]] gets the feeling you have when you wake up in the morning and realize that it is the beginning of the holidays or the beginning of summer. After her winter is destroyed, the [[White Witch]] threatens to kill the next person who mentions the name of Aslan. Before he becomes a dragon, [[Eustace Clarence Scrubb|Eustace]] hates the name. When [[Jill Pole|Jill]] first hears it, she says, "What a curious name!" But [[Eustace Clarence Scrubb|Eustace]] replies, "Not half so curious as Himself." |
One of the most interesting aspects of Aslan's character is that He can be both loving and terrifying. In Ch. 12 of ''The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'', Lewis writes, "People who have not been in Narnia sometimes think that a thing cannot be good and terrible at the same time. If the children had ever thought so, they were cured of it now. For when they tried to look at Aslan's face they just caught a glimpse of the golden mane and the great, royal, solemn, overwhelming eyes; and then they found they couldn't look at him and went all trembly." | One of the most interesting aspects of Aslan's character is that He can be both loving and terrifying. In Ch. 12 of ''The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'', Lewis writes, "People who have not been in Narnia sometimes think that a thing cannot be good and terrible at the same time. If the children had ever thought so, they were cured of it now. For when they tried to look at Aslan's face they just caught a glimpse of the golden mane and the great, royal, solemn, overwhelming eyes; and then they found they couldn't look at him and went all trembly." | ||
Nothing has ever harmed the Great Lion except with His consent. When [[White Witch|Jadis]] throws a metal bar from a lamppost at Aslan, it bounces off and falls harmlessly to the ground. After [[Caspian|King Caspian X]] dies and enters Aslan's Country, the Lion asks [[Eustace Clarence Scrubb|Eustace]] to drive a thorn into His paw, and a large drop of blood splashes over the [[Caspian|King]] and awakens him. And of course, Aslan allows Himself be bound on the Stone Table where the [[White Witch]] kills Him with her stone knife. But even then, Aslan does not remain dead. He has knowledge of a Deeper Magic which the [[White Witch]] did not know. As it says in ''The Last Battle'', it was by His blood that all Narnia was saved. | Nothing has ever harmed the Great Lion except with His consent. When [[White Witch|Jadis]] throws a metal bar from a lamppost at Aslan, it bounces off and falls harmlessly to the ground. After [[Caspian|King Caspian X]] dies and enters Aslan's Country, the Lion asks [[Eustace Clarence Scrubb|Eustace]] to drive a thorn into His paw, and a large drop of blood splashes over the [[Caspian|King]] and awakens him. And of course, Aslan allows Himself be bound on the Stone Table where the [[White Witch]] kills Him with her stone knife. But even then, Aslan does not remain dead. He has knowledge of a Deeper Magic which the [[White Witch]] did not know. As it says in ''The Last Battle'', it was by His blood that all Narnia was saved. | ||
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===~ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe ~ (1950)=== | ===~ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe ~ (1950)=== | ||
| - | [[File:3784.jpg|left]]When the Pevensies hear the name of Aslan for the first time, they experience feelings of awe, joy, excitement, and (in [[Edmund Pevensie|Edmund]]'s case) horror. An old Narnian prophecy says that "Wrong will be right when Aslan comes in sight / At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more / When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death | + | [[File:3784.jpg|left]]When the Pevensies hear the name of Aslan for the first time, they experience feelings of awe, joy, excitement, and (in [[Edmund Pevensie|Edmund]]'s case) horror. An old Narnian prophecy says that "Wrong will be right when Aslan comes in sight / At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more / When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death / And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again." After one hundred years of the [[White Witch]]'s winter, Aslan's coming heralds spring as the snow begins to melt. The Pevensies and the [[Mr. and Mrs. Beaver|Beavers]] first meet Him at the Stone Table, where Aslan knights [[Peter Pevensie|Peter]] after he kills the Wolf [[Maugrim]]. After [[Edmund Pevensie|Edmund]] is rescued, the [[White Witch]] requests an audience with Aslan and tries to claim [[Edmund Pevensie|Edmund]] by citing the Deep Magic (which states that all traitors belong to her). Aslan negotiates with her privately and offers his own life in return for [[Edmund Pevensie|Edmund]]'s. The [[White Witch|Witch]] accepts this offer and renounces her claim on [[Edmund