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Chapter 12
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Horse and His Boy, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Freedom and Justice
Bravery vs. Recklessness
Christianity
Gender Roles
Summary
Analysis
Shasta and the Narnians all march toward the castle of King Lune, which is called Anvard. Shasta learns that Susan is not a warrior and so she’s stayed behind in Cair Paravel. When they arrive at the castle, they see Prince Rabadash’s men using a battering ram on the walls. The two armies begin to gallop toward each other. Shasta is nervous but determined, lost in the confusion of his first battle.
The battering ram once again shows how Rabadash hopes to triumph through brute force. Meanwhile, the solid walls of Anvard reflect the more seasoned wisdom and experience of King Lune compared to the brash Rabadash. Shasta’s nerves before battle show that, unlike Corin, Shasta has a better sense of the horrors that a battle can hold.
Themes
Meanwhile, the Hermit has been observing everything from his perch above. He can tell that a couple of Prince Rabadash’s men have fallen in the siege of King Lune’s castle, but many still remain. He describes the moment of the Narnian army meeting with Prince Rabadash’s forces, noting that Corin has managed to come with the army and get one of the first kills. However, Corin is reckless and soon falls. The Narnian army has Cats (such as leopards) and Giants that attack the Calormenes, stopping the battering ram.
The final battle is a little anticlimactic, reflecting how the inexperienced Prince Rabadash has underestimated how much resistance he would face, both from the sturdy castle walls and from the army of Narnia. The Cats and Giants of the Narnian army reflects how they fight in harmony with nature, whereas the Calormenes are all just men. Corin’s performance in battle shows the dangers of recklessness and reveals that, while he is kinder than Rabadash, he shares a similar sense of impulsiveness.
Themes
The Hermit describes Edmund fighting Prince Rabadash, and he thinks maybe Rabadash is dead. The battle is over with the Calormenes defeated. Meanwhile, Shasta is so exhausted in battle that he falls off his horse. When he recovers, he sees that the only living Calormenes are prisoners and Rabadash has been suspended from the castle wall, where he got stuck after a Giant tried to kick him. An angry Rabadash wants to come down and fight. Instead, the Narnians take Rabadash’s sword and carry him away.
Even after suffering a clear defeat, Rabadash still demands to fight, showing the extent of how deluded he is. Rabadash has lived a sheltered life in Calormen where everyone respects his authority, and unlike Shasta, he doesn’t learn from the consequences of his actions or his failures. The fact that all the other Calormenes end up dead or imprisoned reflects how their greedy culture is self-destructive and can’t stand up against the freedom of Narnia and Archenland.
Themes
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The novel has already strongly hinted that Shasta might have some relation to Corin (given Shasta’s mysterious birth and his strong resemblance to the prince), and this kiss from King Lune seems to confirm that. By coming to the end of his journey and proving himself in battle, Shasta is now prepared to discover his true identity.
Themes
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