Caspian X
Encyclopedia
Caspian X, King of Narnia, Lord of Cair Paravel and Emperor of The Lone Islands, also called Caspian the Seafarer and Caspian the Navigator, 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
.
of Narnia. By this time 1300 years have passed since the rule of High King Peter
and his siblings, and Old Narnians no longer live openly in Narnia, having been driven into hiding by Caspian's ancestors, the Telmar
ines. In fact, the talking beasts are believed to be mythical
, and stories of them are forbidden in Miraz's castle
.
When Caspian is a small boy (by which time both of his parents are dead), his nurse tells him of these stories, which fascinate him; but when he mentions them in the presence of his uncle, Miraz rebukes Caspian and dismisses the nurse.
Miraz appoints Doctor Cornelius Caspian's tutor. Cornelius has dwarfish as well as human blood, though Miraz does not know this. Cornelius teaches Caspian the sciences and history that his uncle prescribes, but also tells him secretly the true stories of Narnia's past.
Cornelius tells Caspian that Miraz killed Caspian IX, Caspian's father and Miraz's elder brother, to take the throne for himself. Although Miraz never cared much for Prince Caspian, he was willing that Caspian should succeed him as king, as he would rather Caspian inherit the throne than a stranger.
When Miraz's wife Prunaprismia
gives birth to a son, this situation changes overnight. Cornelius urges the 13-year-old Caspian to flee for his life; for Miraz will certainly perceive Caspian as his son's rival for the throne. Cornelius gives Caspian Queen Susan's
magic horn, which will bring help to whoever blows it. Caspian flees and meets creatures he once thought mythical, and the Old Narnians accept him as king. When Miraz attacks, Caspian blows the horn, and the kings and queens of old – Peter
, Susan
, Edmund
, and Lucy
– are pulled back into Narnia. With Aslan
's help, they defeat Miraz in what Lewis called the "War of Deliverance" and restore old Narnia. Despite his Telmarine bloodline, Caspian is named the rightful heir by Aslan himself, for he is a member of Adam's race from Earth. He becomes King Caspian X.
now."
The titular voyage of the novel takes place exactly three years after Prince Caspian. Order has been re-established in Narnia, and Caspian has constructed the ship Dawn Treader
to sail the eastern seas in search of the seven Telmarine lords
who had remained loyal to his father and were sent away by Miraz. On the way to the Lone Islands, the sailors discover Edmund
, Lucy
, and their cousin Eustace
in the water. They have been magically transported to the Narnian world, and help Caspian and the ship's crew sail east towards the end of the world to find the missing lords. When they reach the end of the world, the mouse Reepicheep
(who had fought to liberate Narnia in Prince Caspian) goes on to Aslan's Country
, described as a blissful paradise. During the voyage, Caspian meets the unnamed daughter of the retired star Ramandu
. They marry and have a son, Rilian.
Eustace and his school friend Jill Pole arrive in Narnia while fleeing a gang of bullies at their school, Experiment House. They arrive to witness the aged Caspian set off to sea to revisit the lands of his youth. Among the Narnians it is rumoured that Caspian fears his son is lost forever, and is sailing to ask Aslan who should be the next king. Meanwhile, Eustace and Jill rescue the lost Prince from the underworld where he had been held captive by his mother's murderer, the shapeshifting Lady of the Green Kirtle
. Caspian returns to Narnia in time to embrace his son before dying. After his death, Caspian is rejuvenated by Aslan, and he accompanies Eustace and Jill back to their world, where they deal with the Experiment House bullies. Finally, Caspian's spirit returns to Aslan's Country.
of Prince Caspian produced by the BBC
, the teenaged Caspian was played by Jean Marc Perret. In the Voyage of the Dawn Treader (also 1989), the slightly older Capsian was played by Samuel West
, and in The Silver Chair the aged Caspian is played by Geoffrey Russell (and the rejuvenated Caspian by Jean Marc Perret).
In Walden Media
's 2008 release of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
, the character is portrayed by English
actor Ben Barnes
. In this version, Caspian is already coming of age
, wrestling with his youthful desire for revenge against Miraz. The film introduces an incipient attraction between Caspian and Queen Susan
; before she returns to her own world for the last time, Susan gives Caspian a farewell kiss.
