Reepicheep

Last updated
Reepicheep
Narnia character
Reepicheep.webp
Reepicheep as he appears in The Chronicles of Narnia
In-universe information
Race Talking Mouse
TitleChief Mouse
Nationality Narnia

Reepicheep the Mouse is a fictional character in the children's fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis. He appears as a minor character in Prince Caspian and as a major character in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader , and also briefly at the end of The Last Battle . Reepicheep is a Talking Mouse, the leader of the Talking Mice of Narnia; he is irascible yet imperturbably courteous, utterly without fear, and motivated by a deep concern for honour.

Contents

Description

Reepicheep is described as a "gay and martial mouse", [1] about two feet high when standing on his hind legs, [2] with ears "nearly as long as (though broader than) a rabbit's"; [1] small Talking Beasts in Narnia are very much larger than their "dumb" counterparts. [3] He speaks with a shrill, piping voice. His fur is very dark, almost black. He wears a thin circlet of gold on his head, with a crimson feather. [2] [4] His weapon is a rapier.

Appearances

In Prince Caspian

Reepicheep leads the Talking Mice in battle against the Telmarines under Caspian's command. He is badly wounded, losing his tail, in the climactic conflict. Lucy heals his wounds with her magic cordial, but he finds when he rises to address Aslan that his tail has not regrown, and he apologizes for appearing in such a dishonourable state. Aslan counters that he is perhaps too concerned about his honour. Reepicheep, in a key speech, replies to the effect that Talking Mice, being very small, would be at a constant disadvantage if they did not zealously guard their honour. The other Talking Mice prepare to cut their own tails off if their Chief is not allowed to retain his, at which Aslan relents and miraculously restores Reepicheep's tail.

In The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

The only Talking Beast amongst the titular ship's crew, Reepicheep reveals that he has been driven since infancy by a vision of finding Aslan's Country across the sea in the far east of the Narnian world. His aspirations and code of honour bring him into conflict early with the egregious Eustace, but when the latter is turned into a dragon by a curse, Reepicheep becomes his chief friend and comforter. It is Reepicheep who urges the Dawn Treader to sail into the mysterious Island of Darkness, thus facilitating the rescue of Lord Rhoop, the fourth of the Seven Lords of Narnia whom it is their mission to find. The final three are found in a cursed sleep on Ramandu's Island, which can only be broken, the party are told, if they sail to the End of the World and there leave at least one of their number never to return; Reepicheep volunteers for this role and, at the end of the book, carries through with it, thereby both breaking the curse and fulfilling his vision.

In The Last Battle

When the main characters reach the gates of the Garden in Aslan's Country at the end of The Last Battle, it is Reepicheep who greets them.

Thematic significance

Christian elements

While The Chronicles of Narnia are often described as an allegory for Christianity, Lewis (himself an expert on allegory in literature) disputed this description on technical grounds, since most of the characters and plot elements do not "stand for" figures or events in Christian doctrine in any simple way. When a class of American fifth-graders wrote asking what the characters in Prince Caspian represented, Lewis replied

You are mistaken when you think that everything in the books "represents" something in this world. Things do that in The Pilgrim's Progress but I'm not writing in that way ... So the answer to your first two questions is that Reepicheep and Nick-i-Brick [sic] don't, in that sense, represent anyone. But of course anyone in our world who devotes his whole life to seeking Heaven will be like R, and anyone who wants some worldly thing so badly that he is ready to use wicked means to get it will be likely to behave like N. [5]

In a letter to one reader, Lewis laid out the plan of the Narnia series: "The whole Narnian story is about Christ." Each book, he said, was intended to showcase a different aspect of Christianity, and for The Voyage of the Dawn Treader it was "the spiritual life (specially in Reepicheep)". [6]

Chivalry

As a model both of ferocity on the battlefield and of courtesy in polite society, Reepicheep embodies the knightly ideal Lewis prescribes for manhood in his 1940 essay The Necessity of Chivalry. [7]

Portrayals

Related Research Articles

<i>The Chronicles of Narnia</i> Series of childrens fantasy novels by C. S. Lewis

The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of seven portal fantasy novels by British author C. S. Lewis. Illustrated by Pauline Baynes and originally published between 1950 and 1956, the series is set in the fictional realm of Narnia, a fantasy world of magic, mythical beasts and talking animals. It narrates the adventures of various children who play central roles in the unfolding history of the Narnian world. Except in The Horse and His Boy, the protagonists are all children from the real world who are magically transported to Narnia, where they are sometimes called upon by the lion Aslan to protect Narnia from evil. The books span the entire history of Narnia, from its creation in The Magician's Nephew to its eventual destruction in The Last Battle.

