White Witch

Infobox Narnia character


caption =Jadis, the White Witch. Art by Leo and Diane Dillon.
name = Jadis, the White Witch
race = Human
nation = Charn
gender = Female
title = Her Imperial Majesty, Jadis, Queen of Narnia, Chatelaine of Cair Paravel, Empress of the Lone Islands (Former: Her Imperial Majesty, Jadis, Empress of Charn
birthplace = presumably Charn
otherFamily = Royal family of Charn
major1 = The Magician's Nephew
major2 = The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
film1 = 1988 BBC miniseries: Barbara Kellerman
film2 = : Tilda Swinton

Jadis, commonly known as the White Witch, is the main villain of "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe", the first published book in C. S. Lewis' "Chronicles of Narnia" series, and the second chronologically. Jadis also appears at length in "The Magician's Nephew", which concerns her origins and the origins of Narnia.

A short biographical sketch added to the books by later editors has led some readers to conclude that Jadis and the Lady of the Green Kirtle from "The Silver Chair" are the same person; but there is no suggestion to that effect in Lewis's writing.

Character history

The White Witch was born before the creation of Narnia, Narnian year 0, and died in battle in Narnian year 1000.

In "The Magician's Nephew", Jadis is revealed to be a native of Charn (a different world entirely from Narnia), where she descended from a long line of kings and queens. This line began well, with honorable, decent-hearted people, but it grew evil and malevolent over many generations. Charn's final queen, Jadis, a powerful sorceress, having destroyed Charn for political gain, abandons it for the world of Narnia. She passes through the Wood between the Worlds, an endless forest filled with pools of water that act as portals to other worlds, including the worlds of Earth and Narnia. While in the Wood, she appears to lose health, strength, and magical ability. Charn is destroyed so utterly that when Jadis leaves its pool in the Wood, the pool dries to nothing. Through the reckless actions of Diggory Kirk, Jadis is transported to the world of Narnia at its creation, and she immediately starts scheming to become its mistress. She eats of the fruit Diggory is sent to fetch, acquiring immortality and her white-colored skin; she travels then to the North to develop her magic anew, becoming the first of the "Northern Witches".

In "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe", Jadis has usurped power over Narnia, having magically forced the land into an "endless winter" during her reign, which as the book opens had lasted for a hundred years. Though it is always winter, she prevents Christmas from ever coming.

During her reign, the White Witch is styled "Her Imperial Majesty Jadis, Queen of Narnia, Chatelaine of Cair Paravel, Empress of the Lone Islands". She makes two claims to buttress her authority to rule over Narnia. The first is that she is a human from Earth (a "daughter of Eve"). At the beginning of Narnia, Aslan gave "sons of Adam and daughters of Eve" dominion over all the beasts and magical creatures of Narnia. (Narnian dwarfs are not considered to be human, even though they can and do reproduce with humans; they are called "Sons of Earth".) Although the White Witch appears human (despite her irregular skin color and abnormal height), Narnian rumor holds that she descends from Adam's first wife, Lilith, and was half-Jinn and half-giantess, and thus not even partially human. "The Magician's Nephew", by contrast with this slander, recounts her origin on Charn; but whether the people of Charn are human is never addressed.

The White Witch's second claim is that she is a servant of the Emperor-Over-the-Sea and rules with his blessing. This is at best a half-truth: she is the first to rebel in Narnia, and by the workings of the Deep Magic she is given ownership of all traitors and the right to kill them. For this reason, Mr. Beaver characterizes her as the Emperor's hangman (though Aslan rebukes him for saying this). the White Witch favors the Stone Table for her executions.

When the Pevensie children arrive in Narnia via Diggory's magical wardrobe, it is explained to them that, according to an ancient prophecy, when two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve fill the four thrones at Cair Paravel as Kings and Queens of Narnia, the reign of the White Witch and the endless winter would end. Jadis is aware of the prophecy, and employs spies to tell her of any human that came to Narnia. While there are other humans in the world of Narnia at the time of the first book — humans descended from the original King Frank and Queen Helen populate Archenland, Calormen, and the island kingdoms — humans are completely unknown in occupied Narnia, to the extent that the Narnians think them mythological.

The White Witch's most notorious deed, aside from uttering the Deplorable Word that destroys Charn, is killing Aslan on the Stone Table (as a surrogate for Edmund), her right by the Deep Magic. Aslan returns to life by Deeper Magic, and in the subsequent battle, Aslan kills the witch, ending her reign of terror.

In "Prince Caspian", Nikabrik (a dwarf), a hag, and a wer-wolf (to use Lewis's spelling) plan to bring the Witch back using black sorcery in their bid to defeat King Miraz, but their plan backfires when they are killed in a fight with Caspian and his allies.

In "The Silver Chair", she is called one of the "Northern Witches", along with the Lady of the Green Kirtle, who Glimfeather (the Owl) speculates may be "of the same crew" as the White Witch, though Jadis was the only survivor of Charn.

Characteristics

In her own dominion, Charn, Jadis is formidable; but she finds her magic largely useless in other worlds. She eventually strengthens her powers and usurps the throne of Narnia, using her magic to cast the land into perpetual winter. Her most feared weapon is her wand, whose magic is capable of turning people into stone. The petrified remains of her enemies decorate the halls of her castle.