Caspian is again portrayed by Barnes in Walden's sequel, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
, this time with a beard to show that time has passed; he has grown and matured into a wise young man. Caspian is on a voyage to find the seven lost lords of Narnia that were banished by his uncle. He is tempted by the evil mist of Dark Island, which appears to him as his greatest fear: that his father feels nothing but disappointment in him. After defeating the evil, he is offered the chance to travel to Aslan's Country
to find his father, but chooses to stay in Narnia and continue his reign as king. Caspian finds a new love interest when he is instantly smitten with the beautiful star Lilliandil, whom he meets on Ramandu's Island.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in The Chronicles of Narnia
The Chronicles of Narnia
The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of seven fantasy novels for children by C. S. Lewis. It is considered a classic of children's literature and is the author's best-known work, having sold over 100 million copies in 47 languages...
by C. S. Lewis
C. S. Lewis
Clive Staples Lewis , commonly referred to as C. S. Lewis and known to his friends and family as "Jack", was a novelist, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian and Christian apologist from Belfast, Ireland...
. He is featured in three books in the series: Prince Caspian
Prince Caspian
Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia is a novel for children by C. S. Lewis, written in late 1949 and first published in 1951. It is the second-published book in the Chronicles of Narnia series, although in the overall chronological sequence it comes fourth.-Plot summary:While standing on a...
, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a fantasy novel for children by C. S. Lewis. Written in 1950, it was published in 1952 as the third book of The Chronicles of Narnia...
, and The Silver Chair
The Silver Chair
The Silver Chair is part of The Chronicles of Narnia, a series of seven fantasy novels written by C. S. Lewis. It was the fourth book published and is the sixth book chronologically. It is the first book published in the series in which the Pevensie children do not appear. The main characters are...
. He also appears at the end of The Last Battle
The Last Battle
The Last Battle is the seventh and final novel in The Chronicles of Narnia series by C. S. Lewis. It won the prestigious Carnegie Medal in Literature in 1956.-Plot summary:In The Last Battle, Lewis brings The Chronicles of Narnia to an end...
.
Prince Caspian
Lewis introduces Caspian as the young nephew of and heir to King MirazMiraz
Miraz is a fictional character from C. S. Lewis's fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia. He is the main antagonist in the second book Prince Caspian, and is the uncle of the book's protagonist....
of Narnia. By this time 1300 years have passed since the rule of High King Peter
Peter Pevensie
Peter Pevensie is a major fictional character in the children's fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis. Peter appears in four of the seven books; as a child and a principal character in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian, and as an adult in The Horse and His Boy...
and his siblings, and Old Narnians no longer live openly in Narnia, having been driven into hiding by Caspian's ancestors, the Telmar
Telmar
Telmar is a country in the fictional world of Narnia created by the British author C. S. Lewis for his series of books which compose The Chronicles of Narnia. The Telmarines are prominent in the book Prince Caspian, the second book published in the series...
ines. In fact, the talking beasts are believed to be mythical
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
, and stories of them are forbidden in Miraz's castle
Miraz's Castle
Miraz's Castle was home to the early Telmarine Dynasty of the Kingdom of Narnia. The castle was built by Caspian VI and was home to him and his successors, including Caspian VII and Caspian VIII. The last permanent ruler of the palace by the name of "Caspian" was Caspian IX, who was murdered and...
.
When Caspian is a small boy (by which time both of his parents are dead), his nurse tells him of these stories, which fascinate him; but when he mentions them in the presence of his uncle, Miraz rebukes Caspian and dismisses the nurse.
Miraz appoints Doctor Cornelius Caspian's tutor. Cornelius has dwarfish as well as human blood, though Miraz does not know this. Cornelius teaches Caspian the sciences and history that his uncle prescribes, but also tells him secretly the true stories of Narnia's past.
Cornelius tells Caspian that Miraz killed Caspian IX, Caspian's father and Miraz's elder brother, to take the throne for himself. Although Miraz never cared much for Prince Caspian, he was willing that Caspian should succeed him as king, as he would rather Caspian inherit the throne than a stranger.