<i>Prince Caspian</i> Childrens fantasy novel by C. S. Lewis, 1951

Prince Caspian is a high fantasy novel for children by C. S. Lewis, published by Geoffrey Bles in 1951. It was the second published of seven novels in The Chronicles of Narnia (1950–1956), and Lewis had finished writing it in 1949, before the first book was out. It is volume four in recent editions of the series, sequenced according to the internal chronology of the books. Like the others, it was illustrated by Pauline Baynes and her work has been retained in many later editions.

<i>The Voyage of the Dawn Treader</i> Childrens fantasy novel by C. S. Lewis, 1952

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a portal fantasy novel for children written by C. S. Lewis, published by Geoffrey Bles in 1952. It was the third published of seven novels in The Chronicles of Narnia (1950–1956). Macmillan US published an American edition within the calendar year, with substantial revisions which were retained in the United States until 1994. It is volume five in recent editions, which are sequenced according to the novels' internal chronology. Like the other Chronicles of Narnia, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader was illustrated by Pauline Baynes, and her work has been retained in many later editions.

<i>The Silver Chair</i> 1953 childrens fantasy novel by C. S. Lewis

The Silver Chair is a children's portal fantasy novel by C. S. Lewis, published by Geoffrey Bles in 1953. It was the fourth published of seven novels in The Chronicles of Narnia (1950–1956); it is volume six in recent editions, which are sequenced according to Narnian history. Like the others, it was illustrated by Pauline Baynes and her work has been retained in many later editions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Susan Pevensie</span> Fictional character in The Chronicles of Narnia

Susan Pevensie is a fictional character in C. S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia series. Susan is the elder sister and the second eldest Pevensie child. She appears in three of the seven books—as a child in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian, and as an adult in The Horse and His Boy. She is also mentioned in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and The Last Battle. During her reign at the Narnian capital of Cair Paravel, she is known as Queen Susan the Gentle or Queen Susan of the Horn. She was the only Pevensie that survived the train crash on Earth which sent the others to Narnia after The Last Battle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edmund Pevensie</span> Fictional character in the Narnia universe.

Edmund Pevensie is a fictional character in C. S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia series. He is a principal character in three of the seven books, and a lesser character in two others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eustace Scrubb</span> Fictional character in the Narnia universe.

Eustace Clarence Scrubb is a fictional character in C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia. He appears in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, and The Last Battle. In The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, he is accompanied by Edmund and Lucy Pevensie, his cousins. In The Silver Chair and The Last Battle, he is accompanied by Jill Pole, a classmate from his school.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince Caspian (character)</span> Fictional character in The Chronicles of Narnia

Prince Caspian is a fictional character in The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis. He is featured in three books in the series: Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and The Silver Chair. He also appears at the end of The Last Battle.

<i>The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian</i> 2008 film directed by Andrew Adamson

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is a 2008 high fantasy film directed by Andrew Adamson, who co-wrote the screenplay with Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, based on the 1951 novel Prince Caspian, Produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media, the second published and fourth chronological novel in the children's book series The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis. The sequel to The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005), it is the second installment in The Chronicles of Narnia film series.

King Tirian is a fictional character from C. S. Lewis's fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia. He is the protagonist of The Last Battle, in which he is the last King of Narnia, who has to defend his kingdom against subversion and invasion. He is well respected by the Narnians and a skilled swordsman. He is descended from Prince Caspian, and is the son of King Erlian. His closest friend is Jewel the Unicorn.

The Chronicles of Narnia is a fantasy film series and media franchise based on The Chronicles of Narnia, a series of novels by C. S. Lewis. The series revolves around the adventures of children in the world of Narnia, guided by Aslan, a wise and powerful lion that can speak and is the true king of Narnia. The children heavily featured in the films are the Pevensie siblings, and a prominent antagonist is the White Witch. The franchise also includes short films, digital series, and video games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trumpkin</span> Fictional character in The Chronicles of Narnia

Trumpkin is a fictional character in C. S. Lewis' fantasy novel series The Chronicles of Narnia. Trumpkin is an intensely practical and skeptical dwarf who lives during the reigns of King Miraz and King Caspian X. He is a major character in Prince Caspian, briefly mentioned in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and is a minor character in The Silver Chair.