An extraordinarily beautiful, tall and imposing woman, Jadis' beauty enchants Digory Kirke, Andrew Ketterley and Edmund Pevensie on first encounters. She is also physically powerful and , capable of breaking iron with her bare hands and lifting human beings off their feet. Unlike her magic, she retains her superhuman strength in other worlds (except in the Wood between the Worlds). She is seven feet tall, as were all members of the Royal Family of Charn, and once she has eaten the Fruit of Everlasting Life, her skin becomes as white as paper. A natural-born sorceress and a cunning strategist, Jadis is arrogant and cruel, considering herself above all rules and viewing others as tools to be used or obstacles to be demolished. Her callousness is most clearly demonstrated when she uses the Deplorable Word in Charn to vanquish her sister, even though the Word would eradicate all life in that world but her own. She prefers to destroy that entire world than submit to her sister's authority, and afterwards shows a remorseless pride in her actions.

The White Witch's Narnian followers include Wolves, Black Dwarves, Giants, Werewolves, Tree Spirits that are on her side, Ghouls, Boggles, Ogres, Minotaurs, Cruels, Hags, Gorgons, Spectres, People of the Toadstools, Incubi, Wraiths, Poisonous Plants, Horrors, Orknies, Efreets, Evil Sprites, Wooses, Ettins, Giant Bats, Vultures, and Evil Apes.

The various movie versions add other creatures to her army:

* In the 1979 animated movie: A Bigfoot-like creature and an Ostrich-like creature. There are many bizzare-looking monsters in addition ranging from a bat-winged bird, a hippopotamus-headed creature, something that appears to be a big pink slug with arms, something that looks like a blue caveman, numerous horned things, some creatures that appear ghoulish, some creatures that appear impish, and some creatures that resemble gargoyles, warlocks, and dragon-like creatures.
* In the 1988 miniseries: Barbarians, Dark Samurais, Lichs, Hyenas, and Lizard Men. There is also a bat woman which may be a harpy.
* In the 2005 movie: White Tigers, Goblins, Harpies and Cyclops Ragers, two Polar Bears who pulled her chariot and two monsters made for the movie (Minoboars and Ankle-Slicers). In concept art for the movie, Manticores and Succubi were intended for the White Witch's army.

Etymology

For the name 'Jadis', Lewis may have taken the French word "jadis"Fact|date=February 2008 (IPA2|ʒadis), which means "of old" or "once upon a time" — a customary opening in French fairy tales. It has also been suggested that the source may have been the Turkish word "cadı" IPA2|dʒadɯDubious|date=February 2008 which means "witch". (Compare also Persian جادو "jâdu" 'witchcraft', جادوگر "jâdugar" 'witch'.)

Portrayals

Radio

The voice of Jadis was provided by Elizabeth Counsell in Focus on the Family's radio drama versions of "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and "The Magician's Nephew". (Later she made a cameo as a lamb in "The Last Battle".)

Television

American actress Beth Porter provided the voice of the White Witch for the 1979 animated television adaptation of "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" (for the British release, Sheila Hancock's voice was dubbed in).

In the 1988 BBC miniseries "The Chronicles of Narnia", The White Witch was played by Barbara Kellerman. In a later episode, Kellerman was cast in the role as the Lady of the Green Kirtle, as the limited budget of the miniseries caused the BBC to re-use several other actors and actresses in multiple roles. Due to this, some readers believe that The White Witch and Green Lady are the same person, especially due to a lack of back story given to the Green Lady. However, this was never explicitly supported in Lewis's writings.

Theatrical film series

In the 2005 Walt Disney Pictures feature film "", she was portrayed by British actress Tilda Swinton. Swinton's performance won particular acclaim among fans and critics. BBC film critic Stella Papamichael wrote:cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2005/11/25/the_chronicles_of_narnia_2005_review.shtml|title=The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe (2005)|publisher=BBC|date=2005-12-09|accessdate=2006-10-17]

Tilda Swinton was nominated for an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain for her performance as the White Witch in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe".

Swinton reprised her role as The White Witch in the 2008 sequel "". In a scene exclusive to the film, the hag, werewolf and dwarf that planned to resurrect The White Witch in the novel manage to conjure up an apparition of her within a mystical wall of ice. The White Witch says that she needs a drop of "Adam's blood" to live again, which she tries to coax from Caspian and then from Peter with promises of lending her great powers to their cause against King Miraz once she is made whole. However, Edmund shatters the ice before the Witch can obtain the drop of blood, and she is sent back into oblivion.

It is yet unknown whether Swinton will return to play the character in a film adaptation of "The Magician's Nephew", though she has expressed interest.

In the parody film "Epic Movie" the main antagonist is the White Bitch of Gnarnia, a parody of Jadis portrayed by Jennifer Coolidge. [Cast list on [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0799949/ IMDB] ]

Jadis, The White Witch appears in the "Robot Chicken" episode "Robot Chicken's Half-Assed Christmas Special", voiced by Emma Caulfield. Her sleigh happens upon the nerd who kills Mr. Tumnus, and she invites him to her palace. She then entices him to go on a mission to eliminate Aslan.

In the episode 'Flood' in the first series of the British sit-com The Young Ones the violent punk Vyvyan (Adrian Edmundson) hides in a wardrobe and finds himself in an obvious parody of Lewis's Narnia. Here he meets a White Witch who offers his some Turkish Delight, which he refuses in favour of a kebab. He then tries to pick a fight with her dwarf.

References

External links

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