Good vs. Evil
In Prince Caspian, Prince Caspian calls Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy from their world into Narnia with the help of a magic horn. He needs their help to defeat his uncle, King Miraz, who has stolen Caspian’s rightful throne. Evil forces are afoot in Narnia, especially among the Telmarines, a race descended from a group of bloodthirsty pirates who fell through a crack between the worlds centuries earlier. As…
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Faith and Belief
In the Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis uses allegorical elements to imbue books like Prince Caspian with the beliefs and values of his devout Christian faith. Aslan functions as a Christ figure, a link between the natural and spiritual worlds, both divine and vulnerable to suffering and death. Prince Caspian makes a fairly explicit claim that the world is better when people embrace Christian values. More specifically, Aslan’s slow revelation of himself teaches the…
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Power vs. Leadership
In Narnia’s Golden Age, King Peter, Queen Susan, King Edmund, and Queen Lucy ruled together, guided by Aslan himself. They shared their power and respected the magical and woodland creatures who were their subjects, and everyone flourished. In contrast, Telmarine rule is characterized by abuses of power and the entire land suffers because of it. Again and again, the book shows how the Telmarines value power—over each other, over their enemies, and…
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Fear and Courage
Because it centers around a civil war between Telmarine humans and Old Narnians, what constitutes courage is a constant question in Prince Caspian. Certainly, there are many opportunities for characters to demonstrate courage, from night-time treks through unknown territory, to engaging in open war, to individual combat. Each example of courageous action adds to the book’s argument that courage is one of the highest and best virtues a person can have. Caspian shows courage…
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