Pevensie|Edmund]]'s blood. Late that night, Aslan sets out for the Stone Table once again, and [[Susan Pevensie|Susan]] and [[Lucy Pevensie|Lucy]] accompany Him. There, Aslan is bound on the Table and killed by the [[White Witch|Witch]]. After she and her army have gone, the girls weep over the dead Lion's body. But as the sun rises, the Table cracks and Aslan returns to life. He explains that there is a Deeper Magic that says "when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor's stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backwards." The girls ride on Aslan's back as He runs to the [[White Witch]]'s house. There, Aslan breathes on the statues and restores them to life. Then He leads them to Beruna, where the Narnians are battling the [[White Witch|Witch]]'s army. With a roar that shakes all Narnia, Aslan leaps upon the [[White Witch|Witch]] and kills her. After the battle, He makes [[Edmund Pevensie|Edmund]] a knight for his heroism. Days later, in Cair Paravel, Aslan crowns the Pevensies kings and queens of Narnia. In the middle of the celebration, He slips away, and is not seen again for a number of years. |
===~ The Horse and His Boy ~ (1954)=== | ===~ The Horse and His Boy ~ (1954)=== | ||
| - | [[File:3773.jpg|left]]During the Golden Age of Narnia when the four Pevensies are reigning in Cair Paravel, the baby Prince Cor ([[Shasta]]) of Archenland is kidnapped by a former advisor of his father, [[King Lune]]. When [[King Lune]]'s ships catch up to them, [[Shasta]] is set in a boat with a knight to escape, and Aslan Himself pushes the boat so that it comes to the country of Calormen where a fisherman sits to receive it. This simple act sets in motion events that will eventually save Archenland. As [[Shasta]] and the Talking Horse [[Bree]] make their escape from Calormen to Narnia, they encounter what they believe to be multiple lions (but which are actually just one). In this way Aslan causes them to meet [[Aravis]], a Calormene princess, and her companion, the Talking Horse [[Hwin]]. After [[Shasta]] gets through the city of Tashbaan and has to spend the night at the Tombs of the Ancient Kings, the Lion roars to keep the jackals away. He also takes the form of a cat and comforts [[Shasta]] that night. Later in the journey, as the company struggles to reach Anvard to warn them of [[Rabadash]]'s attack, Aslan chases them once again and gives the horses the new strength of fear so that [[Shasta]] can reach [[King Lune]] in time. [[Shasta]] feels that he is the most unfortunate person in the entire world, but the Lion appears to him and explains the purposes behind the events in his life. Aslan also appears to [[Bree]], [[Aravis]], and [[Hwin]] who are staying with the [[Hermit]]. Aslan tells [[Hwin]] that great joy would be hers since she came willingly to Him. He corrects [[Bree]]'s belief that He is not a real Lion, and explains to [[Aravis]] why He gave her the scars on her back. Aslan appears at | + | [[File:3773.jpg|left]]During the Golden Age of Narnia when the four Pevensies are reigning in Cair Paravel, the baby Prince Cor ([[Shasta]]) of Archenland is kidnapped by a former advisor of his father, [[King Lune]]. When [[King Lune]]'s ships catch up to them, [[Shasta]] is set in a boat with a knight to escape, and Aslan Himself pushes the boat so that it comes to the country of Calormen where a fisherman sits to receive it. This simple act sets in motion events that will eventually save Archenland. As [[Shasta]] and the Talking Horse [[Bree]] make their escape from Calormen to Narnia, they encounter what they believe to be multiple lions (but which are actually just one). In this way Aslan causes them to meet [[Aravis]], a Calormene princess, and her companion, the Talking Horse [[Hwin]]. After [[Shasta]] gets through the city of Tashbaan and has to spend the night at the Tombs of the Ancient Kings, the Lion roars to keep the jackals away. He also takes the form of a cat and comforts [[Shasta]] that night. Later in the journey, as the company struggles to reach Anvard to warn them of [[Rabadash]]'s attack, Aslan chases them once again and gives the horses the new strength of fear so that [[Shasta]] can reach [[King Lune]] in time. [[Shasta]] feels that he is the most unfortunate person in the entire world, but the Lion appears to him and explains the purposes behind the events in his life. Aslan also appears to [[Bree]], [[Aravis]], and [[Hwin]] who are staying with the [[Hermit]]. Aslan tells [[Hwin]] that great joy would be hers since she came willingly to Him. He corrects [[Bree]]'s belief that He is not a real Lion, and explains to [[Aravis]] why He gave her the scars on her back. Aslan appears at [[Rabadash|Prince Rabadash]]'s trial and, after giving him many chances to repent, changes him into a donkey. |
===~ Prince Caspian ~ (1951)=== | ===~ Prince Caspian ~ (1951)=== | ||
