The Last Battle

by

C. S. Lewis

Tash Character Analysis

Tash is the deity who the Calormenes worship. He is the antithesis to Aslan and values violence and death over grace and eternal life. Tirian’s group sees Tash for the first time near their tower. Tash has a humanoid figure with four arms and a large bird’s head. When Rishda realizes Tash is real, she begins sending as many sacrifices as she can into the stable.

Tash Quotes in The Last Battle

The The Last Battle quotes below are all either spoken by Tash or refer to Tash. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Belief, Deception, and False Prophets Theme Icon
).
Chapter 8 Quotes

At first glance you might have mistaken it for smoke, for it was gray and you could see things through it. But the deathly smell was not the smell of smoke. Also, this thing kept its shape instead of billowing and curling as smoke would have done. It was roughly the shape of a man but it had the head of a bird; some bird of prey with a cruel, curved beak. It had four arms which it held high above its head, stretching them out Northward as if it wanted to snatch all Narnia in its grip; and its fingers—all twenty of them—were curved like its beak and had long, pointed, bird-like claws instead of nails. It floated on the grass instead of walking, and the grass seemed to wither beneath it.

Related Characters: Aslan, Tash
Page Number: 101-102
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 10 Quotes

“Nay, my Father,” answered Emeth. “Thou hast said that their Aslan and our Tash are all one. And if that is the truth, then Tash himself is in yonder. And how then sayest thou that I have nothing to do with him? For gladly would I die a thousand deaths if I might look once on the face of Tash.”

Related Characters: Emeth (speaker), Tirian, Rishda, Shift, Aslan, Tash, Tashlan
Related Symbols: The Stable
Page Number: 139
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 12 Quotes

Seven Kings and Queens stood before him, all with crowns on their heads and all in glittering clothes, but the Kings wore fine mail as well and had their swords drawn in their hands. Tirian bowed courteously and was about to speak when the youngest of the Queens laughed. He stared hard at her face, and then gasped with amazement, for he knew her. It was Jill: but not Jill as he had last seen her, with her face all dirt and tears and an old drill dress half slipping off one shoulder. Now she looked cool and fresh, as fresh as if she had just come from bathing. And at first he thought she looked older, but then didn’t, and he could never make up his mind on that point. And then he saw that the youngest of the Kings was Eustace: but he also was changed as Jill was changed.

Related Characters: Tirian, Jill Pole, Eustace Scrubb, Aslan, Tash
Related Symbols: The Stable
Page Number: 166-167
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 15 Quotes

“Therefore if any man swear by Tash and keep his oath for the oath’s sake, it is by me that he has truly sworn, though he know it not, and it is I who reward him. And if any man do a cruelty in my name, then, though he says the name Aslan it is Tash whom he serves and by Tash his deed is accepted. Dost thou understand, Child? I said, Lord, thou knowest how much I understand. But I said also (for the truth constrained me), Yet I have been seeking Tash all my days. Beloved, said the Glorious One, unless thy desire had been for me thou wouldst not have sought so long and so truly. For all find what they truly seek.”

Related Characters: Emeth (speaker), Rishda, Shift, Aslan, Tash
Page Number: 205-206
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire The Last Battle LitChart as a printable PDF.
The Last Battle PDF

Tash Quotes in The Last Battle

The The Last Battle quotes below are all either spoken by Tash or refer to Tash. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Belief, Deception, and False Prophets Theme Icon
).
Chapter 8 Quotes

At first glance you might have mistaken it for smoke, for it was gray and you could see things through it. But the deathly smell was not the smell of smoke. Also, this thing kept its shape instead of billowing and curling as smoke would have done. It was roughly the shape of a man but it had the head of a bird; some bird of prey with a cruel, curved beak. It had four arms which it held high above its head, stretching them out Northward as if it wanted to snatch all Narnia in its grip; and its fingers—all twenty of them—were curved like its beak and had long, pointed, bird-like claws instead of nails. It floated on the grass instead of walking, and the grass seemed to wither beneath it.

Related Characters: Aslan, Tash
Page Number: 101-102
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 10 Quotes

“Nay, my Father,” answered Emeth. “Thou hast said that their Aslan and our Tash are all one. And if that is the truth, then Tash himself is in yonder. And how then sayest thou that I have nothing to do with him? For gladly would I die a thousand deaths if I might look once on the face of Tash.”

Related Characters: Emeth (speaker), Tirian, Rishda, Shift, Aslan, Tash, Tashlan
Related Symbols: The Stable
Page Number: 139
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 12 Quotes

Seven Kings and Queens stood before him, all with crowns on their heads and all in glittering clothes, but the Kings wore fine mail as well and had their swords drawn in their hands. Tirian bowed courteously and was about to speak when the youngest of the Queens laughed. He stared hard at her face, and then gasped with amazement, for he knew her. It was Jill: but not Jill as he had last seen her, with her face all dirt and tears and an old drill dress half slipping off one shoulder. Now she looked cool and fresh, as fresh as if she had just come from bathing. And at first he thought she looked older, but then didn’t, and he could never make up his mind on that point. And then he saw that the youngest of the Kings was Eustace: but he also was changed as Jill was changed.

Related Characters: Tirian, Jill Pole, Eustace Scrubb, Aslan, Tash
Related Symbols: The Stable
Page Number: 166-167
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 15 Quotes

“Therefore if any man swear by Tash and keep his oath for the oath’s sake, it is by me that he has truly sworn, though he know it not, and it is I who reward him. And if any man do a cruelty in my name, then, though he says the name Aslan it is Tash whom he serves and by Tash his deed is accepted. Dost thou understand, Child? I said, Lord, thou knowest how much I understand. But I said also (for the truth constrained me), Yet I have been seeking Tash all my days. Beloved, said the Glorious One, unless thy desire had been for me thou wouldst not have sought so long and so truly. For all find what they truly seek.”

Related Characters: Emeth (speaker), Rishda, Shift, Aslan, Tash
Page Number: 205-206
Explanation and Analysis: