The film, The Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch,
and the Wardrobe based on the novel by C.S. Lewis, allegorically relates
the tale of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice through the lion, Aslan. Aslan’s
masculinity makes him an idyllic sacrificial figure, while the class, gender,
and sexuality of other characters in relation to Aslan also serve that purpose.
It is important to note that Aslan is a representation of the mythical figure
Jesus Christ as the New Testament depicts him, not a representation of the
physical man Jesus Christ who may or may not have existed. The film uses
Christian iconography and mythology throughout, to further impart its allegory.
Aslan, like Christ, is completely devoid of sexuality. His masculinity
relates only to his status as King of Narnia, not to any personal desires or
cares as with many masculine heroes. The Pevensie children, because they are
the only humans in Narnia and are all related are also devoid of sexuality. The
film inserts sexuality only in congruence with the evil Jadis. Perhaps this
reflects some Christian apprehension towards lust or overt sexuality. For
instance, Aslan’s sacrifice by Jadis is highly sexualized on her part. All of
her followers are present, and are all panting as the execution approaches. Before
killing him, Jadis attempts to humiliate Aslan by shaving his mane. A lion’s
mane is the primary way of one’s recognition of the lion’s masculinity, so this
humiliation is similar to castration. Jadis’ followers clearly take pleasure in
the scene, and as the execution approaches their chanting and stomping quicken
in tempo. As Jadis stabs Aslan, she gasps, also seeming to take pleasure in the
act. The penetration of Aslan with Jadis’ phallic-like saber, combined with her
gasp upon the moment of penetration, make the sacrifice into a sort of rape
scene. The fact that so many people are watching adds to the defamation and the
sense of spectacle. Aslan’s shaving and stabbing also evoke the humiliation and
stabbing of Christ during his crucifixion. The sneering Narnians who watch
Aslan approach his death echo the jeering Romans and Jews who watched Christ
march to his death.
The essay “Narnia as a Site of National Struggle: Marketing,
Christianity, and National Purpose in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion,
the Witch and the Wardrobe” by James Russell evaluates the rhetoric and
methods of marketing of the film to Christian groups. Russell argues that the
film was marketed as a religious experience to Evangelicals and others, by
focusing on the cultural aspects of the conflict the film centers around.
Russell writes “The marketing campaign incorporated apocalyptic and utopian
visions of national purpose, familiar to many Evangelical Christians and, in
the process, suggested that The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe might
act as a powerful corrective to a presumed moral ‘decay’ in the social fabric
of the nation.” This marketing strategy certainly fits in with the themes in
the film itself. Jadis is the only sexualized character, and is also the most
evil. It takes no stretch of cognitive function to infer that the film
denounces overt sexuality in favor of Christian morality. It is only logical
then that the film would be marketed specifically to Christians as a moral,
restorative experience.
Russell also writes “Furthermore, the Christian connections
of the Narnia story meant that the fi lm could potentially be marketed to the
audiences who helped to make Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ such
a success in 2004.” The very fact that the movie was so successfully marketed
to Christian audiences is a testament to the existence of Christian themes
within the story itself. Many Christian audiences are very selective about the
films they choose to endorse or allow their children to view. The Harry Potter series, despite the
widely-accepted notion of a Christ allegory within the story, is a banned
subject for many Christians. Even though Harry Potter is an allegory for
Christ, the other themes within the series, like sexuality and magic, are too
repellent to Christians. The fact that Narnia includes certain forms of magic
and yet is still so marketable to Christians proves just how strongly these
Christians feel the Narnia story reflects their values.
The essay “Inclusivism in the Fiction of C.S. Lewis” by Elissa
McCormack explores the Christian themes throughout the whole Narnian series.
Specifically, McCormack examines how Lewis’ faith and beliefs evidence
themselves in his novels. The essay pays special attention to the issues of
salvation, repentance, and divine punishment. McCormack argues that Lewis’
Narnian series directly reflects the Christian belief that the Word of Christ
is the key to salvation, by examining the fates of characters who act either
morally or immorally.