The Seven Great Lords of Narnia are fictional characters in The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis. They are briefly mentioned in Prince Caspian and are central to the plot in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the second and third published books, respectively, in the series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramandu's daughter</span> Fictional character in Narnia

Ramandu's daughter, also known as Lilliandil in the 2010 film version of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, is a fictional character from The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis. Introduced in the 1952 book The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, she aids Caspian X and the crew of Dawn Treader to break an enchantment on three of the Seven Great Lords of Narnia. Eventually she becomes Queen of Narnia, after marrying Caspian X, and bears his son, Rilian. In the 1953 novel The Silver Chair, the Lady of the Green Kirtle, in the form of a snake, kills her though she later reappears in the 1956 book The Last Battle. The character appears in multiple adaptations of the book series; the television serial The Chronicles of Narnia, where she is portrayed by Gabrielle Anwar, and The Chronicles of Narnia film series, where Laura Brent plays the role.

Lord Drinian is a fictional character in C. S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia. In The Voyage of the Dawn Treader he is the captain of the Dawn Treader and a close friend of King Caspian X. In The Silver Chair, he has remained a trusted advisor of the king, and has also become a close friend of Caspian's son, Prince Rilian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aslan</span> Fictional lion, a deity in The Chronicles of Narnia

Aslan is a major character in C. S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia series. Unlike any other character in the Narnian series, Aslan appears in all seven chronicles. Aslan is depicted as a talking lion and is described as the King of Beasts, the son of the Emperor-Over-the-Sea, and the King above all High Kings in Narnia.

<i>The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader</i> 2010 film by Michael Apted

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a 2010 high fantasy adventure film directed by Michael Apted from a screenplay by Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely, and Michael Petroni, based on the 1952 novel The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the third published and fifth chronological novel in the children's book series The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis. The sequel to The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008), it is the third and final installment in The Chronicles of Narnia film series. It is the only film in the series not to be distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, which was replaced by 20th Century Fox. However, Disney would eventually own the rights to all the films in the series following the acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney in 2019.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Narnia:

Magical creatures are an important aspect of the fictional world of Narnia contained within The Chronicles of Narnia book series and connected media originally created by C. S. Lewis. Throughout the seven books of the series, the protagonists encounter a variety of these creatures as they travel throughout Narnia and the surrounding lands and seas, including Archenland, Calormen, and the Great Eastern Ocean.

References

  1. 1 2 Prince Caspian p. 73
  2. 1 2 The Voyage of the Dawn Treader p. 16
  3. The Magician's Nephew p. 107
  4. The Last Battle p. 165
  5. Letter to a fifth-grade class in Maryland, 29 May 1954, in Dorsett, Lyle W.; Mead, Marjorie Lamp (1995). C. S. Lewis: Letters to Children. Touchstone. p. 44. ISBN   0-684-82372-1.
  6. Letter to Anne Jenkins, 5 March 1961, in Hooper, Walter (2007). The Collected Letters of C. S. Lewis, Volume III. HarperSanFrancisco. p. 1245. ISBN   978-0-06-081922-4.
  7. Mochel-Caballero, Anne-Frédérique (2011). L'Évangile selon C. S. Lewis: Le dépassement du masculin/féminin dans la quête de Dieu[The Gospel according to C. S. Lewis: Going beyond the masculine/feminine in the quest for God] (in French). Presses Univ. Septentrion. p. 49. ISBN   978-2-75-740225-2.
  8. "Prince Caspian and the Voyage of the Dawn Treader". IMDb.com. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  9. Complete Chronicles Of Narnia x14 CDs (Media notes). BBC Physical Audio. ISBN   978-1-47135-036-8.
  10. Prince Caspian (Radio Theatre) (Media notes). Focus on the Family. ISBN   978-1-56179-787-5.
  11. "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008)". IMDb.com. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  12. "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010)". IMDb.com. Retrieved 17 April 2018.