Prince Caspian

Prince Caspian is a young adult fantasy adventure novel by British author C. S. Lewis. Published in 1951, the novel was Lewis’s second addition to the popular Chronicles of Narnia series. In this story, the Pevensie children suddenly return to Narnia, where hundreds of years have passed since they defeated the evil White Witch and reigned as kings and queens at Cair Paravel. The children now confront the new challenge of helping their ally Prince Caspian defeat his cruel and tyrannical uncle, King Miraz, and establish a new peace in Narnia. Through his complex human and animal characters, Lewis explores themes of The Process of Sin, Forgiveness, and Redemption, The Triumph of Faith and Courage, Spirituality and Humanity’s Relationship to Nature, and the abuse of power. This book was made into a film in 2008, with actor Ben Barnes starring as Prince Caspian.

Note: This guide refers to the Kindle edition of this book. All citations refer to location numbers.

Plot Summary

The Pevensie children are traveling by train to their new boarding schools when they are unexpectedly transported into a thick forest in Narnia. Realizing they are on an island, the children explore and find the ruins of an old castle. As they investigate the castle grounds, they realize that it is in fact Cair Paravel, the castle where they lived and reigned over Narnia before returning to Earth. They are shocked that it is so ancient; only one year has passed in England, but hundreds must have gone by in Narnia. The children locate their old treasure chamber and find the magical gifts that Father Christmas gave them, including Susan’s bow and arrows, Lucy’s diamond bottle and healing cordial, and Peter’s sword, Rhindon. Susan’s horn is missing.

The children soon witness two cruel soldiers rowing a captive dwarf toward the island. They scare the soldiers away and rescue the dwarf, who informs them that he is a messenger from Prince Caspian, the rightful heir to the throne of Narnia and the nephew of the vicious King Miraz. He then recounts Prince Caspian’s backstory, explaining how as a child he loved tales of Old Narnia and its talking creatures, which his uncle dismissed as nonsense. Caspian’s wise tutor, a dwarf human named Doctor Cornelius, told him that Narnia was once populated with dwarfs, talking creatures, and tree spirits, but Caspian’s ancestors, the Telmarines, cruelly destroyed many of them when they conquered Narnia. Doctor Cornelius also revealed King Miraz’s murder of Prince Caspian’s father and other competitors to the throne.

Certain that Miraz would murder Caspian next, Doctor Cornelius gifted the prince Susan’s magic horn and helped him escape from King Miraz’s castle. Prince Caspian entered the woods, where he met a talking badger, Trufflehunter, and two dwarfs, Trumpkin and Nikabrik. After revealing his identity and promising his support to the Old Narnians, Prince Caspian became their friend, and they introduced him to all of the talking creatures hiding in the forest, including squirrels, mice, centaurs, fauns, bears, and more.

The Old Narnians held a council on how to defeat King Miraz, but their discussion was interrupted by Doctor Cornelius, who arrived to inform them that King Miraz’s forces were hunting for Prince Caspian. Cornelius persuaded the panicked group to journey to Aslan’s How, an ancient mound containing the stone where the White Witch murdered Aslan centuries earlier. King Miraz’s army quickly located the group, and a battle broke out. Prince Caspian used his magic horn to call for help: This is how the Pevensies arrived in Narnia.

The dwarf now reveals to the Pevensie children that he is Trumpkin. While Trumpkin initially doubts whether the Pevensie children can help, they soon convince him of their competence. The group agrees that they will row along the shore and then hike up the river to Aslan’s How to rescue Caspian and the Old Narnians. During the arduous journey, Lucy is convinced she sees Aslan in the woods. Her siblings cannot see him and do not believe her. When Lucy sees Aslan again, he tells her to convince her siblings to follow him. Though unable to see Aslan themselves, they reluctantly agree, and Aslan leads them out of the dense forest into Aslan’s How. After seeing Aslan again, the older Pevensies are embarrassed and regretful that they doubted Lucy.

Trumpkin, Peter, and Edmund arrive at Prince Caspian’s room in the mound and overhear him planning his defense with Trufflehunter and Nikabrik. Peter and Edmund are concerned to hear about Nikabrik’s friendship with a “hag” and a wer-wolf, as well as his desire to summon the White Witch to defeat King Miraz. When Nikabrik says he will betray Prince Caspian and call on the Witch, Peter, Edmund, Trumpkin, Caspian, and Trufflehunter kill him and the dark creatures he brought along with him.

Caspian, Peter, and Edmund offer King Miraz a resolution through single combat, pitting Peter against King Miraz in a duel. King Miraz, who does not want to appear cowardly, accepts this challenge. The fight is a struggle for both but ends when King Miraz trips on a lump of grass and is quickly assassinated by one of his own soldiers. Confused and enraged, the two groups clash in open battle, but the arrival of the awakened trees sends the frightened Telmarine army fleeing toward the river.

Meanwhile, Aslan, Lucy, and Susan journey across the nearby farms and neighborhoods, spreading joy and healing to good people and animals while frightening away cruel people. Aslan works miracles to save an abused boy and to heal an elderly woman. They then meet up with the victorious Narnian army, and Lucy uses her magical healing cordial to save Reepicheep the mouse. The victors feast and dance into the night to celebrate.

Aslan anoints Prince Caspian the new king and tells all the inhabitants of Narnia that Caspian will rule fairly. Aslan promises that any Telmarine people who do not want to stay in Narnia can return to an island on Earth that their ancestors used to inhabit. He then tells the children that it is time for them to return to England and that Susan and Peter will never come back to Narnia. The children change into their school clothes and walk through Aslan’s magical door, finding themselves back in an English train station in early summer.