When Miraz's wife Prunaprismia
Prunaprismia
Queen Prunaprismia was the wife of King Miraz I, the former king of Telmarine-ruled Narnia , the usurper of the throne from King Caspian IX, and the foe of the true Narnian king, Caspian X. Prunaprismia deeply loved her husband, but was a strong opponent of her relatives, including her...
gives birth to a son, this situation changes overnight. Cornelius urges the 13-year-old Caspian to flee for his life; for Miraz will certainly perceive Caspian as his son's rival for the throne. Cornelius gives Caspian Queen Susan's
Susan Pevensie
Susan Pevensie is a fictional character in C. S. Lewis' 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...
magic horn, which will bring help to whoever blows it. Caspian flees and meets creatures he once thought mythical, and the Old Narnians accept him as king. When Miraz attacks, Caspian blows the horn, and the kings and queens of old – Peter
Peter Pevensie
Peter Pevensie is a major fictional character in the children's fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis. Peter appears in four of the seven books; as a child and a principal character in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian, and as an adult in The Horse and His Boy...
, Susan
Susan Pevensie
Susan Pevensie is a fictional character in C. S. Lewis' 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...
, Edmund
Edmund Pevensie
Edmund "Ed" Pevensie is a major fictional character in C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia. He is a principal character in three of the seven books , and a lesser character in two others .In the live-action films, The...
, and Lucy
Lucy Pevensie
Lucy Pevensie is a fictional character in C. S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia. She is the youngest of the four Pevensie children, and the first to find the Wardrobe entrance to Narnia in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Of all the Pevensie children, Lucy is the closest to Aslan...
– are pulled back into Narnia. With Aslan
Aslan
Aslan, the "Great Lion," is the central character in The Chronicles of Narnia, a series of seven fantasy novels for children written by C. S. Lewis. He is the eponymous lion of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and his role in Narnia is developed throughout the remaining books...
's help, they defeat Miraz in what Lewis called the "War of Deliverance" and restore old Narnia. Despite his Telmarine bloodline, Caspian is named the rightful heir by Aslan himself, for he is a member of Adam's race from Earth. He becomes King Caspian X.
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Early in the book, King Caspian X has just won several decisive victories over the Giants of the North. Caspian, in his own words, "gave those troublesome giants on the frontier such a good beating last summer that they pay us tributeTribute
A tribute is wealth, often in kind, that one party gives to another as a sign of respect or, as was often the case in historical contexts, of submission or allegiance. Various ancient states, which could be called suzerains, exacted tribute from areas they had conquered or threatened to conquer...
now."
The titular voyage of the novel takes place exactly three years after Prince Caspian. Order has been re-established in Narnia, and Caspian has constructed the ship Dawn Treader
Dawn Treader
The Dawn Treader was a Narnian ship in the fictional world of The Chronicles of Narnia. It was built by King Caspian X and is featured primarily in the book The Voyage of the Dawn Treader...
to sail the eastern seas in search of the seven Telmarine lords
Seven Great Lords of Narnia
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.In the book Prince...
who had remained loyal to his father and were sent away by Miraz. On the way to the Lone Islands, the sailors discover Edmund
Edmund Pevensie
Edmund "Ed" Pevensie is a major fictional character in C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia. He is a principal character in three of the seven books , and a lesser character in two others .In the live-action films, The...
, Lucy
Lucy Pevensie
Lucy Pevensie is a fictional character in C. S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia. She is the youngest of the four Pevensie children, and the first to find the Wardrobe entrance to Narnia in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Of all the Pevensie children, Lucy is the closest to Aslan...
, and their cousin Eustace
Eustace Scrubb
Eustace Clarence Scrubb is a fictional character in C. S. Lewis' 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 water. They have been magically transported to the Narnian world, and help Caspian and the ship's crew sail east towards the end of the world to find the missing lords. When they reach the end of the world, the mouse Reepicheep
Reepicheep
Reepicheep is a fictional character from C.S. Lewis', Chronicles of Narnia series. He appears in Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and also in The Last Battle. He is a large, talking mouse who carries a rapier, and wears a red plume tucked in his golden circlet...
(who had fought to liberate Narnia in Prince Caspian) goes on to Aslan's Country
Aslan's Country
Aslan's Country is a fictional location from C. S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia series. It is the home of Aslan, the great lion. It is described as a series of mountains, thousands of feet high, but without snow or ice. Instead, Aslan's Country has a clear blue sky, lush green grass, colourful...
, described as a blissful paradise. During the voyage, Caspian meets the unnamed daughter of the retired star Ramandu
Ramandu
Ramandu is a fictional character in C. S. Lewis's The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, part of the series The Chronicles of Narnia.- About :...
. They marry and have a son, Rilian.
