White Witch

For other uses, see White Witch (disambiguation).

The White Witch. Art by Leo and Diane Dillon

Jadis the White Witch is the key villain of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the first published book in C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia, (the sixth published book was a prequel, and in some modern editions is called the "first" book of the series). She was the tyrant who had usurped power over the land of Narnia. The White Witch magically forced Narnia into a never-ending winter during her reign, which at the beginning of the book had lasted for a hundred years (indeed, an alternative title for the book was The Hundred Year Winter). Even though it had been winter for one hundred years, there had never been a Christmas during that time. A common lament of the Narnians had been that it was, "Always winter, but never Christmas!"

During her reign, the White Witch had been styled as Her Imperial Majesty Jadis, Queen of Narnia, Chatelaine of Cair Paravel, Empress of the Lone Islands, etc. As with the name Aslan, her name appears to be derived from Turkish with "cadı," (IPA [dʒɑˈdɯ]) meaning witch in this language.

In the 2005 Walt Disney Pictures feature film release "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," the character of the White Witch Jadis is portrayed by British actress Tilda Swinton. She was also played by Barbara Kellerman in the 1988 TV series.

Characteristics

In her own dominion, Charn, the White Witch was exceptionally formidable but found her magic largely useless in other worlds. She eventually strengthened her powers and was able to usurp the throne of Narnia using her magic to cast the land in an eternal winter (it's possible that this winter killed the Tree of Protection which had been planted to keep her out of Narnia). Her most feared tool is her wand, whose magic (not necessarily by touch, as in the film) is capable of turning people into stone. The petrified remains of her enemies are then brought to her castle where they would decorate its halls.

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Tilda Swinton as Jadis, The White Witch in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

The White Witch is an extraordinarily beautiful and imposing woman, whose beauty enchanted both Digory Kirke and Edmund Pevensie on first encounters. She is also physically powerful and amazonian, being able to break iron with her bare hands and lift human beings off their feet. Unlike her magic, she retains her superhuman strength everywhere except in the Wood between the Worlds. Her skin is as white as paper and she is exceptionally tall (7ft), as her ancestors in Charn. A natural-born sorceress and cunning strategist, she is cruel and arrogant, seeing herself as above all rules of conduct regarding others as tools to be used or obstacles to be demolished. Her callousness was most clearly demonstrated when she used the Deplorable Word within Charn to eradicate all life in that world but her own, vanquishing her sister. She preferred to destroy the entire world than submit to her sister and allow her to rule it, and afterwards showed a complete lack of remorse for such total destruction.

The White Witch's Narnian minions were composed of a large variety of evil magic creatures, but predominant among them were the wolves on her side and the black-bearded dwarves (including the one who drives her sled pulled by Reindeer). The White Witch's army consisted of fierce Giants, Werewolves, Tree Spirits that were on her side, Ghouls, Boggles, Ogres, Minotaurs, Cruels, Hags, Spectres, People of the Toadstool, Incubi, Wraiths, Vicious Plants, Horrors, Orknies, Efreets, Evil Sprites, Wooses, Ettins, Giant Bats, Vultures, and Evil Apes.

In the 2005 movie, White Tigers and Cyclops Ragers were in the White Witch's army. Creatures called Minoboars and Ankleslicers were also on her side, but created for the movie.

Character history

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

She made two false claims which, if true, would have given her authority to rule over Narnia. The first was that she was human. At the beginning of Narnia, Aslan gave "sons of Adam and daughters of Eve" dominion over all the beasts and magical creatures of Narnia, (even though they can and do reproduce with humans, Narnian dwarfs are not considered to be human; they are referred to as "Sons of Earth"). Although the White Witch appears human (despite her unnatural skin colour and above average height), Narnian rumour holds that she was actually a descendant from Adam's first wife, Lilith, and was half-Jinn and half-giantess, and thus not even partially human.

