Narnia’s Origin Story Will Blow Your Mind! 🤯

by

Most readers who enjoy “The Chronicles of Narnia” usually recognize it as their starting point, as “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” was the initial book in the series and the first movie adaptation during Disney’s run in the 2000s. This is where author C.S. Lewis typically begins his magical world and its assortment of legendary creatures.

Currently, Netflix is making an attempt to transport C.S. Lewis’ enchanting universe from the wardrobe onto your streaming device. It’s likely that we might witness the narrative unfold at a significantly earlier stage. Although no official announcements have been made yet, whispers suggest that Greta Gerwig may delve deep into The Magician’s Nephew, potentially setting the first chapter of this new tale.

What is it that sets The Magician’s Nephew apart from other books? Lewis crafts this tale as a captivating foundation for the entire Narnia series. The book provides insights such as the background of the White Witch, the origin of the Wardrobe, and the reason behind the enchanted lamppost in the forest that remains lit throughout Narnia’s later tales. However, what truly makes it unique is its focus on the legendary genesis of Narnia itself. The book delves deep into the reasons and methods by which Aslan’s realm was brought to life—as events unfold in real-time.

Reader Alert: We’re delving into details from a potentially revealing source. If you prefer to keep the origins of Lewis’ world as a secret, exercise caution before reading further.

The Magician’s Nephew: The General Plot and How It Sets Up Narnia

In a temporal leap, we find ourselves preceding the events of “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe,” delving into the year 1900 instead of the early years of the Second World War. The primary characters in this story are Polly Plummer and Digory Kirke, with the latter name hinting at a familiar figure – indeed, this is the same Professor Kirke who resides later as the elderly inhabitant of the house containing the magical Wardrobe.

The narrative revolves around two young characters embarking on a global escapade at the dawn of a new century, guided by enchantment and mystery. Essentially, in the abridged version of the initial part, Digory and Polly become acquainted, receive mystical rings from Digory’s manipulative Uncle Andrew. These rings transport them out of our world to a transitional realm known as the Wood Between the Worlds. In this enchanted location, they discover portals leading to various worlds through magical pools.

In this scenario, when they venture there, they find themselves in an ancient, dimly-lit realm known as Charn. Here, they encounter a towering, intimidating woman named Jadis. She discloses that she had eradicated all life within this world, justifying her actions as a means of self-preservation.

After their adventure, the group finds themselves once again in England, where they encounter trouble from the magical entity Jadis. They are accompanied by Uncle Andrew, a taxi driver from London named Frank, and his horse Strawberry. The entire group then ventures into another portal, transporting them to a world that initially appears to be Narnia, but is not quite there yet.

Narnia’s Origin (Genesis) Story in The Magician’s Nephew: The Song of Aslan

As Digory, Polly, Jadis, and their group arrive in Narnia, they discover it’s not merely dim; it’s devoid of any presence. They’ve entered a realm that is still void of content. They hesitate momentarily, uncertain about their surroundings. Then, the book The Magician’s Nephew describes, “In the gloom, something was stirring at last. A voice started to resonate.

This is none other than Aslan’s voice echoing through the world, and its profound melody reverberates in the silence. It’s not just a pleasant sound, but it holds a powerful creative force. The text continues by stating, “Its lower notes were as deep as the earth’s own voice. There were no specific words or even a discernible tune. Yet, it surpassed all other sounds he had ever heard in beauty.

First, Aslan’s melodious voice stirs the stars, turning them into harmonious participants in his symphony of creation. Simultaneously, the sun emerges as his song echoes, filling the atmosphere. Remarkably swift, trees sprout and animals emerge from earthy mounds, resembling bubbles boiling over in a pot.

Creative Music Is a Part of the Narnia Mythology

It’s significant to mention that Lewis explicitly ties Aslan’s singing to the act of creation itself. At a pivotal moment in Narnia’s birth, the narrative reveals, “Polly found the song increasingly captivating as she sensed the link between the music and the events unfolding.” Later on, it is stated, “With an indescribable excitement, she was convinced that everything was being born (as she put it) ‘from the Lion’s mind.’ When you listened to his song, you could hear the things he was creating; when you looked around, you saw them materializing.