The Silver Chair
In this novel, Caspian is an ailing elderly man. About ten years earlier, his wife died of a serpent's bite, and their son Rilian rode to exact revenge but disappeared.Eustace and his school friend Jill Pole arrive in Narnia while fleeing a gang of bullies at their school, Experiment House. They arrive to witness the aged Caspian set off to sea to revisit the lands of his youth. Among the Narnians it is rumoured that Caspian fears his son is lost forever, and is sailing to ask Aslan who should be the next king. Meanwhile, Eustace and Jill rescue the lost Prince from the underworld where he had been held captive by his mother's murderer, the shapeshifting Lady of the Green Kirtle
Lady of the Green Kirtle
The Lady of the Green Kirtle, also called Queen of Underland and Queen of the Deep Realm, is the main villain in The Silver Chair by C. S. Lewis. She is sometimes called briefly the Green Lady , and she is known also as the Emerald Witch; neither name, however, appears in Lewis's text...
. Caspian returns to Narnia in time to embrace his son before dying. After his death, Caspian is rejuvenated by Aslan, and he accompanies Eustace and Jill back to their world, where they deal with the Experiment House bullies. Finally, Caspian's spirit returns to Aslan's Country.
The Last Battle
Caspian makes a very brief appearance with his wife and son Rilian at the end of this novel, the final book in the Narnia series. He is present with all the other major characters who reappear in Aslan's Country at the end of the Narnian world.Portrayals
In the 1989 television serialMiniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
of Prince Caspian produced by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, the teenaged Caspian was played by Jean Marc Perret. In the Voyage of the Dawn Treader (also 1989), the slightly older Capsian was played by Samuel West
Samuel West
Samuel Alexander Joseph West is an English actor and theatre director. He is perhaps best known for his role in Howards End and his work on stage. He also starred in the award-winning play ENRON...
, and in The Silver Chair the aged Caspian is played by Geoffrey Russell (and the rejuvenated Caspian by Jean Marc Perret).
In Walden Media
Walden Media
Walden Media is a children's film production and publishing company best known as the producers of The Chronicles of Narnia series. Its films are based on notable classic or award-winning children's literature, compelling biographies or historical events, documentaries and some original...
's 2008 release of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is a 2008 epic fantasy film based on Prince Caspian, the second published, fourth chronological novel in C. S. Lewis's epic fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia. It is the second in The Chronicles of Narnia film series from Walden Media, following The...
, the character is portrayed by English
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
actor Ben Barnes
Ben Barnes (actor)
Benjamin Thomas "Ben" Barnes is an English actor, best known for his portrayal of Caspian X in The Chronicles of Narnia films Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.-Early life and education:...
. In this version, Caspian is already coming of age
Coming of age
Coming of age is a young person's transition from childhood to adulthood. The age at which this transition takes place varies in society, as does the nature of the transition. It can be a simple legal convention or can be part of a ritual, as practiced by many societies...
, wrestling with his youthful desire for revenge against Miraz. The film introduces an incipient attraction between Caspian and Queen Susan
Susan Pevensie
Susan Pevensie is a fictional character in C. S. Lewis' 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...
; before she returns to her own world for the last time, Susan gives Caspian a farewell kiss.
Caspian is again portrayed by Barnes in Walden's sequel, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a 2010 3D fantasy-adventure film based on The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the third novel in C. S. Lewis's epic fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia . It is the third installment in The Chronicles of Narnia film series from Walden Media...
, this time with a beard to show that time has passed; he has grown and matured into a wise young man. Caspian is on a voyage to find the seven lost lords of Narnia that were banished by his uncle. He is tempted by the evil mist of Dark Island, which appears to him as his greatest fear: that his father feels nothing but disappointment in him. After defeating the evil, he is offered the chance to travel to Aslan's Country
Aslan's Country
Aslan's Country is a fictional location from C. S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia series. It is the home of Aslan, the great lion. It is described as a series of mountains, thousands of feet high, but without snow or ice. Instead, Aslan's Country has a clear blue sky, lush green grass, colourful...
to find his father, but chooses to stay in Narnia and continue his reign as king. Caspian finds a new love interest when he is instantly smitten with the beautiful star Lilliandil, whom he meets on Ramandu's Island.
External links
- Dawn Treader model photographs
- The Voyage of the Dawn Treader at Narnia Fans
- NarniaWeb