In "The Silver Chair," a character comments that she was one of the "Northern Witches," along with the Lady of the Green Kirtle, but does not elaborate much; and in the immediately following book (as written), "The Magician's Nephew," she is revealed to be a native of Charn, another world entirely. At the end of "The Magician's Nephew," Jadis heads "north" from the western-most point in Narnia, thus making it the only connection to the "Northern Witches" legend. While the people of Charn appear human, there is no concrete proof of this. Aside from the issue of Lilith existing in our world, while the Witch apparently originates from Charn (explained, possibly, by the inter-world travel which we know could and did occur in many ways), her ancestry is not disclosed further and we can assume that the rumour first stated in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" is the truth. Jadis is a descendant of a long line of kings and queens of Charn, who started out good but grew worse and worse over the generations.

Her second claim was that she was a servant of the Emperor-Over-the-Sea and ruled by his and Aslan's blessing. This was a half-truth because she was the first to rebel in Narnia and by the workings of the Deep Magic was given ownership of all traitors and the right to kill them. She was in essence the Emperor's hangman and carried out her executions on the Stone Table. In this way she could represent sin, which in Christianity holds the power of death over those who follow it.

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Alternative promotional poster of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe featuring Tilda Swinton as the White Witch.

It was explained to the Pevensies that an ancient prophecy had been made concerning the overthrow of the White Witch, stating that when two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve filled the four thrones at Cair Paravel as Kings and Queens of Narnia, the reign of the White Witch and the endless winter would end. The White Witch was aware of the prophecy, and employed spies to tell her of any human that came to Narnia. While it is known that there were other humans in the world of Narnia at the time of the first book — the descendants of the original King Frank and his Queen are human and populate Archenland, Calormen, and the island kingdoms — they are completely unknown in occupied Narnia, to the extent that they are regarded as possibly mythological. There is no doubt that during Jadis' rule over Narnia she managed to rid the country of any human race. In the 2005 film, Mr. Tumnus mentions that his father went away to war before the hundred years of winter. This war was quite probably against the White Witch's forces invading from the north.

In "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," the White Witch left a note nailed to Mr. Tumnus' floor which revealed that her name was "Jadis." But in "The Magician's Nephew," it is explained that she was the Empress and last inhabitant of another world which contained a great and ancient city known as Charn inhabited by the Jinn. Jadis spoke "the Deplorable Word," which when spoken properly would destroy every living thing except the one who uttered it (previously used in order to defeat her sister from her desire to rule Charn). Jadis came to Narnia via the Wood between the Worlds, which is an endless forest filled with pools of water that are portals to other worlds, Earth's and Narnia's worlds included. When in the Wood, Jadis appears to lose health, strength, and magical ability, although whether this is an ongoing draining effect or merely a temporary weakening is not known. Charn was destroyed after Jadis left, so utterly that pool in the Wood dried to nothing.

The White Witch's worst deed, aside from uttering the Deplorable Word, was when she killed Aslan on the Stone Table, instead of Edmund. However Aslan came back to life due to Deeper Magic than the Deep Magic, and while the Witch was fighting in battle, Aslan leaped on top of her, mauling her to death and ending her reign of terror.

In "Prince Caspian," it is commented (by a Hag) that, "You cannot kill a Witch," and the more unscrupulous of Caspian's army contemplate the question of bringing her back to defeat King Miraz for the old Narnians. Fortunately they are persuaded otherwise and the idea of her resurrection is never raised again in the series.

In "The Silver Chair," the Lady of the Green Kirtle or Queen of Underland was the main villain. For a long period it was held in popular belief that the Lady of the Green Kirtle and Jadis were one in the same person. However, further into the book itself it is clear that they are not. Since Glimfeather (the Owl) in commenting on the Green Kirtle, refers to the White Witch who at one time ruled over Narnia, and that he believed this mysterious woman was "of the same crew," perhaps no more than a mere servant or follower of Jadis. For the White Witch no doubt had left her mark permanently on Narnia and had many followers long after her demise. In the BBC Television series of Narnia, actress Barbara Kellerman (who played Jadis the White Which in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" also played the part of the Lady of the Green Kirtle (or Green Lady as she was called in the series) in "The Silver Chair," further adding to the similarities between the two characters. It is unknown however where this witch came from, she is said to be "of the same kind" as the White Witch, but Jadis was the only survivor of her homeworld. To be literally of the same kind as the White Witch, the Queen of Underland would have to be either her reincarnation or her descendant.

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