The music has such power that when Jadis hurls an iron bar from a street light (which she had carried with her from England) at Aslan, it ricochets off his head and safely falls to the ground below. However, Aslan’s extraordinary magical abilities are so strong that even this iron bar begins to sprout, transforming into its own lamp post. Indeed, that very lamp post.

The Lengthy Origin Story of Narnia Continues

In “The Magician’s Nephew,” C.S. Lewis doesn’t just give a single account of the creation myth for Narnia; instead, it’s a recurring theme that unfolds progressively from midway through the book until its conclusion. Although we won’t delve into every aspect here, it’s worth mentioning that this tale spans from the inception of the world itself and includes elements reminiscent of Adam and Eve, the Garden of Eden, and Original Sin – key concepts deeply rooted in Lewis’ Christian faith.

Stepping into the cinematic realm, I must say that while undeniably influenced by Christian mythology, this retelling breaks free from the traditional mold. For example, in this fresh take on Aslan’s domain (Narnia), the equivalent of Adam is a London taxi driver transformed into King Frank I. Contrary to biblical lore, his queen, Helen I, doesn’t originate from his side but hails from England and joins him. The horse Strawberry undergoes an extraordinary transformation, metamorphosing into a Pegasus named Fledge, the progenitor of all flying equines.

In a more ominous narrative arc, Jadis assumes the character of a malevolent figure, much like Satan, with hints of Lilith from ancient Mesopotamian and Jewish folklore. She challenges Narnia’s ruling order, partakes of forbidden fruit, and tempts Digory to misuse Aslan’s power, driven by personal desires.

In every aspect, Lewis skillfully intertwines the authentic Christian Genesis and related scriptures within his imaginative mythology. He never loses sight of his extensive multi-book narrative elements as well. For example, Digory plants a tree from Narnia upon returning to England, which he eventually uses to construct—as you might surmise—a wardrobe. The level of detail in this story is remarkable and captivating. Ultimately, it results in one of the most enchanting and entertaining chapters within the entirety of the Narnia series.

C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Musical Mythmaking

CS Lewis held a strong affinity for compelling myths, viewing them as vital components in grasping truth. In his essay “Myth Becomes Reality,” he expressed that experiencing a powerful myth brings us closest to tangibly understanding abstract concepts. For Lewis, myth served as a means to translate abstractions into reality through narrative, and this concept is evidently reflected in the creation story of Narnia. Each tale brims with profound significance and a deeper allegorical bond.

Lewis’ idea of music serving as a powerful creative element is echoed in J.R.R. Tolkien’s works, particularly in their shared friendships. Unlike Lewis, Tolkien’s creation myth for Middle-earth lacks a Lion figure and has a more somber tone. However, similar to Aslan’s song, the “Ainulindalë” from Tolkien’s writings presents a creative force in the form of angelic beings called the Ainur, who collaborate with Ilúvatar, a God-figure, to sing the history of the world into existence. This grand melody is known as the Great Music and, like Aslan’s song, it brings forth light and life.

In “The Silmarillion,” the third sentence unfolds a creation myth where Ilúvatar addresses the Ainur, proposing musical themes for them to contemplate. Delighted by their harmonious performance, he then created the Great Music along with them. Later on, he revealed to them this visual representation of their music, granting them sight instead of just hearing. This new world they saw was the one they had previously only heard in their music. After a moment of silent contemplation, Ilúvatar reiterated, “Behold your Music!” He explained that this was their collective composition, and within it, each Ainur would find elements that seemed as if they had personally designed or contributed to it according to the plan he had set for them.

The similarities in music between these two authors’ fictional realms create an intriguing link, infusing their mythologies with a silent and intense emotion. This enriches their dimensions significantly, contributing greatly to the timeless and enigmatic characteristics that keep audiences hooked, spanning various age groups, social classes, and creative forms. Notably, a fresh interpretation of Narnia is on its way to television screens, courtesy of Netflix. Let’s explore how this new adaptation’s backstory for Narnia aligns with the original source material.

Read More

2025-04-02 16:03